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POSTED: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

'Iolani's hot start and strong finish proved just enough for the Raiders to hold off Kamehameha.

The Raiders saw two double-digit leads nearly disappear in the second half in their Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls basketball game against the Warriors last night at Kekuhaupio Gym. But they were able to survive the Warriors' comebacks to pull out a 56-55 win and improve to 4-1 in league play.

“;Kamehameha is such a fighting team, but that's the case for every team (in the ILH),”; Iolani coach Marlene Zeug said.

Freshman guard Kylie Maeda led the Raiders with 16 points, and made two free throws with 11.9 seconds left that proved to be the difference. Forward Brittany Barnes finished with 14 points and sparked a 12-2 fourth-quarter run that gave 'Iolani the lead for good.

The Warriors battled uphill for most of the night, but made the Raiders sweat out the win to the final buzzer led by Alexis Furtado's 16 points.

The Warriors (2-4 ILH) trailed 22-7 early in the second quarter and nearly battled back from a 10-point deficit in the game's final 3 minutes. But they suffered a second close loss to the Raiders this season after falling in overtime 37-35 in the first meeting.

“;It's been like this for most of our games. We don't believe in ourselves in the beginning and we just stumble around,”; Kamehameha coach Clay Cockett said. “;We played hard and we got ourselves back in the game.”;

Maeda hit a 3-pointer on 'Iolani's first possession and the Raiders took advantage of Kamehameha's cold shooting to take a 15-point lead less than a minute into the second quarter.

But the Warriors were able to hang around thanks to 13-for-18 shooting from the free-throw line in the first half and trailed 30-20 at the break.

Kamehameha added eight more free throws in the third quarter to continue to cut into the deficit and knotted the game at 38 on Pomaikai Kalakau's layup in the post at the 7:35 mark of the fourth quarter.

With the score tied at 40, Barnes scored 'Iolani's next five points, scoring on a putback, hitting a free throw and dropping in a layup off an assist from Maeda.

The Raiders' lead grew to 52-42 when Lori Yamashita hit a driving jumper with 2:50 left.

But Kamehameha scored the next six points from the free-throw line to stay close and closed to 54-52 when Kellsie Crowell got a layup to fall with 16 seconds left.

But Maeda hit her last two free throws to push the lead to four.

Kamehameha's Lindsey Wong then tossed in a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left, but 'Iolani ran out the clock to escape with the win.

“;We're a young team and the ebbs and flows of the game are going to continue to challenge us,”; Zeug said. “;As we start to learn and get more comfortable, we start to feel more confident. This team is a very different team than we were four weeks ago. We've asked a tremendous amount of them to just step up, and they've responded.”;

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Iolani (4-1)		20	10	8	18	—	56
Kamehameha (2-4)		7	13	16	19	—	55

IOLANI—Tami Konishi 2, Kylie Maeda 16, Saphyre Rezentes 0, Lori Yamashita 6, Georgette Lopes-Liutolo 10, Kaitlyn Shikada 3, Kryn Masutani 0, Mahina Haina 0, Lahela Usui 5, Shauni Watanabe 0, Brittany Barnes 14.

KAMEHAMEHA—Alexis Furtado 16, Sanoe Keliinoe 7, Noelani Mikami 11, Lindsey Wong 7, Pomaikai Kalakau 4, Kellsie Crowell 8, Piikea Kalakau 0, Makana Borden 2.

3-point goals—Iolani 4 (Lopes-Liutolo 2, Maeda, Yamashita), Kamehameha 2 (Furtado, Wong).

  No. 6 Mid-Pacific 54,
No. 9 Sacred Hearts 37
Johnnelle Kapua scored 11 points and Keaton McFadden added 10 to lead the host Owls over the Lancers.

Raecha-Ann Kauahikaua paced Sacred Hearts with 11 points.

                                                                                                                                           

Sacred Hearts (1-5)	10	7	5	15	—	37
Mid-Pacific (3-2)	12	20	11	11	—	54

SACRED HEARTS—Rayna Munos 4, Lynsey Overstreet 2, Sara Souza 3, Lindsey Bareng 2, Raecha-Ann Kauahikaua 11, Theresa O'Connor 3, Kuhina Luis 6, Naihe Paikai 6.

MID-PACIFIC—Ashley Yamachika 7, Paige Young 2, Johnnelle Kapua 11, Jacqueline Donovan 3, Shanon Nishimura 2, Jordan Kealoha 2, Taylor Babbitt 8, Keaton McFadden 10, Jenna Savusa 9.

3-point goals—Sacred Hearts none, Mid-Pacific 1 (Yamachika 1).

  ILH Division II
Maryknoll 60, La Pietra 24
University High 62, Hawaiian Mission Academy 34
St. Andrews Priory 50, Lanakila Baptist 24
Hawaii Baptist 46, Word of Life 34

High scorers—Mary: Ashley Agcaoili 16, Shuilina Wu 10. LaP: McKenzie Hoover 9. UHS: Angie Yoshizu 22. HMA: Raquel Gonzalez 15. StA: Minna Watanabe 14. LB: Crystal Sonson 12. HBA:Narissa Fujii 15. WOL: Rayanne Alvarado 14.