The beginning and the end were a little shaky.

But Kahuku's performance in the middle of yesterday's state-tournament opener proved enough to send the Red Raiders into the quarterfinals.

Kahuku fell behind early, charged ahead to a double-digit lead then held on for a 61-56 win over Waiakea in a Division I first-round game of the HHSAA/Hawaiian Airlines Boys Basketball State Championships at Radford's Jim Alegre Gymnasium.

Kahuku guard Nehoa Akina hit four 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 23 points and forward Shairone Thompson added 18 points and 12 rebounds and the Red Raiders — last year's Division I runner up — advanced to face Maui Interscholastic League champion Lahainaluna today at Radford.

The Red Raiders, the Oahu Interscholastic Association's second seed, fell behind 11-0 against Waiakea and trailed by as many as 17. They then outscored the Warriors 32-6 over an 8-minute stretch bridging halftime.

“;We weren't taking care of the ball as much as we wanted to,”; Akina said. “;In the second quarter we were able to pick up the defensive pressure. We were able to get some steals and we hit some shots.”;

Matt Libao led Waiakea with 16 points and Isaak Janado added 15, hitting a 3-pointer with 4:19 left in the second quarter to give the Warriors a 29-14 lead.

But the Red Raiders stormed back and Thompson's steal and layup just before the second-quarter buzzer cut Waiakea's lead to 33-32 at the break.

“;I put my second group and they got us going and energized us,”; Kahuku head coach Hiram Akina said. “;I think (in the first quarter) we were trying too hard to make something happen and shots weren't falling for us.”;

Nehoa Akina found his shooting touch through the break and his 3-pointer to open the third quarter gave Kahuku its first lead of the game. He hit two more from long range in a 14-2 run to begin the half.

“;I was able to get to the line a couple times to get my shot going, then my shot was coming the second quarter and I was able to knock it down,”; Akina said.

Thompson complemented Akina inside. The duo accounted for all 16 of Kahuku's points in the third quarter.

The Red Raiders cooled off a bit in the fourth quarter and Waiakea chipped into the lead, closing to 54-53 on a steal and layup by Chris Mattos with 3 minutes left to cap an 11-2 run.

But Kahuku scored the next six points and kept the Warriors at arm's length the rest of the way.

“;They have a lot of good players and they know how to win,”; Waiakea head coach Paul Lee said. “;We had that big lead and we struggled in the second quarter and Nehoa hit some 3s at the start of the third quarter, that was a big part of the game.”;

WAIAKEA — Isaak Janado 15, Matt Libao 16, Cameron Ita 5, Chris Mattos 9, Clayton Morante 2, Joey Pacheco 0, Keoni Chiquita 2, Brandon Libao 7.
KAHUKU — Michael Tyau 0, Kawehena Johnson 0, Samala Afalava 7, Hans Brown 2, Mua Malufau 2, Sage Kaka 0, Wonka Beatty 0, Nehoa Akina 23, Jackson Kaka 9, Shairone Thompson 18, K.J. Uluava 0, Mason Golden 0.
3-point goals — Waiakea 3 (Janado 2, Ita). Kahuku 6 (Akina 4, Afalava 2).