Missing its starting center meant everybody on the Sacred Hearts basketball team had to rise up.

It also meant staying composed in a key Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division II game against Word of Life.

Senior guard Rayna Munos scored 31 points to help Sacred Hearts to a 61-47 win Saturday, attacking the basket when needed and also remaining patient as the Lancers ran their offense. The win helped the Lancers (12-0) reach the top spot in the ILH Division II standings while Word of Life (9-3) is second among the league's state tournament qualifying teams.

"We just had to keep our composure because we knew it was going to be a rough game," Munos said.

Munos drove inside, pulled up for short jumpers in transition, and coach Alan Matsui said Munos' effort was the result of players looking for her on the floor.

"When our point guard went out she took the point," Matsui said. "When the point came back, she helped with the rebounding somewhat. I think we gave her a minute of rest the whole game."

Munos said the entire team stepped up with post player Naihe Paikai recovering from an injury.

"She was a big impact on our team, we all knew we had to step it up," Munos said. "Vanessa Freitas (eight points) had to step it up because she has a big role."

The game was tied at 38 after the third quarter. The Lancers outscored the Firebrands, 23-9, in the fourth quarter to pull away and their defense also fueled their transition game.

"We kept on pressing which is good. We stopped the guards from getting it into (Phoibe) Fetu," Munos said of Fetu, who scored 19 points. "We tried stopping it at the top before they could get it down low."

Munos is the only player remaining from the Lancers' 2007 team that finished second at the Division II state championships. While some parents have been talking about next month's state championships, Matsui has reminded his team to focus on the remainder of the ILH season and recover from various injuries.

"We're focusing on our ILH championship because that's what we need first to make it into states," Munos said.

"We all had to step it up (Saturday) because of our injured players. We've been clicking and it's been good."