Kalaheo boys' basketball coach Alika Smith figured it would take a team effort to take down top-ranked Punahou Thursday and he was right.

With star guard Kaleb Gilmore in foul trouble against the top-seeded Buffanblu, the Mustangs got contributions from a number of other players in their 64-48 quarterfinal victory. Leading the way was junior guard Kekai Smith, who shot 5 of 7 from the field and scored a season-high 14 points.

"Our younger guys stepped up," Kalaheo coach Alika Smith said. "Guys like Kekai, Alec MacLeod, Captain Whitlock and Ashton Arnold all contributed. It was a total team effort."

Kekai Smith is probably better known for his defensive prowess, often drawing the assignment of defending the opposing team's best scorer.

"Kekai scores every once in a while," Gilmore said. "He's a good playmaker for us. He's a good defensive guy. When they started to hit shots we had to move him around, but we made a good adjustment."

Gilmore, who was a First Team All-Hawaii selection as a junior at Maryknoll last year, was limited to 19 minutes Thursday after picking up three first-half fouls, but still managed to finish with a game-high 25 points.

"It was tough for me, but I know my team got my back," Gilmore said. "Even if I'm not in the game I know they can step up, do what they've got to do to get the win and that's what they did."

Smith, along with Whitlock and Kupaa Harrison took over most of the ball-handling for Kalaheo with Gilmore on the bench.

"I had to take the ball up because Kaleb usually takes the ball up and does a hell of a job at it," Kekai Smith said. "We struggled without him, but I guess we came through."

Gilmore returned midway through the fourth quarter and scored 10 points in the final period. He did most of his damage at the free-throw line, where he made 16 of 17.

"We're a good team, they're a good team, too, but I know that if we come out and do what we need to do, I believe we can beat any team," Gilmore said.

The Mustangs (15-1) have now won three straight since a 60-58 loss to Farrington in the semifinals of the OIA tournament last week.

"Our guys are so resilient that in our practices after we lost, we were focused on what we needed to do," Alika Smith said. "We took the approach of working toward where we needed to be, back at the level where we were at earlier in the season."

Kalaheo will be making its 18th appearance in the semifinal round and first since a 55-48 win over Punahou in 2013. A win over Kahuku Friday would send the Mustangs to the their 11th state final.

"I believe in my team," Gilmore said. "I know coach believes in us, our fans believe in us. We've just got to go out there and do it."

Tip off between the Mustangs and Red Raiders is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will follow the 5 p.m. semifinal between Campbell and Iolani.