CJ Caraang | SL

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CJ Caraang | SL

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HALAWA – Chyel Palmer turned in an incredible second-half effort to help Leilehua upset No. 9 Radford, 31-26, to advance to the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I girls' basketball championship Saturday against Roosevelt.

Palmer scored 10 of her game-high 12 points in the second half of Wednesday's semifinals at Jim Alegre Gymnasium to help the Mules (11-2) avenge a 42-25 regular-season loss nearly two weeks ago. It wasn't just her offense that sent the Rams (11-1) to their first loss of the OIA season and to the third-place game against Farrington. Palmer also had 10 rebounds, scoring off two of them and had two steals, scoring off one of them.

"Palmer's our energy bunny," Leilehua coach Elroy Dumlao said. "She has the most energy on this whole team and sometimes, she gets so out of control that she fouls out and things like that. But for her to come out in a big game like this, it's great for her."

"This game came very naturally to me," Palmer said. "The  last time, I felt kind of pressured. I played my game. I played like how I was supposed to play."

Tywanna Abbott followed with 11 points, 10 in the first half. Abbott's contribution was defending the Rams' Kyle Johnson, who still led her team with nine points, but was contained to only four rebounds.

"We told her to keep straight up," Dumlao said of his instructions to Abbott on guarding Johnson. "Don't try to get inside of her space…fortunately, it just worked out."

The Mules took an 11-6 after the first quarter, but saw the Rams tie the game at 13 on Johnson's 3-pointer. The Mules regained the lead on an Abbott free throw with 48 seconds left in the half. Johnson got another basket with 38 seconds left to give the Rams the lead again, but Palmer scored her only basket on a putback with 10 seconds left in the half to give Leilehua a 16-15 lead at the intermission.

The game continued to be a struggle for both teams, as the Mules clung to a 23-21 lead by the end of the third period.

Leading 25-23 early in the fourth quarter, the Mules managed to convert one of three consecutive turnovers by the Rams when Palmer scored off a steal, but failed to complete the three-point play after she was fouled.

The Mules had a 29-26 lead with 15 seconds left when Radford's Johnson rebounded the missed front-end of Tianna Hanohano's bonus. The ball eventually got to Michelle Vasquez, whose layup missed with four seconds left. Leilehua's Shaylee Todani was fouled in the scramble for the loose ball and converted both ends of her bonus to seal the outcome for the Mules.

The win was a far cry from the Rams' 17-point win the last on Jan. 21.

"The ball just dropped," Dumlao said. "We came, we ran the same thing. We changed the pressure a little bit; I think they practiced it, they scouted (us) out. It was a different kind of pressure and we kind of go them out of their rhythm. We kind of jumped on them and we stayed patient. It just came out our way."

The Mules were able avenge their loss to the Rams and will have a chance to do the same against the Rough Riders, who beat Leilehua in preseason, 50-38, in the Moanalua tournament. Keala Quinlan and Ashley Kiko combined for 30 points (17 and 13, respectively).

"That's going to be another beast," Dumlao said. "We're going to celebrate tonight and talk about (Roosevelt) tomorrow.'