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HONOLULU — Even five-time defending state champions need some affirmation occasionally.
With its bruising opponent, Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Kahuku, dictating the action early in the fourth quarter, proud Iolani lost its way for a moment.
“I thought we started to panic a little bit, started taking bad shots,” Raiders coach Dean Young said, “and I kind of had to remind them, and the fans, some of the fans, were reminding them, you guys are the five-time defending state champ. Don’t forget who you guys are.”
They remembered just in time. Iolani rallied and guard Hailey Fernandez hit the game-winning 8-foot runner off the glass just before time expired to give the Raiders a hard-earned 56-54 win at Damien to keep the quest for six alive in the Pacific Century Fund Team Aloha/HHSAA Division I championships.
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In Thursday’s other quarterfinals, ILH champ and top seed Kamehameha routed Moanalua, 70-25; Campbell edged MIL champ Maui High 36-33; and BIIF champ Konawaena outdid Mililani, 49-29.
Kamehameha hosts Campbell at 5 p.m. Friday with Konawaena and Iolani to follow at 7 in Kekuhaupio Gym.
Iolani and Konawaena have combined to win the last nine state championships. That meeting very nearly did not come to pass, however, in a high-intensity meeting between the ILH runner-up Raiders and the Red Raiders that saw some spectators’ tempers flare after the horn.
Sophomore guard Justice Kekauoha scored a game-high 23 points to keep Iolani in it despite a severe size disadvantage at all five positions.
“I’m not sure we managed it. I think they dominated us,” Young said. “We spent 90% of the past two days just trying to prepare for that, and we still couldn’t handle it for the most part. But they’re so big, they’re so athletic, that’s a good team. Really good team. They had a great season. We battled to the very end today, so we’re just happy to get out with a win.”
Kahuku won the glass by 10 but Iolani managed to collect nearly as many offensive boards (12 to 11).
“It was really challenging today. You know, they’re way bigger than us,” Fernandez said outside Damien’s gym. “We’re definitely undersized, but one thing that coaches emphasize was boxing out and making sure we hit a body. I think we did pretty good at that.”
Kahuku led by six points going into the fourth quarter. The margin was eight on a layup by Posia Wily with under seven minutes to play. Wily led Kahuku with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Iolani erased it with a 9-1 spurt, launched by Kekauoha’s 3-pointer and layup.
Kahuku’s Zaylyn Falevai stole it and got fouled with 24 seconds left and made both free throws to tie it up for the 10th and final time.
Young wanted his team to make it move with 10 seconds left.
Fernandez killing time above the arc, passed it to Mia Frye at the top of the key. Frye sent it back to Fernandez on the right wing with four seconds left and she drove toward the basket from the 3-point line.
“The play was for Justice. We were gonna get her on a backdoor cut,” Fernandez said. “But we ran that play previously … so their defense was expecting it, and so Mia wasn’t trying to force it, so she gave it to me. I looked at the clock, and there was about four seconds left, so I knew how we had to go.”
Fernandez finished with seven points and five assists. She shot 1-for-7 from the field prior to hitting her game-winner.
The Division II semifinals are set as well. Top-seeded Hanalani, the ILH champ, faces BIIF champ Kohala after KIF champ Waimea meets Hawaii Baptist at 5 p.m. at Kalani High.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.
Fernandez's winner lifts Iolani over Kahuku in HHSAA girls basketball quarters – Spectrum News
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