Overcoming a hot-shooting start by Kalani, Kaimuki rallied past the visiting Falcons, 50-47, Wednesday night for a key O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys basketball victory.

The Bulldogs improved to 3-2 in the OIA Red Conference Eastern Division; Kalani fell to 2-2.

The Falcons, in their first season in the Red, showed off their shooting touch early and often in the game's first eight minutes and 15 seconds, draining five 3-pointers en route to a 19-10 lead. But Kaimuki closed it to 27-23 by halftime and eventually tied it at 30-30 on Dio Taulung's layup with 4:41 remaining in the third period.

On the play, Kalani was assessed a technical foul for slapping the backboard, and Tevin Nishiyama sank both free throws to put the Bulldogs up, 32-30.

The Falcons briefly took the lead back at 38-36 on Iman Washington's two free throws with 6:49 left in the game, but Kaimuki tied it 52 seconds later on two more free throws by Nishiyama and then took the lead for good at 41-38 when Nick Motellang's 3-pointer from the left corner bounced up and in with 5:25 remaining.

Kalani stayed close, however, and cut it to 49-47 on Washington's free throws with five seconds left. Taulung then sank one of two free throws with 4.1 ticks remaining, and a desperation 27-foot shot at the buzzer by the Falcons was well off the mark.

After hitting five 3-pointers in the first 8:15, Kalani did not connect from beyond the arc in the final 31:45.

"They adjusted, they got out on our shooters," Falcons coach Nathan Davis said. "We started attacking the basket more and tried to be more aggressive. We got into the bonus (situation) early, but we didn't shoot as well from the foul line."

Kalani hit only 5 of 11 free throws (46 percent) in the second and third periods, when their lead slipped away.   

Bulldogs coach Kelly Grant said he adjusted his lineup after the Falcons' hot-shooting start -- partly by design and partly not.

"Siaosi (Hala'apiapi) had two fouls early, so it was an easy decision to go small," Grant said, referring to his 6-foot-1 forward. "We had to match up with them."

Nishiyama led Kaimuki with 15 points and Mason Kuali'i-Moe added 10 points.

Kalani's Tatsuya Ono led all scorers with 16 points, including three 3-pointers, and Washington added 11 points.

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