In a fast-paced boys basketball game that went back-and-forth throughout, Kahuku held off Mililani, 64-62, last night to advance to the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference finals.

The Red Raiders, ranked No. 6 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, improved to 13-4 in league play and will face No. 2-ranked Moanalua (14-1) tomorrow at about 7 p.m. at McKinley's Student Council Gym.

The game will be televised live statewide on OC16.

If Moanalua wins, it will be OIA champion and will earn the league's top seed and first-round bye in next week's state tournament.

If Kahuku wins, the teams will play again in a winner-take-all title game Saturday, under the tournament's modified double-elimination format.

Kahuku and Moanalua split their two regular season meetings.

"It feels good to get another chance against them," said Kahuku senior guard Nehoa Akina, who finished with a team-high 13 points last night. "But we've got more work to do and need to get back in the gym again tomorrow."

No. 5-ranked Mililani, which fell to 12-4 and will enter the state tournament as the OIA's third-place team, defeated Kahuku, 45-40, in last week's third round. The Trojans led last night's game at Radford's James Alegre Gym, 58-55, after Hassan Richardson's layup with 1:58 remaining.

But Red Raiders post Shairone Thompson answered with a layup 16 seconds later, and Jackson Kaka put Kahuku up for good by sinking two free throws with 1:13 left.

Akina made it 63-60 after two free throws with 18 seconds remaining, but Ed Ocampo closed it to 63-62 on a layup six seconds later.

Mua Malufau then sank the first of two free throws to make it 64-62 with 6.3 seconds left, and Mililani called timeout one tick later after grabbing the missed second attempt.

The Trojans worked the ball past halfcourt and launched a 25-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it was way long.

Richardson led Mililani with 21 points.

KAHUKU (13-4) 24 9 13 18—64

MILILANI (12-4) 17 11 19 15—62

KAHUKU — Michael Tyau 0, J. Kekoa 0, Kawehena Johnson 0, Mua Malufau 3, Samala Afalava 6, Hans Brown 3, Evan Moe 0, Sage Kaka 9, Wonka Beatty 0, Nehoa Akina 13, Jackson Kaka 8, Shairone Thompson 12, Josh Christiansen 0, KJ Uluave 6, Mason Golden 4, M. Fiso 0. Totals 20 18-22 64.

MILILANI — Brandon Fujinaga 7, Bryson Calma 0, Josh Lenchanko 0, Nick Kunz 2, Ed Ocampo 7, Makena Kaahoano 2, RJ Griffin 7, Ryan Jacobs 0, Joe McGlamery 7, Robbie Griffin 0, Hassan Richardson 21, Trent McKinney 7, Spiridigliozzi 0, Chris Baltazar 0, Forrest Garcia 2. Totals 22 15-17 62.

3-point goals — Kahuku 6 (Akina, Kaka 3, Afalava 2). Mililani 3 (McGlamery, RJ Giffin Fujianaga).

Reported by Ed Gonzalez

OIA WHITE TOURNEY

KAILUA 53, WAI'ANAE 44

Jordan Decorte scored 17 points, Ethan Mahaulu added 12 and the visiting Surfriders rallied with a 20-9 fourth quarter to beat the Seariders and advance to the OIA White tournament final.

Christian Mendoza scored 14 points and Anthony Niederschmidt added 11 for Wai'anae.

Kailua will play Roosevelt at 5 p.m. tomorrow night at McKinley. If Kailua wins, the two teams will play again at either 5 or 6 p.m. Saturday at McKinley.

KAILUA (12-3) 10 13 10 20—53

WAI'ANAE (11-2) 7 13 15 9—44

KAILUA — Rhys Nakakura 8, Chevy Mikaele 3, Corey Lau 7, Luis Valenzuela 0, Ethan Mahaulu 12, Isaiah Vasconcellos 6, John Vave 0, Jordan Decorte 17. Totals 19 13-17 53.

WAI'ANAE — Kalin Sandobal 1, Christian Mendonza 14, Guyson Amina 0, Paaga Misipati 4, Michael Foster 7, Jonovan Tuinei 3, Anthony Niederschmidt 11, Shawn Asberry 4. Totals 16 8-18 44.

3-point goals — Kailua 2 (Nakamura 2). Wai'anae 4 (Mendonza 3, Foster).

Reported by Maelyssa Paakaula

ILH DI PLAYOFFS

DAMIEN 60, MARYKNOLL 34

Mark Baay scored 17 points, Lonn Iwashita added 11 and the Monarchs opened a 27-14 halftime lead and never looked back in rolling past the Spartans.

Masashi Uematsu scored 10 to lead Maryknoll.

DAMIEN (3-10) 10 17 16 17—60

MARYKNOLL (2-11) 7 7 8 12—34

DAMIEN — Mark Baay 17, Nephi Tuitele 0, Tim Smith 5, Dylan Yonamine-Baysa 2, Matt Labuguen 2, Breysen Lee 7, JB Ferreira 3, Oliver Shaw 2, Tyler Tamayo 8, Jed Lim 0, Jacob Cachola 3, Lonn Iwashita 11. Totals 21 13-21 60.

MARYKNOLL — Andrew Wu 0, Masashi Uematsu 10, Craig Shoji 5, Chad Sumulong 3, Trevor Ventura 2, Isaiah Dowdell 0, Jacob Mayer 8, A'i Cashman-Fernandez 0, Kekoa Welsh 0, Jordan Tomas 3, Nua Iuvale 3. Totals 10 8-13 34.

3-point goals — Damien 5 (Baay 3, Smith, Tamayo). Maryknoll 6 (Uematsu 2, Shoji, Sumulong, Tomas, Iuvale).

Reported by Gail Juan

ILH DII TOURNEY

HANALANI 64, WORD OF LIFE 44

PJ Minaya scored 17, Darin Kamealoha had 15 and John Suh 14, powering the host Royals past the Firebrands and into the semifinals of the ILH Division II single-elimination tournament.

Ryan Alvarado scored 19 points and Ben Siania added 10 for Word of Life.

WORD OF LIFE (5-11) 8 5 14 17—44

HANALANI (11-5) 16 17 12 19—64

WORD OF LIFE — Ryan Alvarado 19, Keawa Poggi 8, Javison Caires 7, Isaac Iwamoto 0, Alex Robinson 0, Nathaniel Lim 0, Josh Ramos 0, T.J. Russell 0, Ben Siania 10, Keoki Holloway 0. Totals 14 16-32 44.

HANALANI — Darin Kamealoha 15, PJ Minaya 17, Zach Baysa 3, Matt Guerrero 9, Daniel Muraoka 6, Zach Relles 0, Jon Suh 14, Kainoa Petersen 0, Kainoa Souza 0, Aaron Schoniwitz 0, Matt Rybarcyk 0. Totals 22 15-30 64.

3-point goals — Word of Life none. Hanalani 5 (Kamealoha, Guerrero 2, Muraoka 2).

Reported by Rob Araki

ACADEMY OF THE PACIFIC 67, LANAKILA BAPTIST 40

Micah Dunhour scored 21 points, David Daniels added 19 and Simon Koch 10 as the Dolphins raced to a 19-4 first-quarter lead and were never threatened in beating the Warriors at Damien's gym.

Chase Hazelwood scored 15 to lead Lanakila Baptist.

ACAD. OF PACIFIC (13-3) 19 17 13 18—67

LANAKILA BAPTIST (5-12) 4 13 7 16—40

ACADEMY OF THE PACIFIC — Cory Matsuo 0, Tyler Hanlin 0, Nick Gomes 0, Micah Dunhour 21, Shaun Wriston 0, David Daniels 19, Brandon Nelson 0, Sam Orcutt 6, Trent Valentine 6, Marshall Gourley 4, Simon Koch 11. Totals 23 20-36 67.

LANAKILA BAPTIST — Zack Ramos 3, Aaron Ono 1, Tyler Johnson 4, Matt Kakilala 0, Micah Miranda 0, Josh Pananganan 0, Chase Hazelwood 15, Marcus Takahashi 2, Richard Abbley 7, Joseph Lawson 0, Jordan Cabato 8. Totals 16 7-15 40.

3-point goals — Academy of the Pacific 1 (Dunhour). Lanakila Baptist 1 (Ramos).

Reported by Gail Juan

HAWAI'I BAPTIST 62, ISLAND PACIFIC 57

Christian Morimoto scored 19 points, Jun Fritz added 13 and Bryan Smits 11 as the Eagles took a 37-20 lead into intermission and held off the Navigators' second-half charge.

Theo Duplechain scored 15 points, Jackson Durrett added 14 and Jason Brenner 13 for Island Pacific.

HAWAI'I BAPTIST (7-9) 19 18 12 13—62

ISLAND PACIFIC (8-8) 16 4 19 18—57

HAWAI'I BAPTIST — Chasen Fukuda 0, Bryan Smits 11, Jun Fritz 13, Brennan Lee 2, John Kagehiro 2, Christian Morimoto 19, Sage Chun-Bulseco 5, Nathan Le 0, Galeb Baskins 5, Kalei Hosaka 0, Landry Kiyabu 5. Totals 25 3-8 62.

ISLAND PACIFIC — Dylan Miyamoto 5, Malik Veazie 2, Jason Brenner 13, Andrew Lee 0, Kennedy Wilson 0, Shane Brantley 0, London Amorin 8, Jackson Durrett 14, Theo Duplechain 15, Willie Carter 0, Colt Wallace 0. Totals 20 15-21 57.

3-point goals — Hawai'i Baptist 9 (Smits, Fritz 3, Morimoto 2, Chun-Bulseco, Gaskins, Kiyabu). Island Pacific 2 (Brenner, Durrett).

Reported by Gordon Lau

LE JARDIN 67, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 58

John Whitty scored 31 points, including 17 in the final quarter, as the host Bulldogs pulled away from the Patriots, who trailed by one with 5:39 left.

Tevin Togami added 15 points and Taylor Gray had 13 for Le Jardin. Jason Ko scored 19 points, Michael Urcia added 13, Axton Durand 11 and Kalani Baughman 10 for Christian Academy.

CHRISTIAN ACAD. (8-8) 19 16 11 12—58

LE JARDIN (9-7) 10 16 10 31—67

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY — Jason Ko 19, Michael Urcia 12, Jason Ocol 2, Nathan Carrion 0, Ryan Kobabyashi 0, Axton Durand 11, Zachary Fu 3, Ethan Reyes 1, Kalani Baughman 10, Robert Helsham Jr. 0. Totals 22 10-20 58.

LE JARDIN — Tevin Togami 15, John Whitty 31, Kelvin Akamine 0, Sean McWhinnie 5, Joshua Kava 2, Taylor Gray 13, Ikaika Hoskins 1. Totals 16 30-38 67.

3-point goals — Christian Academy 4 (Ko 3, Urcia). Le Jardin 5 (Togami 2, Whitty 2, McWhinnie).

Reported by Kyle Miyamoto

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com