RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Kahuku's Artevia Wily, front, and Konawaena's Jazzmin Awa-Williams scrambled for a loose ball.

Konawaena’s zone
shuts down Kahuku

Instead of seeing a repeat of last year's competitive state championship game between Konawaena and Kahuku, last night's crowd at the Stan Sheriff Center witnessed the same two teams take part in the second-most-lopsided semifinal game in tournament history, as the Wildcats defeated the Red Raiders 52-20.

The largest margin of victory for a team in a state semifinal is Kamehameha's 33-point win over Radford in 1992.

"We didn't expect a blowout like this," Konawaena coach Bobbie Awa said.

Second-seeded Konawaena (23-1), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion, moves on to play Punahou in defense of its 2004 state championship at 8 tonight. Kahuku (21-4), the third seed and champion out of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, plays Honokaa in the third-place game at 4 p.m.

Wildcat forward Jessica Hanato posted 16 points in the first half alone, and finished with a game-high 20 to go along with six rebounds and three steals.

Haunani Liftee added 13 points, while Jazzmin Awa-Williams chipped in 11 for the Wildcats.

The game's tone was set in the first quarter, as Konawaena jumped out to an 11-0 lead.

Awa said she and Konawaena defensive coach Donald Awa compromised to play both a zone defense, which the Wildcats rarely do, and a press. It worked, as the Wildcats shut down the Red Raider offense, limiting Kahuku to three shots the entire first quarter, including two misfires from behind the 3-point line.

Konawaena also forced 10 turnovers in the period, the only time this season the Red Raiders were held scoreless for a quarter.

"We were surprised they came out in a zone," Kahuku coach Wendy Anae said. "The zone threw us off. They got their hands in the passing lanes and they got a lot of tips."

The Red Raiders settled for 3-point shots for most of the rest of the night, going 0-for-13.

Kahuku finally broke through with a jumper by Aisha Ale from the free-throw line at the 4:56 mark in the second quarter. Ale and Camilla Ah-Hoy finished with seven points apiece to lead Kahuku.

While the Red Raiders were struggling, it seemed as though Hanato was hitting every shot from every spot on the floor, knocking in layups, jumpers and a 3-point bomb. In that time, the 5-7 senior hit seven of eight from the field. Her last points of the second quarter came right before halftime, when she stole the ball at midcourt and raced toward the other end, softly laying it in the basket just as the red light flashed from behind the backboard.

The Wildcats used their bench sparingly as the starters stayed in the game for the first three quarters. But fatigue was not a problem, with the starters accounting for 15 of the Wildcats' 17 points in the final quarter.

Awa acknowledged that one reason for Konawaena's fresher legs was that television timeouts provided several 90-second breaks for her starters.

"That was big for us," Awa said. "It wasn't 30 seconds or 60 seconds. I told the girls sit down and rest. We didn't have to rotate (substitutes) until the end. Our starters didn't need to rest."

"I wouldn't mind playing (another game) after this game. I'm just on a great high right now," Hanato said.

HHSAA girls basketball

At Stan Sheriff Center

Division I
Seeds: 1. Punahou. 2. Konawaena. 3. Kahuku. 4. Lahainaluna.

yesterday
11: Lahainaluna 52, Roosevelt 48
12: Iolani 65, Kalaheo 48
13: Konawaena 52, Kahuku 20
14: Punahou 54, Honokaa 38

Today
15: Seventh place, Kaiser vs. Farrington, 12:45 p.m.
16: Fifth place, Lahainaluna vs. Iolani, 2:30 p.m.
17: Third place, Kahuku vs. Honokaa, 4 p.m.
18: Championship, Konawaena vs. Punahou, 8 p.m.

Division II

yesterday
Game 1: Saint Francis 69, Seabury Hall 42
2: Kamehameha-Hawaii 67, Kalani 34

Today
3: Third place, Seabury Hall vs. Kalani, 11 a.m.
4: Championship, Saint Francis vs. Kamehameha-Hawaii, 6 p.m.

DIVISION I
Konawaena 52, Kahuku 20

At Stan Sheriff Center

Kahuku (21-4)	0	8	7	5	--	20
Konawaena (23-1)	11	13	11	17	--	52

KAHUKU--Camilla Ah-Hoy 7, Delicia Wilson 2, Ane Vea 0, Luseane Lauvaka 0, Adrianne Galeai 0, LeeAnn Mapu 0, Artevia Wily 0, Lily Latu 0, Kaimi Ah Puck 0, Charlotte Livai 0, Christina Soliai 2, Christine Meredith 0, Aisha Ale 7, Noelle Au 0, Kamaile Hughes 2.
KONAWAENA--Ashely Hirowatari 0, Kellie Kitaoka 2, Liana Hanato-Smith 0, Kayti Bowman 0, Leesa Deniz 3, Haunani Liftee 13, Brooke Guillermo 0, Hina Kimitete 3, Jazzmin Awa-Williams 11, Jessica Hanato 20, Mana Hopkins 0, Marissa Minor 0.
3-point goals -- Kahuku 0, Konawaena 3 (Liftee, Kimitete, Hanato).

Punahou 54, Honokaa 38

At Stan Sheriff Center

Honokaa (21-6)	5	8	8		17--38
Punahou (21-1)	5	15	12		22--54

HONOKAA--Kari Heers 10, Joliese DeMello 3, Alyssa Souza 0, Jerrika Lorenzo 4, Keisha Kanekoa 14, Jessica Lorenzo 0, Chelsey Souza 0, Wila Lavea 7, Tehani AhLoy 0, Whitney Acdal 0.
PUNAHOU--Ciana Aiwohi 4, Elizabeth Abe 0, Shanna-Lei Dacanay 15, Stacy Brossy 0, Lauren Tompkison 0, Dara Tompkison 0, Melanie Feldman 0, Shawna-Lei Kuehu 15, Shaena-Lyn Kuehu 15, Tessa Sonobe 0, Sophie Merrifield 5, Christine Takara 0, Devon Yamauchi 0.
3-point goals -- Honokaa 3 (DeMello, Jer. Lorenzo, Kanekoa), Punahou 2 (Aiwohi, Dacanay).