KAKAAKO – In the end, all those heart-thumping Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I games returned a big dividend for Kamehameha-Kapalama.

The Warriors fought off fourth-seeded and relentless Farrington, 52-47, in a thrilling quarterfinal of the Snapple Division I girls' state basketball tournament Thursday at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium.

No. 4 Kamehameha (11-5) will play two-time defending state champion and top-seeded Konawaena in the 7 p.m. semifinal Friday at the Neal Blaisdell Center Arena. The Wildcats are ranked No. 2.

"Give'em credit," Kamehameha coach Joseph Cho said of Farrington. "They played well, but I think down the stretch all our ILH close games paid off."

Mikiala Maio scored a season-high 30 points, including crucial free throws in the closing seconds, to help fight off a second-half surge by the Governors (12-2), who rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit and led 43-40 with 3:16 left in the game.

"For Mikiala, she's just stepping up," Cho said. "That's why she's the captain."

Chantal Mailou led Farrington with 17 points, followed by Molimau Heimuli with 16.

It appeared Kamehameha had control early, taking a 22-15 lead into the half and holding Farrington's dangerous 5-11 forward Heimuli to four first-half points.

But the Governors opened the second half with a 6-0 run to pull to within 1, but Maio restored order by scoring 10 of her team's 13 third-quarter points to increase the Warriors lead to 35-29 entering the fourth.

"We had to win this game," Maio said of her scoring surge. "I was doing it for my team. It's always for my team."

With 5-11 Kalina Obrey -- assigned to defend Molimau -- sitting on four fouls, the Warriors had to limit her minutes late in the game. That was the opening Farrington, or more specifically Molimau, needed to ignite a rally.

Farrington started the fourth with an 8-0 run with Molimau scoring six of those points to give the Govs a 37-35 lead – their first of the game – with 6:15 left.

The Warriors had to restore order and brought back Obrey, who scored the next five points, including converting a three-point play with 4:33 left to tie the game at 40.

But Farrington's Mailou's personal 6-0 run put the Govs ahead again, 43-40, with 3:16 left. Obrey pulled Kamehameha to within 1 after making two free throws with 3:02 left.

Jewel Paaluhi-Caulk got a steal and was fouled in the process of going to the hoop. She made only the second of her two free throws, but it tied the game at 43 with 2:45.

After Farrington missed layup that was rebounded by Noelle Sua-Godinet, Kiana Vierra drained a 3-pointer with 2:21 left to give the Warriors a 46-43 lead.

Willma Karen scored to pull Farrington to 46-45, but Maio made two free throws with 38 seconds left to make it 48-45. Heimuli cut the Warriors' lead to 1 again with 30 seconds left.

Farrington missed a shot with about 20 and Maio was fouled with 18 seconds and converted a bonus to open the Warriors' lead to 50-47.

"I got this," Maio said of thoughts at the free-throw line. "We practice this everyday. It was just muscle memory."

The Governors called time with 13 seconds left on their ensuing possession. Vierra rebounded a missed shot by Kylie Carganilla. Vierra was fouled and made her two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to seal the game.

Cho said he thought Obrey only had three fouls when she committed her fourth. But her absence only showed the Warriors' depth.

"It's good to have Kalina, obviously," Cho said. "She's a threat in the middle, but you can see, we can survive a little bit without her.

"It all worked out. Credit Farrington. They played tough, Heimuli played tough. I thought we played as well as we could against her."

Molimau had 13 of Farrington's 34 rebounds.