Dexter Williams scored a game-high 19 points, but Moanalua got a big boost from its bench to beat Kahuku, 53-47, Thursday night in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red boys' basketball tournament at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium.

Na Menehune (12-7), who lost three previous meetings to the Red Raiders (12-4), will try to beat Kahuku again, 6 p.m. Saturday at McKinley for the OIA title and one of the Division I state tournament's top four seeds.

Guards Brandon Guerrero and Bronson Kepa came off the bench to give Na Menehune a spark. Kepa's defense and Guerrero's clutch shooting aided Moanalua's comeback. Guerrero scored 11 points, including three 3-pointers.

"I thought Bronson Kepa and Brandon Guerrero came off the bench and kind of solidified things," Moanalua coach Greg Tacon said. "We started off pretty well, then in the second quarter, we hit that lull again. They came in, kind of calmed things down, showing up at the right spots. I'm really happy with the guard play off the bench tonight."

Moanalua took a 12-8 first-quarter lead, only to see Kahuku cash in on turnovers to take a 26-22 lead at the half. Moanalua worked it way back in the third quarter, finally taking the lead with 1:13 left on a 3-pointer by Guerrero. The Red Raiders went cold in the fourth, as Na Menehune maintained their lead to the end.

"We didn't knock anything down," Kahuku coach Darren Johnson said. "It wasn't like they outplayed us on the boards. All the shots we made just didn't go down. Hopefully, we'll turn it around on Saturday."

Mekeli Fiso and Shairone Thompson each had 14 points for the Red Raiders.

It appeared Moanalua was going to take control at the outset of the second quarter when Kepa scored back-to-back, the second off a steal to extend his team's lead to 16-8. But Kahuku used a 15-0 run over the next five minutes to take a 23-16 lead and eventually a 26-22 lead at the half.

Moanalua chipped away in the third quarter, tying the game at 36 with 1:49 left on a tip in by Wesley Ambrust, who scored 10 in the game. Guerrero later hit a 3 to put Na Menehune ahead for good.

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