KIF's Menehunes knock off ILH's Pride to advance in D-II

For the first time in the four-year history of Division II in the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships, the Kauai Interscholastic Federation has representation in the second round of the playoffs.

Ho'onani Dennis hit a huge go-ahead 3-pointer with 26 seconds to play and Moani Durant made the game-saving block at the buzzer to carry Waimea to a 52-50 win over St. Andrew's Priory in the opening round last night at Farrington.

Dennis' shot was part of a 10-2 run the Menehunes used to close out the game, but the Pride still had a chance to tie or win on an inbounds play at halfcourt with 2.1 seconds left.

St. Andrew's Priory lobbed the ball across the court to 5-foot-2 guard Noelani Kawashima, who drove toward the basket fervently. But Durant, a 5-foot-7, four-year starter, shadowed Kawashima and deflected the ball in the air at the horn, and the Menehunes celebrated wildly.

It was the least emphatic of Durant's three blocks, but it mattered most. The Pride had no chance for a second desperation shot.

Durant, who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, felt even better about the win knowing her team was the perceived underdog going in.

"We just had to make one stop, and we got it," she said.

Said Waimea coach Elton Montemayor: "Tremendous block at the end with four fouls. The magnitude of that preserved the win."

Waimea got its first taste of success against the Interscholastic League of Honolulu this season; the Menehunes dropped games against Punahou, Iolani and Maryknoll in the preseason. St. Andrew's Priory (10-6) was the ILH's third-place team during the regular season. It now takes on Oahu Interscholastic Association champion and tournament No. 2 seed McKinley today at 8 p.m. at Farrington.

Facing the prospect of overtime at 48-all with 55.6 seconds left, Montemayor called timeout and drew up a play for Dennis. The senior guard ran along the baseline coming off a double screen and spotted up in the right corner. Meanwhile, her teammates swung the ball around the perimeter from left to right to find her, and Dennis' quick release was all net.

At Farrington H.S. Gym

St. Andrew's (10-6)	10	17	13	10	--	50
Waimea (8-2)	13	13	7	19	--	52

ST. ANDREW'S--Jordan Higa 2, Raquel Sevil 3, Minna Watanabe 21, Kellee Tom 11, Maile Tua 13, Noelani Kawashima 0, Ginger Grimes 0, Shelley Wong 0.

WAIMEA--Moani Durant 14, Josey Jacinto 9, Ho'onani Dennis 16, Cheri Kua 4, Erin Connelly 2, Kierra Barba 3, Aiko Grande 0, Mollie Connelly 4, Lorrine Lagoc 0, Tatum Gonsalves 0, Resha Banasihan 0.

3-point goals--St. Andrew's 2 (Watanabe 2), Waimea 7 (Dennis 3, Jacinto 3, Durant).

Kailua 45, Lanai 33

Kayelynn Kohatsu scored nine points and the Surfriders earned a date with top seed Sacred Hearts today.

At McKinley H.S. Gym

Kailua (11-5)	11	10	13	11	--	45
Lanai (7-6)	9	13	5	6	--	33

KAILUA--Kristen Corrales 6, Tawny Kiko 4, Mikala Scott 0, Tianna McKeague 2, Zsalei Kamaka 5, Pumehanaaloha Kanoa-Doctorello 2, Jarrish Mauhili-Kaneakua 0, Netia Pe'a-Ulugaono 2, Kayelynn Kohatsu 9, Ashley Jacobs 1, Tia Navarro 0, Kahealani Chang 2.

LANAI--Ashley Richardson 2, Spring Divina 2, Marieleese Butay 0, Sharon Bulaoat 0, Morgan Divina 3, Alyssa Locquiao 0, Lesly Suarez-Birano 9, Macy Bulaoat 0, Sandi Rabaca 0, Amanda Asuncion 0, Liana Kanno 4, Erin Trevino 10, Jaime Ayudan 0, Shantel Leina Basques 3.

3-point goals-- Kailua 1 (Corrales), Lanai 1 (Basques).

Kamehameha-Hawaii 62, St. Francis 50

Tabitha Eseroma scored 27 points to lead the Warriors.

At Farrington H.S. Gym

Kam-Hawaii (12-3)	17	17	16	12	--	62
St. Francis (10-5)	9	17	10	14	--	50

KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAII--Kozy Toriano 2, Kanisha Bello 3, Ashlee Kalauli 11, Sierra Gacayan 11, Tabitha Eseroma 27, Bryanna DeLima 1, Carissima Naki 5, Kaci Rosehill 2.

ST. FRANCIS--Danielle Tanaka 8, Bryanna Batts 14, Nicole Perry 10, Jamie Iwashita 2, Janelle Nance 5, Shaakira Mitchell 8, Kaui Berinobis 3.

3-point goals--Kamehameha-Hawaii 4 (Kalauli 2, Bello, Gacayan), St. Francis 1 (Berinobis).