Buzzer-beater lifts ‘Iolani past Kahuku, 56-54, and into state semifinals

By Wes Nakama

Hailey Fernandez sank an eight-foot running bank shot as time expired Thursday night to lift five-time defending state champion ‘Iolani to a pulsating 56-54 quarterfinal victory over Kahuku.

A tense and vocal crowd of about 500 at Damien Gym watched sophomore guard Justice Kekauoha score a game-high 23 points as the Raiders improved to 18-10 and advanced to Friday’s 7 p.m. semifinals against No. 2 seed and Big Island Interscholastic Federation champ Konawaena (22-3) at Kamehameha’s Kekuhaupi’o Gym. Posia Wily scored 17 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to lead OIA champion and No. 3 seed Kahuku, which fell to 14-3 and into the consolation bracket.

Top seed and Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Kamehameha (21-1) will face unseeded Campbell (12-6) at 5 p.m. in the other semifinal. Both games will be televised live statewide on Spectrum Sports OC Channel 16.

Kahuku led, 46-38, after Wily’s layup two minutes into the fourth period, but Kekauoha swished a 3-pointer from the right wing to ignite a 12-3 run capped by Rayah Soriano’s triple that put the Raiders ahead, 50-49, with 2:45 remaining. The teams then traded baskets, until Kekauoha’s layup gave ‘Iolani a 54-52 lead with 1:06 left, and the Red Raiders answered with Zaylyn Falevai’s two free throws with 0:24.7 showing on the clock.

‘Iolani advanced the ball to halfcourt, then called timeout with 21 seconds remaining.

“Initially the play was for Justice, we were going to get her on a backdoor cut,” said Fernandez, a 5-foot-3 junior point guard. “But we ran that play previously, and they were defending it. Mia (Frye) wasn’t trying to force it, so she gave it to me, and I looked at the clock and there was about four seconds left. So I knew we had to go, and it was instinctual.”

From the right wing, Fernandez drove past a defender and lofted a high banker just outside the block, with the ball falling through the net just as the buzzer went off.

“All four of our guards can attack and create and score, so I knew we would get something,” Raiders coach Dean Young said. “I was hoping for at least free throws … but we got a clean look. So, I’ll take it.”

‘Iolani definitely felt fortunate to win, after struggling with Kahuku’s size and athleticism throughout the game. The Raiders led 10-8 after one period and 25-22 after Kekauoha’s two free throws with 2:30 left in the second, but the Red Raiders ended the half with five straight points to go up, 27-25, at the break.

After Kekauoha’s layup cut it to 33-32 with 4:28 remaining in the third period, Kahuku responded with an 8-1 run to make it 41-33 on Makana Kamake’eaina’s putback three minutes later, and the Red Raiders led 41-35 entering the fourth.

Soriano opened the final quarter with a 3-pointer one minute in to cut it to 41-38, but Wily swished a triple from the top of the key and then scored on a layup to put Kahuku up, 46-38, with 6:07 showing on the clock.

The Red Raiders out-rebounded ‘Iolani, 40-30, including a 28-19 advantage on the defensive glass.

“We spent 90 percent of the past two days just trying to prepare for that, and we still couldn’t handle it, for the most part,” Young said. “They’re so big, they’re so athletic. That’s a really good team, they had a really great season and we battled to the very end. We’re just happy to get out of here with a win.”

Fernandez said the Raiders overcame similar deficits during the regular season, which gave them confidence to do it again.

“One word to describe this team is, we’re gritty,” Fernandez said. “We faced so much adversity, especially in the ILH. We’re just willing to compete and even if we’re down, we’re gonna come back, we’ll find a way. We were told, ‘Just one possession at a time,’ and it truly starts with our defense. I think we got some crucial stops, and we hit some big shots, and that’s what got us the win.”