The Radford girls basketball team patiently laid in wait last night, and let Lahainaluna take the risk taking.

After two Lahainaluna players fouled out in the third period, Ta Nitra Byrd took over in Radford's 54-46 victory in the quarterfinals of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Basketball Division I State Championships at Farrington.

Byrd, who has been battling the flu, finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks for the Rams with most of the damage coming in the second half.

"She's still not 100 percent, but she stayed in there and we needed her to play big," said Radford coach Tani Dutro. "And that's what she did."

Lahainaluna's Milika Taufa, who dominated play inside, fouled out with 2:44 left in the third period. Just 29 seconds later, the Lunas' Rachel Rickard also fouled out.

"We have to match up with their size," said Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard, when asked why he left both players in. "It just seems like we were being watched a little more (by the officials) than Radford was being watched."

Taufa, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Rickard had seven points.

Lahainaluna, the No. 4 seed, led 36-29 after both fouled out.

Then Byrd, a 6-foot sophomore, took over.

She had 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in the second half as Radford, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, ended the game on a 25-10 run.

"It was a little easier to board," said Byrd, an All-OIA West selection last season.

Radford (16-1) will play the winner of Konawaena/Punahou in tonight's semifinal at 8 at Farrington.

For nearly three quarters, Lahainaluna, the Maui Interscholastic League champion, was in control behind relentless pressure. The Lunas used a 1-2-1-1 full-court press and a half-court trap to frustrate the Rams, who finished with 29 turnovers.

"That's our style. We're not going change our style for anybody," Rickard said. "We play our style and we were doing pretty well with it."

In the fourth period, Radford was 7 of 12 from the field, while Lahainaluna (14-1) was 2 of 15.

"The way they execute that is excellent," Dutro said of the Lunas' pressure defenses. "We got frustrated in the beginning and had to settle down."

Things were especially bad for Radford in the second period when it was 3 of 9 from the field and committed 12 turnovers.

Lahainaluna led 29-23 at halftime.

Bui Baravilala scored 11 points and Chelsea-Ann Villanueva added nine for Radford.

RADFORD (16-1) 13 10 13 18 — 54

LAHAINALUNA (14-1) 12 17 9 8 — 46

RADFORD — Itali Lindsey 2, Bui Baravilala 11, Marlena Malepeai 8, Brittni Fuller 2, Chelsea-Ann Villanueva 9, Marsharen Dupont 2, Ta Nitra Byrd 20. Totals 19 16-24 54.

LAHAINALUNA — Lovelee Tagudin 0, Kelsea Cabrera 0, Hiilei Bacalso 2, Maiki Viela 9, Lahela Akima 2, Roxanne Padron 8, Rachel Rickard 7, Mele Filikitonga 6, Milika Taufa 12. Totals 19 6-11 46.

3-point goals: Lahainaluna 2 (Rickard, Viela).