With more than 10 percent of the school's student body suited up to play, the Academy of the Pacific boys basketball team withstood a furious fourth-quarter rally to defeat Kaua'i, 60-52, in last night's opening round of the Division II state championships at Farrington High School.

Tri Bourne scored 20 points and blocked four shots and Keoni Daniel added 18 points, including three straight free throws in the final minute, to lead the Dolphins into the quarterfinals of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA tournament.

Junior swingman Basil Walton scored 13 of his 16 points in the final quarter as the Red Raiders raced their way back from a 19-point deficit.

For Dolphins head coach Tom Shirbish, last night's victory was sweet redemption for a tumultuous first season at the helm.

Shirbish, whose coaching resume includes stints as an assistant with St. Louis, Kamehameha, Maryknoll and Kaimuki, took over when former coach Bob Hogue stepped down three games into the season.

"We have maybe 120 students at our school, and (13) are on the team," Shirbish said. "Some of these kids have had really hard lives, but they learned what it is to compete and what it means to compete. They've learned all the intrinsic lessons that come from sport."

It was the Bourne Supremacy early on last night as the Dolphins' 6-foot-5 senior center cleaned the boards for easy putbacks and converted lobs to the low post into automatic points.

The Dolphins outscored the Red Raiders 13-4 in the second quarter to take a seemingly comfortable 27-14 lead at the half.

After giving up three quick baskets in the third, Kaua'i switched to a half-court press that temporarily rattled the Dolphins into four turnovers that led to Red Raider baskets. Bourne responded with a jumper from the top of the key and a rebound and layup off a missed free throw to help AOP to a 44-27 advantage heading into the final period.

After a quick layup by the Dolphins Brad Foster, the Red Raiders went back to their press, resulting in a slew of Dolphin miscues. Walton scored eight of Kaua'i's next 10 points on aggressive, head-down drives to the hoop.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from senior swingman Jordan Cox and a free throw by Walton capped a 23-10 run that brought the Red Raiders to within 56-50 with a minute and a half remaining.

But Kaua'i would get no closer as Daniel and Hoyt Fuller Jr. hit four of eight free-throw attempts down the stretch to seal the victory.

"We fell behind but we didn't give up," said Kaua'i head coach Ipo Yoshioka. "We're a better team than we showed tonight, but we'll be back tomorrow."

Cox and junior forward Travis Stine scored 15 points apiece for the Red Raiders.

While Bourne and Daniel dominated the scoring for AOP, Shirbish said it was the contributions of role players like Fuller and senior center Koa Gomes, who created numerous second-chance opportunities for the Dolphins, that made the victory possible.

"They understand the little things that don't show up in the shot column that nonetheless allow us to be successful," Shirbish said.

"The way this team has progressed from where we were when we took over has been beyond all reasonable expectations — even mine."

MOLOKA'I 52, HAWAI'I BAPTIST 49

Carl Adolpho scored 16 points and Eden Napolean added 12, helping the Farmers of the MIL beat the Eagles of ILH in overtime at Farrington to advance to today's quarterfinals.

Jason Iha scored 12 points and Jason Liang 10 for HBA.

FARRINGTON 56, PAHOA 46

Jordan Ibana scored 11 points and the Governors, leading 22-16 at halftime, outscored the Daggers, 18-9, in the third quarter at Kaimuki.

Vincent Sanekane hit four 3-pointers and scored 20 points to lead Pahoa.

MCKINLEY 63, ST. JOSEPH 48

Earvin Sione scored 14 points, Tilton Kaluna 12, Jonathan Lee 11 and Nainoa Lessary 10, leading the Tigers of the OIA past the Cardinals of the BIIF at Kaimuki.

Cassius Aiwohi-Kegler scored 17 points and Royden Masulit 13 for St. Joseph.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.