Taysia Molina-Shulte scored 10 points as No. 8 Campbell escaped with a 34-31 win over Radford in the semifinals of the OIA Division I girls basketball playoffs on Monday night.
Vaelua Fatu added six points for the Sabers, who are unbeaten in OIA play (12-2 overall). Campbell will battle another OIA West rival, Mililani, for the OIA title Wednesday. Neither program has won a D-I league crown.
“We knew it would be a hard-fought game. Hat’s off to Radford. They’re well coached. They play very, very disciplined basketball,” Campbell coach Jazmine Corpuz said. “It showed tonight. They showed grit. They came back and put pressure on us and we got flustered a little bit. It really challenged us to keep it together, so kudos to them.”
Mailana Mattos had 10 points and Tiffany Nunies added nine to lead Radford, the third-place team from the West. Radford (12-3 overall) will play Kaiser for third place on Wednesday. All four semifinalists already qualified for the state championships.
Campbell scored the first six points of the third quarter and opened a 31-20 lead on a corner 3 by Hayley Moore, but Mattos sparked the Lady Rams by hitting two clutch 3-pointers. Radford rallied to within 33-26 on a free throw by Angel Asaah (11 rebounds, four assists, four steals).
Campbell had an effective delay game, but Moore launched and missed a wing 3 to give Radford a much-needed break. Jirah Villanueva splashed a 3 to cut the lead to 33-29 with 1:32 remaining.
After Mattos came up with a steal and breakaway layup, the Lady Rams were within 33-31 with 50.7 seconds left.
Molina-Shulte sank a foul shot for a three-point cushion and Radford turned the ball over in transition.
The Rams got the ball, down three points, but Mattos missed a layup. After Moore missed the front of a 1-and-1 with 4.1 seconds left, Radford rushed the ball downcourt but was unable to get a 3-point shot off.
“We gave ourselves a chance. It’s the little things like how many layups we missed. We didn’t take advantage of our inside presence,” Radford coach Charles Chong said. “Campbell moves the ball well and picked us apart, but we needed those bunnies.”
The low-scoring battle required Campbell’s smaller players to play big on defense. Julien Parado, normally their leading scorer, had just four points, but gave Asaah a tough challenge on the block every time.
“We stayed focused. Everyone had a role and everyone did what they had to do,” Parado said. “Our defense was on tonight. My shots weren’t really there, but everyone pitched in.”
Mililani 45, Kaiser 43, OT
Jovi Funakoshi scored on a drive and layup with six seconds left in overtime as Mililani eked the win. Funakoshi, a point guard, sent an entry pass to Raini Mayo in the high post, then cut to the right side of the key. Mayo delivered a pinpoint bounce pass back to Funakoshi, who drove and scored as a helpside defender challenged her shot.
Kaiser called time out with five seconds left, but was unable to get a final shot. The play was designed to go to Alexus Ma‘ae in the right corner, but the buzzer sounded before she could catch the ball.
Mayo led all scorers with 21 points. Akemi Kawamata tallied eight points and Funakoshi finished with seven. The play drawn up by Mililani coach Michael Oyama is one they have worked on countless times.
“We run (the play) at practice,” Funakoshi said. “A lot. I had to trust and know that my teammates had my back if I missed.”
Oyama was ecstatic.
“They executed, so that’s fantastic,” he said. “We finished at the basket. We were having trouble finishing at the basket all night. We’re up six or eight if we finish those, but that’s basketball. Give Kaiser all the credit. They are exceptional.”
Trendee Kahunahana led the Lady Cougars with 12 points. Dacee Tsue and Ma‘ae added seven points apiece.
Mililani (11-2 overall), the second-place team from the West, will play Campbell for the OIA Division I crown on Wednesday at Radford’s gym. Kaiser (12-1 overall) suffered its first loss in league play and will play Radford for third place. Kaiser had already secured a state-tournament berth.
