Braelyn Kauhi had 19 points and seven rebounds as No. 2 Konawaena edged No. 7 Kamehameha 37-32 on Friday morning at the HBA Winter Classic.

Alexa Meyer and Angelie Molina added eight points and two 3-pointers each for the young Wildcats (10-4).

Stocked with freshmen and sophomores, Konawaena showed resilience after losing to No. 4 Punahou on the first day of the tourney. They survived Kamehameha’s relentless fullcourt press.

“It’s definitely a challenge. This was a good game for us to see where we are and what we need to work on,” Kauhi said. “Up here is better competition. We can’t really see where we stand or what we need to work on back home. So far, these (young) girls are doing really good. They definitely get their confidence from playing teams back home.”

Konawaena played the tournament without three players due to injury and suited up seven for the four games. The Wildcats lost to Punahou 57-39, then defeated Damien 71-29 and North Torrance (Calif.) 51-48 before meeting Kamehameha.

Freshman Nihoa Dunn led the Warriors (9-5) with 16 points and nine rebounds. The 6-foot-1 post shot 5-for-11 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free-throw line. Like other teams playing their fourth game in four days, the Warriors struggled from the field as a unit, shooting 28 percent from the field (11-for-39).

Konawaena led 16-8 after Molina splashed her first 3-pointer in the second quarter and kept that lead through the third. Dunn began to get hot in the paint, scoring on back-to-back baskets to bring Kamehameha within 31-29 early in the fourth quarter.

Konawaena’s young core then settled in and executed, going on a key 6-0 run. Molina swished a 3 from the left wing, Kauhi hit a free throw, and after Kaylie Yamasaki found Kauhi on an inbounds pass for a bucket, the Wildcats led 37-29 with 2:12 left.

Kamehameha’s young core, which committed six turnovers in the final quarter, got no closer than five the rest of the way.

Konawaena had slight edges in field-goal percentage (40% on 15-for-37 shooting) and turnovers (15 to Kamehameha’s 18). The biggest difference was Kauhi, a senior who shot 8-for-10 from the field and played efficiently. Her patience with the ball is contagious.

“Taking care of the ball is the biggest progress we have. Making better decisions,” Konawaena assistant coach Kevin Yamasaki said. “Having these tournaments are good for us, just having these extra reps, playing these better teams. Playing the ILH teams. They have a tough schedule every night.”

Just 14 hours earlier, Maryknoll lost a close game to No. 1 Maryknoll, 46-40.“We’re all growing and maturing and learning. It takes on all of our parts,” co-captain Pomai Nakakura said.

With a preseason that is back to pre-COVID “normal,” Kamehameha has played 14 games already. Only seven other teams — Maryknoll, Konawaena, ‘Iolani, Moanalua, Damien, Hawaii Baptist and Sacred Hearts — have played as many.

Kamehameha’s busy nonconference schedule has a Christmas break before the team plays in the West Coast Jamboree in the Tri-Valley area (East Bay) of California. The Warriors will depart Monday.

“It makes it worth it. It’s super fun to play in games. The practices are preparation for these games,” forward Mackenzie Alapai said. “We just want to go out there and prove ourselves to everybody.”

The weekend break will be savored.

“After all these practices and games we had this week, we can go home and rest,” Alapai said.

The lone senior, Kya Kanoho, has embraced her role.

“I try to lead by example. I’m nice and encouraging,” she said. “It’ll be good for us to play that type of competition and bring it back home.”