Leilani Fifita bounced around quite a bit the past few years.

She spent time on Maui and the Big Island before transferring to Kapolei to begin high school, and spent her junior year in Minnesota.

Now back at Kapolei for her senior year, she's relishing the Hurricanes' arrival in the state tournament.

“;That's what we worked for every year,”; the Kapolei center said. “;Now it's my senior year, it's our final chance to make a statement and we did.”;

Fifta helped Kapolei extend its stay in the winners bracket by scoring 12 points in a 37-35 win over Baldwin yesterday at McKinley Student Council Gymnasium, sending the Hurricanes into the quarterfinals of the HHSAA/Hawaiian Airlines Division I Girls Basketball Tournament.

The Hurricanes face top-seeded Konawaena — the alma mater of Fifita's mother — today at 5 p.m.

Fifita carried the Hurricanes early before foul trouble kept her on the bench the entire third quarter, when Baldwin erased a 10-point deficit to take the lead.

The Bears, the Maui Interscholastic League runners-up, led 30-29 with 5:59 left in the fourth quarter, but went scoreless until just 30 seconds remained. By then, Kapolei had moved ahead thanks to a steal and layup by Kawehi Hagi and eventually sealed the game from the free-throw line.

“;Hopefully we come out a little more focused and don't turn the ball over,”; Kapolei coach Jesse Baugh said of today's matchup with the defending state champion Wildcats. “;We're playing the best team in the state. If we come out, if we let it get away from us and turn the ball over, it's going to be hard to catch up.”;

Kapolei, the fifth seed from the Oahu Interscholastic Association, gave the ball away 22 times, but also forced Baldwin into 21 turnovers, a sore spot for the Bears much of the season.

“;These are the kinds of games we've been having all year,”; Baldwin coach Angel Kalehuawehe said. “;It comes down to making good passes. The games we lose we turn the ball over 20-something times.”;

Baldwin edged Maui in overtime last week to earn the MIL's second berth in the state tournament and had trouble stopping Fifita in the post early on as she scored Kapolei's first seven points.

But she picked up her third foul late in the second quarter and began the third period on the bench. The Hurricanes still managed to open the second half with an 8-0 run to take a 23-13 lead.

But Baldwin answered with an 11-0 spurt capped by Malia Chang's transition layup while being fouled — her free throw gave the Bears a 26-25 lead. Kapolei went back to Fifita, and her layup gave the Hurricanes a 29-26 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Baldwin's Ariana Newton scored the first four points of the period to push the Bears back ahead, but Baldwin's offense dried up and Hagi's steal and layup with 2:31 left gave Kapolei the lead for good.

Kapolei guard Krystal Jacobs made five free throws in the final 1:05 to finish with 11 points.

“;Coach said we just had to get our focus back,”; Fifita said. “;It was our turnovers that hurt us the most.”;

Chang led Baldwin with a game-high 13 points and eight rebounds.

KAPOLEI — Krystal Jacobs 11, Kaity Wills 6, Rhilee Soriano 0, Paige Kaea 2, Diamond Carter 2, Kawahi Hagi 4, Vanessa Banogan 0, Leilani Fifita 12.
BALDWIN — Jennifer Alakai 0, Samantha Agtunong 2, Jessica Malknecht 2, Dezarae Kodama 0, Laurie Ai 0, Malia Chang 13, Kristina Egdamin 0, Christine Co 6, Ariana Newton 9, Tasha Buika 3.
3-point goals—Kapolei 1(Wills). Baldwin 1 (Chang).

'Iolani 51, Pearl City 46

The Raiders hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter to take control and held off the Chargers to advance to a quarterfinal matchup with OIA champion Farrington today at 7 p.m. at McKinley.

Lori Yamashita hit three of 'Iolani's seven 3-pointers and led the Raiders with 13 points. Lahela Usui shot 8-for-10 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points.

Pearl City's Jordan Ahakuelo lead all scorers with 18 points.

PEARL CITY — AJ Silva 1, Sabrina Angle 6, Shay Alterado , Shanise Gabriel-Yomes 0, Victoria Victor 0, Glacen Florita 9, Shawna Angle 0, Jordan Ahakuelo 18, Alana Kaili 6, Keshia Manning 6, Leina Vasques , Reina Meyer 0.
'IOLANI — Saphyre Rezentes 3, Kryn Masutani 3, Kylie Rae Maeda 8, Lori Yamashita 13, Georgette Lopes-Liutolo 2, Kaitlyn Shikada 4, Lahela Usui 12, Shauni Watanabe 0, Alex Masaquel 4, Brittany Barnes 0, Taimane Passi 2.
3-point goals — Pearl City 3 (Florita 2, Ahakuelo). 'Iolani 7 (Yamashita 3, Maeda 2, Masutani, Shikada).