Kamehameha matched the nation's No. 14-ranked boys basketball team almost basket-for-basket throughout the first half last night before eventually falling to Mount Vernon (N.Y.), 63-50, in the first round of the 28th Annual 'Iolani Prep Classic.

Mount Vernon, ranked No. 14 in USA Today's latest Super 25, will face Kentucky power Mason County (Maysville) in tonight's feature quarterfinal at 8.

Immediately after Saint Louis was walloped, 103-30, by Montverde (Fla.), Kamehameha showed a packed crowd of about 800 at 'Iolani Gym that Hawai'i's top teams can indeed hold their own against some of the nation's best.

"They're very competitive, extra fast on defense, they did a great job," Mount Vernon coach Bob Cimmino said of the Warriors, the defending state runner-up. "Even when we made a basket, they would come right back with a fast break layup. They would be a good team back in our league in New York."

The Knights jumped out to an 11-4 lead, but Dyrbe Enos' nifty reverse layup ignited an 11-2 run capped by Charlton Tang's baseline jumper that put Kamehameha up, 15-13, with 56 seconds remaining in the first period.

A free throw by Qwadere Lovell and slam dunk by Randy Stephens gave Mount Vernon the lead back at 16-15 entering the second quarter. The Knights extended it to 21-15 early in the second but the Warriors hung tough and trailed 30-25 at the break.

"I did like our chances, I thought we could win and the boys believed they could, too," Kamehameha coach Jesse Nakanishi said. "But we didn't quite execute enough."

Mount Vernon found cracks in the Warriors' defense and opened the second half with a 9-0 run to make it 39-25, and kept a safe distance until Micah Christenson's 3-pointer cut it to 42-33 with 1:40 left in the third period.

But that was as close as Kamehameha would get, as the Knights maintained the pressure on offense and defense to eventually go up, 59-41, on Joshua Doughty's 3-pointer with 3:21 remaining in the game.

"Small things turned into big things, and we let it get away," Nakanishi said. "Our boys hustled, but it's still frustrating because it was a blown opportunity. It's a learning experience and it'll help us down the road."

Cimmino said fatigue may have slowed down the Warriors' comeback effort.

"Because we were so erratic early on, I used a lot of subs," Cimmino said. "I think that gave us some fresher legs later on."

Horace Copeland scored 16 points to lead Mount Vernon, and Jamell Walker added 12 points.

Kamehameha forward Micah Christenson, the state's Co-Player of the Year last season, led the Warriors with 16 points.

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