Roosevelt’s offense generated points at a brisk pace for much of Tuesday’s OIA Division I semifinal matchup with Nanakuli.

But the Rough Riders pointed to their defense as the key to earning a shot at defending their league title following a 65-45 win over the Golden Hawks at McKinley.

Roosevelt, the OIA’s reigning Division I girls basketball champion, hit four 3-pointers in a 22-point first quarter and got six steals in the first half as the second-ranked Rough Riders took control early. They will play Radford — which edged Kailua 51-49 in Tuesday’s second semifinal — for the OIA title on Thursday at McKinley.

"We just play transition basketball. We get up and down the floor and when the girls feel they’re open we shoot the ball," Roosevelt coach Hinano Higa said. "They gave us a lot of energy defensively where we got a lot of touches and in turn scored on a lot of layups."

Roosevelt guard Starr Rivera led three Rough Riders in double figures with a game-high 16 points. Forward Keala Quinlan scored all 12 of her points in the first half and junior guard Ashley Kiko helped set the pace early by finishing off fast breaks on her way to scoring 10 points.

"I think our defense was the key because we kept them in front and that created turnovers and led to fast breaks," Rivera said.

When the Rough Riders set up in the half court, crisp ball movement created open looks from the perimeter.

"It seems like they’re building confidence within each other," Higa said. "They’re getting that feeling where we’re in a rhythm, we’re flowing together as far as peaking in playoffs and hopefully we can carry that into the next game as well."

The Rough Riders (13-0), the top seed from the OIA East, return to the championship game seasoned by last year’s OIA title run, when they captured the program’s first championship since winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and ’07.

"I think it really helped us a lot because we have that experience we know how to control ourselves and keep our composure," Rivera said.

Quinlan and Rivera drained 3-pointers to bookend a 13-2 run and Ka‘onohi Quinlan, Keala’s younger sister, hit another with 35 seconds left in the period.

Keala Quinlan, a 6-foot junior, went to work in the paint in the second quarter, scoring on a scoop in the lane, a putback and a banker in the post, and she went into halftime with 12 points.

"She’s special where she’s able to play any part of the game, extend out on the perimeter or play on the inside," Higa said. "That makes us a better team because their big people have to chase her on the outside as well."

Roosevelt held Nanakuli (9-3) to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters while building a 50-23 lead going into the fourth.

Ciera O’Brien scored 11 points to lead Nanakuli, which secured a berth in the Division I state tournament by reaching the OIA tournament semifinals. The Golden Hawks will play for third place on Thursday.

"To even be in a semifinal against them I told the girls be proud of being here," Nanakuli coach Randy Kauhane said. "We didn’t want to just be there though. We thought we could compete and we thought we could win."

At McKinley

NANAKULI—Alana Nuuanu 9, Angelica Chun Fook 7, Jade Marfil 7, Jahnna Kahele-Madali 4, Ciera O’Brien 11, Tianna Hanohano 7, Kailah Burnett 0, Nanea Kauhane 0, Raynette Meyers-Kahalehoe 0, Trisdyn Kalaau 0.

ROOSEVELT—Destiny Holani 0, Sharice Kawakami 6, Ka’onohi Quinlan 9, Starr Rivera 16, Kaohi Kapiko 5, Ashley Kiko 10, Keala Quinlan 12, Muna Cook 0, Alliya Gabriel 2, Ciera Uchida 5, D-Dre Wright 0, Ashley Lucas 0.

3-point goals—Nanakuli 2 (Nuuanu, O’Brien). Roosevelt 5 (Ke. Quinlan 2, Rivera, Ka. Quinlan, Uchida).

Radford 51, Kailua 49

Jasmine Moody scored 17 of her game-high 27 points in the second half and the Rams held off the Surfriders to join Roosevelt in the OIA Division I title game.

Radford trailed for much of the game, but Moody’s putback with four seconds left in the third quarter gave the Rams a 41-40 lead going into the fourth.

Moody scored six points in the period and the Rams managed to protect a two-point lead in the final 30.8 seconds as the teams traded turnovers before Radford ran out the clock.

Patria Vaimaona led Kailua with 18 points and Delcie Williams finished with 17.

At McKinley

KAILUA—Delcie Williams 17, Puanani Dela Cruz 2, Kylee Keohohina-Kaaikala 4, Kainani Peters 0, Nyla Salas-Baker 0, Tara Takata 6, Kaile De Soto 2, Christine Atonio 0, Patria Vaimaona 18.

RADFORD—Puni Seei 0, Tanisha Elbourne 4, Michelle Vasquez 0, Sophia Harris 8, Jazmyn Peralta 7, Jasmine Moody 27, Kennedy Johnson 5, Cassidy Wright 0.

3-point goals—Kail. none. Rad. 2 (Harris 2)

Mililani 39, Kaiser 37

Summer Bolibol scored the winning bucket from inside the paint as the buzzer sounded to give the Trojans a victory over the Cougars.

Mililani held the ball for the final minute to set up Bolibol’s game-winning shot.

Brooke Ho paced Kaiser with 22 points. Mililani will host the league’s fifth-place game on Thursday against Leilehua, with the time to be determined.

At Mililani

KAISER—Brooke Ho 22, Rose Shimaoka 8, Natasha Horn 0, Brandi Baker 3, Macy Hiraki 0, Chelsea Soong 0, Briana Halemanu 0, Grace Remington 0, Mary Carr 0, Kaui Delima 0, Skylar Kimura 1, Kayla Russell 0, Taylor Sulea 1, Maalaea Kneaio 2.

MILILANI—Marisa Matsuo 0, Hope Carter 0, Kayla Torres 2, Taysia Canon 6, Megan Shimabukuro 4, Jamie Yuki 3, Kristen Miguel 3, Taylor Walker 4, Summer Bolibol 10, Velisa Meleisea 7.

3-point goals—Kaiser none. Mililani 1(Yuki).

Leilehua 54, Farrington 40

Jerri Maluyo and Tywanna Abbott each scored 15 points as the Mules ended the Governors’ season.

Jasmine Williams scored 10 for Farrington.

At Farrington

LEILEHUA—Kayla Posiulai 0, Jerri Maluyo 15, Keahi-Lele Roy 9, Regina Manumu’a 0, Tywanna Abbott 15, Saramansina Docktor 6, Abigail Flores 0, Nora Fenton 0, Jazmina Lafitaga 9.

FARRINGTON—Allani Talapu 2, Kaevha Aradanas 0, Lexuss Tulba 0, Britt Savusa 2, Jasmine Williams 10, Channy Mailou 0, Loke Pacheco 3, Erin Perry 0, Moli Heimuli 23, Naomi Peltier 0, Hazel Artes 0.

3-point goals—Leilehua 2 (Lafitaga, Roy). Farrington none.

OIA DIV. II GIRLS PLAYOFFS

Castle 47, Pearl City 21

Kaira Tilton scored 14 and Sierra Koki added 13 points to lead the Knights past the Chargers.

With the win, Castle advances to Thursday’s 5:30 p.m. championship game against Kaimuki at McKinley High gym.

Pearl City falls to the third-place game on Thursday at 6 p.m. against McKinley, with that winner receiving the league’s third and final berth into the Division II State Championships.

At Pearl City

CASTLE—Raykelle Dacosin 0, Caresa Yoshimori 2, Darrien Dacosin 6, Sierra Koki 13, Kaylee Ishii 2, Asia Almeda 2, Tilleree Johnson 3, Kui Silva 4, Maile Craighead 1, Kaira Tilton 14, Sydney Fernandez 0, Cameron Cadinha-Oku 0.

PEARL CITY—Louise Pekelo 3, Jurey Jao 7, Brianna Huihui 0, Racquel Gonzalez-Salazar 0, Shawnia Oliveros 0, Ashley-Tianna Amorin 3, Kristin Frost 0, Karly Kaneko-Frost 0, Karlee Kawasaki 0, Ariel Martinez 2, Kayelah Arakaki 7, Brandee Huihui 1, Mana Borden 0, Marley New-Kang 0.

3-point goals—Castle 1 (Koki). Pearl City 1 (Amorin).

Kaimuki 52, Mckinley 35

The Bulldogs turned a one-point halftime lead into a 12-point cushion en route to the semifinal victory over the Tigers.

Victoria Kintz led Kaimuki’s offense, finishing with 22 points and three 3-pointers.

At Kaimuki

MCKINLEY—Kayla Rasavanh 11, Dezlyn Naval 2, Kloe Lum 2, Suzie Park 2, Joselle Ferrer 2, Britney Chang 0, Alexa Kailieha 0, Vee Vee Lee 16, Jade Miller 0, Kenzie Hernandez-McKenzie 0.

KAIMUKI—Sirena Titer 4, Ashlynn Henderson 4, Desiline Talung 0, Alissa Chon 0, Keihara Henry 0, Brandi Pfeiffer-Kekoa 12, Victoria Kintz 22, Kuuipo Sefo 0, Kato Kaho 4, Cleopatra Lauvao 2, Liza Anien 4.

3-point goals—McKinley 1 (Rasavanh). Kaimuki 5 (Kintz 3, Pfeiffer-Kekoa 2).