[ HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ]

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Radford rebounders
send Kahuku home

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By Paul Honda
Special to the Star-Bulletin

When your best player takes heed to words of wisdom, an entire team will fall in line.

So it was for the Radford Rams, who ousted Kahuku 54-38 in the opening round of the Oahu Interscholastic Association boys basketball playoffs last night.

Tauran Moore, their wiry, glass-cleaning 6-foot-2 swingman, led the way on both ends of the floor.

The quiet senior scored 15 points and led a tenacious group effort on the boards against the taller, bigger Red Raiders (8-3 regular season).

Radford (7-3) advanced to the quarterfinals. The Rams meet their nemesis, Mililani (10-0), tonight at the Trojans' gym. The victor advances to the semifinal round and earns a state tournament berth. The loser calls it a season.

Kahuku finished its season 1-4 in league play after starting out 7-0.

Radford, which lost at home to Mililani 57-52 on Jan. 20, could present problems thanks to similarities in height and quickness. Rebounding and defense become vital in the playoffs, and Radford head coach Kai Enos had no trouble convincing his team to understand this.

"We blocked out well. That was a key," he said. "Seems like we just played well together today."

Kahuku came out somewhat lethargic, but Radford was simply up to the task. At one point in the third quarter, the Red Raiders had fewer turnovers than the Rams, and had Radford's leading scorer nearly shut out.

Moore scored just two first-half points while the Rams turned the ball over nine times. Still, Radford led at halftime 20-17.

Kahuku struggled from the field and committed 10 turnovers by the break. Red Raider post men Tevita Finau and Shosei Yamauchi especially had trouble, combining for three points against a mix of man and 2-3 zone defenses.

Junior Ale's six points helped Kahuku stay close. So did Clinton Parks, who entered the game early in the second quarter. Kahuku had seven turnovers until the sophomore stepped on the floor, and had just three giveaways for the rest of the half.

Moore was quick to distribute praise.

"My team helped me out and told me to keep shooting," he said of the slow start. With Radford clinging to a 28-27 lead midway through the third quarter, Moore finally got some open looks and caught fire.

He connected for a three-point play in the key, and then drilled a 16-foot baseline jumper off the dribble. Though Parks nailed a trey from the left wing, Radford was on a 9-3 run to end the third quarter. The Rams led 37-30 after another huge basket by Justin Quinones, who finished with a game-high 16 points.

"Everyone stepped up," Moore noted. "Justin stepped up. Greg (Solomon) stepped up."

Solomon, a 6-2 forward, isn't the smoothest ballhandler, but he did his part in helping Radford stifle Kahuku's full-court press in the second half. Often enough, he brought the ball up on the weak side, the left sideline, and over half court. His height allowed him to avoid trouble.

"He took care of the ball," Moore said. "We kept our composure."

Breaking the Red Raider press was half the solution. With Solomon scoring on a three-point play on the low post, and Moore driving past Tevita Finau for a baseline bucket, Radford opened the final quarter with confidence.

Kahuku got within 42-35 after Finau began to assert himself. Operating from the top of the key as a point forward against Radford's zone, the 6-5 senior got into scoring position and found teammates open. However, the iron was unkind when Kahuku went to the foul line.

The Red Raiders made only two of five attempts from the stripe, including the front end of two one-and-one situations. Solomon and Quinones combined to score Radford's points during a key 6-0 run. By the time Kahuku called timeout with 3:20 to play, the Rams led 48-35.

Kahuku missed on all seven of its 3-point attempts in the final quarter as Radford cruised to victory.

Finau finished with eight points to lead Kahuku. Ale ended with six and Yamauchi had five.

For Finau, who reached the state tournament with Lahainaluna in 2002 and Maui in '03, it is a bittersweet finish to a heralded prep career on the hardwood.

"Radford is a good team. They have a lot of energy for a small team," said Finau, who signed a letter of intent to play football at Oregon State last week.

"We had a feeling that they'd be prepared for the press," he added. Finau's former team, Maui, has already clinched a state tournament berth.

"It's kind of saddening, but in a way, to have all the experiences that I've had at Kahuku, that's more important than going to states," the tight end said.

At Kahuku H.S. gym

Radford (8-3)	7	13	17	17	--	54
Kahuku (8-4)	9	8	13	8	--	38

RADFORD--Will Kerins 12, Ricardo Shipley 7, Jordan Rellin 1, Greg Solomon 7, Tauran Moore 15, Mike Davis 4, James Herron 0, Justin Quinones 8.
KAHUKU--Hapaki Kaululaau 0, Spencer Hafoka 0, Waika Carvalho 8, Jordan Casey 2, Al Afalava 0, Koty Juliano 0, Clinton Parks 8, Shosei Yamauchi 5, Tevita Finau 8, Jeremy Perry 0, Okesene Ale 7.
3-point goals -- Radford 2 (Kerins, Quinones), Kahuku 3 (Parks 2, Ale).

Moanalua 71, Kapolei 51
Eric Keys scored nine of his 15 points in the first quarter as the Menehunes raced out to a 21-10 lead after the first quarter and cruised past Kapolei and into the OIA semifinals.

In the absence of one of the Hurricanes' top scorers, Jefferson Gaygay, Warren Simanu stepped up to score a game-high 26 points, outscoring the rest of his team by one.

But Simanu alone couldn't stop the entire Moanalua team as five Menehunes scored in double figures.

At Kaimuki H.S. gym

Moanalua (9-3)	21	15	20	15	--	71
Kapolei (7-4)	10	10	16	15	--	51

MOANALUA--Glenn Gascon 2, Joseph Nishimura 13, Michael Loeschke 11, Marquise Du Vall 11, Jonathan Austad 0, Greg Morgan 0, Glenn Taijeron 1, Darin-Jay Shinagawa 11, Eric Keys 15, Ira Rodrigues 0, Kamoe Mehrtens 4, Micah Bagor 0, Sean Mullaney 0, Jameson Iereneo 3.
KAPOLEI--Ryan Dela Cruz 2, E.J. Aton 3, Wayne Archer 2, Keoki Lapina 2, Jimmy Stevens 0, Rod Smith 0, Zac Vierra 0, Cameron Moody 3, Roland Mason 0, Brad Padayao 5, Hector Malazarte 4, Jerrome Figueroa 4, Warren Simanu 26.
3-point goals -- Moanalua 4 (Nishimura 3, Shinagawa), Kapolei 4 (Aton, Moody, Padayao, Simanu).

McKinley 54, Pearl City 38
Abel Werner scored 14 of his 21 points in the decisive second half as McKinley outscored the Chargers 33-18 to pull away for the victory.

McKinley dominated from the free-throw line, making 19 of 31 attempts, compared to 4-11 shooting by Pearl City.

Michael Hardy scored a team-high 15 points for the Chargers.

At Pearl City H.S. gym

McKinley (8-4)	7	14	18	15	--	54
Pearl City (7-4)	10	10	11	7	--	38

MCKINLEY--Mark Nakatsuka 0, Abel Werner 21, Kapena Quisano 12, Brandon Barbasa , Iakopo Taumua 12, Robert Holder 6, Quentin Sayers , Golden Lawrence 0, Josh Valdez 3, Bobby Shimabukuro 0.
PEARL CITY--Rollie Salvacion 2, Halzton Berdida 4, Michael Hardy 15, Royce Yuen 6, Travis Cruz 3, Ricky Salvacion 1, Jason Lopes 0, Brandon Rambonga 5, Jeremy Pahukoa-Malia 0, AJ Fultz 2, Shane Lum 0, Patrick Angel 0, Joshua Fial 0, Bryan Olarti 0.

3-point goals -- McKinley 3 (Quisano 2, Werner), Pearl City 2 (Yuen, Cruz).

Kaimuki 69, Nanakuli 45
Nick Millan scored 22 points and Jimmy Miyasaka added 17 as the Bulldogs rolled over the Golden Hawks and into a quarterfinal showdown with Leilehua tonight.

Kekoa Onaga added 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, as Kaimuki exploded for 25 third-quarter points to pull away from Nanakuli.

James Chandler's 13 points led the way for Nanakuli.

At Kaimuki H.S. gym

Kaimuki (9-3)	12	18	25	14	--	69
Nanakuli (6-5)	6	11	10	18	--	45

KAIMUKI--Davey Nguyen 0, Kekoa Onaga 12, Dexter Tautofi 7, Isiah Ano 1, Jimmy Miyasaka 17, Reginal Palfrey 0, Keanu Lockwood 2, Tone Faasoa 9, Nick Milan 22.
NANAKULI--Kyle Beck 4, James Chandler 13, Alex Distajo 5, Jimmy Afamasaga 4, David Balicao 6, Justin Luavasa 4, Jaycee Alapai 3, Michael Ahina 0, Ben Asi 0, Jerry Kea 0, Alan Kalaniki-Pilialoha 0, Alika Enos 2, Keala Watson 4.
3-point goals -- Kaimuki 3 (Onaga 2, Miyasaka), Nanakuli 1 (Alapai).

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OIA Basketball

Yesterday
At Kaimuki
Game 1: Moanalua 71, Kapolei 51
2: Kaimuki 69, Nanakuli 45
At Pearl City
3: Radford 54, Kahuku 38
4: McKinley 54, Pearl City 38

Today
At Kalaheo
5: Leilehua (7-3) vs. Kaimuki (9-3), 5 p.m.
6: Kalaheo (10-1) vs. Moanalua (9-3), 6:30 p.m.
At Mililani
7: Castle (9-2) vs. McKinley (8-4), 5 p.m.
8: Mililani (10-0) vs. Radford (8-3), 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday
At higher seed
9: Game 5 and 6 winners, 5 p.m.
10: Game 7 and 8 winners, 6:30 p.m.

next Friday
At McKinley
Third place: Game 9 and 10 losers, 6:30 p.m.
Championship: Game 9 and 10 winners, 8 p.m.