Kalani's Kobe Ikari drives to the hoop. He matched a season-high 20 points to help the Falcons return back to the OIA D2 championship game. CJ Caraang | SL

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Fri, Feb 5, 2016 @ Leilehua

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Kalani

39

Aiea

27

Final	1	2	3	4
Kalani (4-7, 12-15)	15	0	11	13	39
Aiea (6-5, 8-12)	4	7	11	5	27

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

J. Amos 8 pts  2 3pm

K. Ikari 20 pts  2 3pm

J. Chaviera 5 tot  5 def

J. Lam 6 tot  2 off  4 def

K. Shinmoto 2 ast

K. Nishimura 2 ast

WAHIAWA — Kobe Ikari was the straw that stirs the drink in Kalani's 39-27 semifinal win over top-seeded Aiea Friday night. 

The senior guard matched a season-high 20 points to help the Falcons (6-7 OIA, 10-13 overall) blow by Na Alii (6-5, 8-12) in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II playoffs before a crowd of 300 at Richard Townsend Court. 

Kalani, who endured through a 10-game losing streak that spanned the preseason and the start of league play, moves on to face Roosevelt in its third straight OIA championship game next Thursday. The two teams have also locked up the league's two berths into the Division II state tournament.

 "I am so excited for the kids," said Kalani coach Nathan Davis, whose team improved to

Ikari, a transfer from Damien, knocked down his first three shot attempts of the night to give the Falcons an early 8-2 advantage and a 15-4 lead heading into the second quarter. His triple from the left wing on the Falcons' first possession gave the team a lead they would not relinquish. 

"That helped a lot," Ikari said on his quick start. "Coming into this game I was pretty nervous with it being my first OIA playoffs. Hitting those big shots really helped my confidence up." 

The 5-foot-7 senior guard also scored eight points in an 11-all third quarter to prevent Na Alii from taking the lead. 

"He's maturing more as a floor leader and that's what we've been working with him the whole year on," Davis said on Ikari. 

Kalani was also able to hold a guard-heavy Aiea team to a low shooting percentage from the perimeter (3-for-16) using its 2-3 zone defense. Na Alii did not knock down a 3-point attempt until the 2:08 mark of the second quarter and their leading scorer, Steven Park, was held to a season-low two points.

"We just tried to make sure we closed out hard and make them earn everything and make this game a grind," Davis said.

"They just sat in that 2-3 zone the whole night so it was just our inability to execute," added Aiea coach Justin Miura. "I think we got away from interior touches and we settled for outside shots that we weren't hitting." 

A poor shooting performance by the Falcons in the second quarter (0-for-7) allowed Na Alii to make it a 15-11 game at the half. Kame Kim-Choy-Keb Ah Lo was able to knock down a pair of jumpers in the middle of Kalani's defense and junior varsity call-up Jamie Amos had the team's first trey to get Aiea back into it.

"We tried to put a little pressure on them," Miura said. "We tried to change some of their looks. We altered between a 1-2-2 and a man defense, and we cut it down to four points." 

Amos (team-high eight points) swished another 3-pointer to begin the second half to make it a one-point game out of the break. Ikari scored six of the Falcons' next seven points to give them a cushion as Aiea kept clawing its way back to stay within striking distance.

The score was 26-22 heading into the fourth quarter. 

Senior post John Lam scored the first five points of the final period of play and Ikari's fast break bucket put the Falcons' firmly ahead, 33-22 with 5:28 left in regulation. Aiea was unable to recover and saw its season come to a close.

"We kind of leaned on our seniors a little bit more in that quarter," said Davis. ‘We just told them to stay aggressive and play your game. All the way down here at the end of the season, you just have to trust your seniors. It's their ride or die moment."

Kapaa Nishimura added seven points and six rebounds in the Kalani win.