No seniors, no problem for Kaiser.

The youthful Cougars played like veterans yesterday, steadily dispatching Hawaii Baptist 54-38 in a first-round game of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Basketball Division II State Championships at Kalani.

Kaiser (7-8) started the season with six losses.

“;We just came together as a team,”; coach Simon Bitanga said. “;We had our believers and our non-believers and the believers are still here. When we started out slow the parents and faculty said 'Don't worry, you young, you get 'em next year. I said, 'I like 'em this year.'”;

Sophomores Celeste Tsutahara and Kiana Nakai led the Cougars with 10 points each and freshman Micaela Bitanga pitched in nine.

Kaiser used balanced scoring (four points each from Tsutahara and Meleana Adams) to build a 23-19 halftime lead and never trailed after the break.

HBA's Eagles fell to 10-6 and were led by Jamie Iha's 10 points.

KAISER — Micaela Bitanga 9, Kristi Arrelano 5, Tiare Haole 0, Celeste Tsutahara 10, Kiani Ka'aha'aina 6, Kiana Nakai 10, Tiana Miyashiro 0, Krista Yasui 4, Melana Adams 4, Daryn Vorderbruegge 3, Hailey Ross 0, Shelby Pa 3, Courtney Phillips 0.
HAWAII BAPTIST — Stefany Baker 2, Jennifer Young 5, Rebecca Dang , Natasha Travens 0, Amber Au 2, Jamie Iha 10, Kimberly Au 3, Jennifer Uehara 3, Reana Lee 0, Jordin Ramos 0, Jami-Lynn Grumling 2, Kayla Yamamoto 5, Lindsay Strach 4, Remi Yasui 2.
3-point goals — Kaiser 2 (Vorderbruegge, Arrelano). Hawaii Baptist 2 (Iha 2).

Hawaii Prep 55, Seabury Hall 44

Tayler Wang carried Ka Makani's offense, scoring a game-high 36 points to defeat the Spartans last night at Farrington gym.

Seabury Hall struggled to find its rhythm, getting shut out in the first quarter, and was held to just six points in the third.

The Spartans rallied with a 21-point fourth quarter, but they could not contain Wang, who had a hot hand all night.

Sierra Jacob scored 28 points to lead the Spartans, followed by Trina Valencia with 10.

Hawaii Prep will face second-ranked Kaimuki today at Farrington gym at 5 p.m.

HAWAII PREP — Lauren Hanano 0, Katie Ho 4, Angel Wu 0, Yuki Ainge 0, Lei Tenorio 0, Leahi Lindsey 8, Desi Seid 2, Nani Lum 2, Camille Kiyota 0, Tayler Wang 36, Lana Queen 3.
SEABURY HALL — Katei Bettendorf 2, Tiana-Lee Camarillo 0, Samantha Sullivan 2, Tiare Camarillo 0, Charlotte Burns 0, Sierra Jacob 28, Megan O'Malley 0, Samantha Monge 2, Trina Valencia 10.
3-point goals — Hawaii Prep 2 (Wang 2). Seabury Hall 4 (Jacob 4).

Kahuku 68, Word of Life 34

The Red Raiders jumped to an early 20-point margin after the first quarter and cruised past the Firebrands.

Kahuku's Jessica Falemalu scored a game-high 16 points, followed by teammate Rachel Tailele with 13.

Alexis Villa tallied 14 points for Word of Life, which only scored 19 points for the first three quarters.

The Red Raiders will play Kamehameha-Hawaii today at Kalani gym at 7 p.m.

WORD OF LIFE — Faith Zerba 2, Monique Jackson 0, Rachel Tokuda 4, Alexis Villa 14, Lelina Molaie-Toro 0, Adaiah Hanakahi 5, Phoebe Fetu 6, Chanelle Maldonado 3, Elaine Nalu 0 .
KAHUKU — Kawelina Gilman 6, Alysha Cummings 8, Malia Tonga 3, Jessica Falemalu 16, Tisa Te'o 0, Rachel Tailele 13, Mata Tonga 6, Natalia Cravens 6, Joshlyn Noga 4, Uhi Naeole 2, Amanda Tonga 4.
3-point goals — Word of Life 1 (Maldonado). Kahuku 3 (Cummings, Malia Tonga, Tailele).

Kapaa 56, University 55

Despite a third-quarter comeback, the Junior 'Bows fell to the Warriors yesterday by one point.

The Warriors led by nine points at halftime, but University bounced back and trailed by just two points entering the fourth quarter. Kapaa maintained its composure to secure the win and advance in the state tournament.

Jessilyn Artaho-Aki posted a team-high 18 points for Kapaa, while Mahea Hanie-Grace added 10.

Quynne Eharis, the go-to-shooter for the Junior 'Bows, finished with 33 points.

UNIVERSITY — Anuhea Memea 8, Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence 2, Shannon Lee 3, Quynne Eharis 33, Quirena Natividad 6, Crystal Wang 3, Bernadette Maumalanga 0.
KAPAA — Ashlyn Lee 10, Jodi Das 0, Kira Nakamura 7, Victoria Tuttle 1, Leinaala McCabe 8, Reggie McCabe 0, Mahea Hanie-Grace 10, Lahela Creamer 0, Shalyn Tupou 0, Layna Christian 2, Jessilyn Artaho-Aki 18.
3-point goals — University 1 (Lee). Kapaa 5 (Hanie-Grace 2, Artaho-Aki 2, Nakamura).