Kalani won the Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division II Girls Basketball Championship last year, but this season the Falcons are going after the really big prize.

They took the first step yesterday, racing past O'ahu Interscholastic Association rival Kahuku, 64-37, in Division I first-round action at Stan Sheriff Center.

Kalani improved to 13-3 in the regular and postseason and will play No. 2 seed and Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Konawaena (14-0) in tonight's feature quarterfinal.

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised live statewide on OC-16.

"It's been my dream to play here (at SSC), at least one time," said Falcons senior wing Courtney Gaddis, who scored 14 points, grabbed three rebounds and made three steals yesterday. "It feels great."

Yesterday's victory came as smoothly as could be expected, especially since the Red Raiders (6-11) had given Kalani fits in their two regular-season meetings. In the OIA Eastern Division first round, Kahuku led going into the fourth period before falling, 68-51, and in the rematch, the Falcons pulled out a 49-47 win only after Megan Kamehiro's last-second shot.

Yesterday, the Red Raiders made a run early in the third quarter to cut Kalani's lead to 23-20, but the Falcons then exploded with a 19-2 barrage fueled mostly by full-court pressure forcing several turnovers that were converted into transition baskets.

"Kalani just came out and took it to us," Kahuku coach Peni Latu said. "Their pressure got to us, and we couldn't handle it. They just executed, and we didn't."

Falcons coach Darold Imanaka was pleased with his team's overall effort, especially on defense and from the free throw line (23 of 33).

"When I looked at the stats from the games we lost or almost lost, we shot the ball poorly," Imanaka said. "Tonight we shot well in the second half (17 of 21 free throws) and the girls wanted it. Our defense stepped up, everybody stepped up."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.