Pahoa overcame 22 points by Island Pacific's Theo Duplechain and its own 8-of-23 free throw shooting last night to race past the Navigators, 48-39, in Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Boys Basketball Division II State Championship semifinal action.

The defending champ Daggers improved to 11-6 in the regular and postseason and will face No. 1 seed and O'ahu Interscholastic Association White Conference champion Farrington (17-1) in today's 5 p.m. title game at the Stan Sheriff Center.

IPA fell to 12-4 and into today's 11 a.m. third-place game.

The Navigators led, 13-12, after Dylan Yamamoto's jumper with 5:46 remaining in the second period, but Pahoa answered with a 9-2 run to end the half and led 22-15 at the break.

The Daggers then opened the second half with another 9-2 run to go up, 31-17, after Leka Tua's layup with 3:34 remaining in the third quarter.

IPA got as close as 34-30 after a putback by Duplechain with 4:16 left in the game, and he made it 42-36 on another putback with 1:13 remaining, but Pahoa sank 4 of 4 free throws and Lono Balai added a layup in the closing minute to seal the victory.

Nicklas Fisher led the Daggers with 14 points. Jason Brenner contributed 11 points for the Navigators.

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