Kamehameha girls power past 'Iolani, 50-39, to repeat as State Champion
By Wes Nakama
They say it's hard to beat the same team four times ... but it's even harder to beat the Kamehameha girls basketball squad just once.
'Iolani learned that the tough way Friday night, as the Warriors powered past the Raiders, 50-39, to repeat as Pacific Century Fund Team Aloha/Flying Hawaiian Foundation State Champion.
A crowd of 1,306 in BankOh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Nihoa Dunn post game-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds and Andrea Porreca add 16 points and five boards as Kamehameha completed the season at 24-4. Charlotte Galloway scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead 'Iolani, which finished at 15-10. Four of those losses came to the Warriors.
After the Raiders jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first three-and-a-half minutes, Kamehameha answered with a 14-0 run and never really looked back. The Warriors led 20-13 at halftime, 39-29 after three periods and stretched it to 49-35 after Porreca's two free throws with 1:18 remaining. 'Iolani had closed it to 29-23 on Hailey Fernandez's 3-pointer midway through the third period, but could not get closer than that the rest of the game.
"It was just getting those 'three-minute jitters' out, and then after that we were able to enter our full state, and we were able to come back one play at a time and chip away like that," said Dunn, a 6-foot senior post who signed to play for Portland State next season. "All the coaches really instill the value to never settle ... you never win until the last buzzer, so (we) just kept going, we kept pushing and we didn't finish until the game ended."
The Raiders had one last glimmer of hope when Dunn fouled out late, and Galloway immediately took advantage with a layup to cut it to 44-35 with 2:17 on the clock. 'Iolani then made a backcourt steal which led to a fast-break opportunity, but could not convert on the layup and Porreca drained a 3-pointer with 1:31 left to make it 47-35.
"That was definitely one of the main things that we talked about when we were watching film, and in our game plan, was that they've been down in both of their last games, so they still have confidence, even when they were down," Kamehameha coach Pua Straight said of the Raiders. "So we could not even for a second let our foot off the gas. (We) still strived to get as many defensive stops as we could, and then great shots on offense. We had amazing leaders on the court (after Dunn fouled out), Rylee Paranada and Rylee Cabuyadao-Caswell, and we put in our other seniors to finish out the game, just to have some experienced senior leadership. I could hear them saying, 'We got this. Finish it out.' ... I felt confident just in the way that they looked and what they were saying."
'Iolani coach Dean Young said the Warriors and Dunn are deserving champions.
"No. 1, they're a great team and they were better than us tonight, so my hat's off to them," Young said. "(Dunn) is so smart, and her skill level and strength is incredible. She doesn't panic, you can run your offense through her, she can find open shooters, find open cutters ... nothing rushes her."
Young also gave credit to his own team for reaching the state finals for a seventh straight time, despite key losses to graduation.
"They were a resilient, gritty group," Young said. "They had so much fun every day at practice, they loved being around each other, the chemistry was good. We just fell a little short. Great group, we're gonna miss them."