Konawaena built a big first-half lead and held off a late rally by Kamehameha last night to prevail, 54-53, and advance to its first Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Boys Division I Basketball semifinals.

The No. 2 seed and Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Wildcats improved to 15-1 in the regular and postseason and will face unseeded Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up Punahou (12-3) in tonight's 8 p.m. semifinal at Blaisdell Arena.

BIIF runner-up Kamehameha-Hawai'i will play unseeded OIA runner-up Moanalua (13-5) in the first semifinal at 6.

The strong Big Island showing in the state tournament began with Kamehameha-Hawai'i's victory over perennial power Kalaheo in Wednesday's first round.

"That definitely helped us, it motivated us to come out strong tonight," said Konawaena senior forward Austonn Lazoff, who had a game-high 17 points. "We wanna see an all-BIIF championship."

After Edmund Kamano's 3-pointer to open the second period gave Kamehameha a 17-15 lead, Darryl Milana made a free throw to start the Wildcats on a stunning 17-1 run en route to a 32-20 halftime lead. Konawaena held strong in the third quarter and took a 40-31 lead into the fourth.

The Warriors (12-5) closed to 48-44 on a layup by Brandon Dumlao with 2:06 remaining after Pi'i Minns' steal at halfcourt, but Lazoff answered with a three-point play to push it back to 51-44.

Blake Viena's layup with 34 seconds left cut it to 52-48, but Ho'okena Liftee made it 54-48 on two free throws.

Free throws by Kawika Lyons and Viena closed Kamehameha to 54-50 with 13.9 seconds, and Konawaena missed two free throws two seconds later. Chaz Bajet then cut the lead to 54-53 with a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds, and after a timeout, the Wildcats again missed two free throws with 2.7 ticks left.

KAMEHAMEHA (12-5) 14 6 11 22 — 53

KONAWAENA (15-1) 15 17 8 14 — 54

KAMEHAMEHA — Kauila Miller 2, Edmund Kamano 10, Kawika Lyons 5, Chaz Bajet 7, Brandon Dumlao 4, Pi'i Minns 5, Auwae DeRego 9, Shawn Bode 0, Micah Christenson 0, Blake Viena 11, Kamakoa Downey-Jovanovich 0. Totals 21 6-17 53.

KONAWAENA — Ho'okena Liftee 6, Kali'i Kunitomo 6, Sam Unger 0, Kekoa Carvalho 9, Darryl Milana 15, Dakota Smith 1, Austonn Lazoff 17. Totals 16 17-33 54.

3-point goals: Kamehameha 5 (Kamano 2, Lyons, Minns, Bajet); Konawaena 5 (Lazoff 2, Milana 2, Carvalho).