Delylah Sanerivi scored 21 points, including the go-ahead basket with 15 seconds left in overtime, as Moanalua stunned Kahuku 59-57 on Monday night in the semifinals of the OIA Division I girls basketball playoffs.
A raucous crowd at McKinley Student Council Gymnasium saw Sanerivi haul in 16 rebounds to power Na Menehune. Raven Rosa-Lasco exploded for 14 of her 18 points in the second half as Na Menehune rallied from a 23-11 deficit.
“Coach said not to be like a reindeer in headlights,” said Rosa-Lasco, who was basically unstoppable off the dribble against a physical, tough Kahuku man-to-man defense. “The first time we played them, the (Sisila) Kaufusi girl capped me three times.”
Moanalua hasn’t won the OIA girls basketball title since 2003. The championship game will tip off on Wednesday at approximately 7 p.m.
Kaufusi led Kahuku (10-10, 8-3 OIA) with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Speedy Tiueti Tonga gave the Lady Raiders a big spark with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Leiah Naeata added 11 points.
Moanalua (16-9, 8-3 OIA) beat Kahuku on Jan. 6, 49-45, to gain momentum during a win streak that is now at seven games. Even with a very young team reliant on underclassmen, the Lady Raiders finished first in the OIA East. Moanalua was the third-place team in the East. They didn’t have that same confidence early on.
“We came out flat and a little scared,” Moanalua coach Tani Almont-Done said. “At halftime, I told them get in there and attack. It doesn’t matter if they cap you on TV. Kahuku wanted it as soon as they stepped on the floor.”
Moanalua righted the ship, feeding Sanerivi, a 5-foot-10 center, four times in a row. Sanerivi, limited to three points in the first half, came up with seven points to cut the lead to 25-20. With Rosa-Lasco attacking the paint and Sanerivi scoring on the block, Na Menehune got within 35-34 by the end of the third quarter.
Kelcie Leong’s layup to start the fourth quarter gave Moanalua its first lead since the opening moments of the game. Na Menehune opened the lead to 42-35 after a bucket and four consecutive free throws by Rosa-Lasco.
Kahuku roared back with an 8-1 run.
Moanalua had a 48-44 lead, but Kaufusi scored on a fast-break layup, and scored again on a feed by Naeata with 12 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. Rosa-Lasco’s 18-foot runner at the buzzer missed.
Kahuku never led in OT. Sanerivi sank two foul shots and scored inside two more times. Her final bucket, on a drive and dish by Leong, gave Moanalua a 59-57 lead. With six seconds left, she stole a long inbounds pass by Naeata and Moanalua ran out the final seconds.
Kalani 47, No. 9 Mililani 45
Kaylie Espinas led the Lady Falcons with 13 points, including two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to spark a 10-0 run, as Kalani held off a furious rally by the Trojans.
Mililani trailed 47-37 before rallying in the final four minutes to close to 47-45.
Dahlis Sablay’s pull-up, straightaway 3 missed with three seconds left, and Cheyenne Ardona’s putback try in traffic at the buzzer was also off target.
Alayna Akiona also hit a 3 during Kalani’s decisive run in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Falcons (13-8, 9-2 OIA) got eight points from forward Logan Luke.
Sablay led the Lady Trojans with 19 points. Ardona added 10 points for Mililani (14-8, 10-1 OIA), the top seed out of the West.
This sets up a rematch between Kalani and Moanalua. The teams played on Jan. 9 at Kalani, a game won by Moanalua 60-55.
