The Radford girls basketball team had a layup fest last night in an easy victory over Moanalua thanks to a stifling defense and superior speed.

The host Rams forced 24 turnovers with many leading to layups in a 54-26 win in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Girls Red Conference quarterfinals.

Radford, the West champion, got off to a slow start, trailing 9-3 with 2:35 left in the first quarter, but its defensive intensity soon overwhelmed Moanalua.

"We had to just keep grinding at it," said Radford coach Tani Dutro. "We had a rough start in the beginning. I told the girls this is what we condition for in preseason, to keep going till the end. They just had to keep pushing with the pressure defense. Eventually we found a grove that we needed."

Radford (13-0) will play Roosevelt in the semifinals Wednesday at a site and time to be determined. The Rough Riders beat Mililani, 53-30, in yesterday's earlier quarterfinal at Radford.

In the first period, Radford was 2 of 12 from the field. In the final three periods, it was 21 of 30.

"I told the girls if we don't play the 'D' we can't run," Dutro said. "They feel good when they run because that's something we've worked at."

Radford's Marlena Malepeai scored nine of her 14 points in the second half, when the Rams outscored Moanalua 33-11.

"It took a while for Marlena to get into her rhythm," Dutro said. "We just have to tell her (to) keep shooting."

Radford center TaNitra Byrd, in her first start of the season, added 10 points.

Since the preseason, she's been battling injuries to her hamstring and thumb.

"I was kind of nervous because it's been a while since I've been in the game (at the start)," said Byrd, an OIA West first-team selection last season. "I'm used to coming off the bench. But it was fun. It was nice to go out there and start."

Byrd, a 6-foot sophomore, had two of the more impressive defensive plays of the game, twice stealing the ball near midcourt and dribbling in for layups.

Na Menehune coach Kristie Morikawa knew the Rams would try to play uptempo, but her team couldn't respond.

"We warned them they were going to push it up all night," she said. "At some point the gas gauge just hit empty and we were just dragging our butts."

Moanalua, the East's No. 4 team, finished 10 of 30 from the field.

Britni Ronolo scored 11 points for Moanalua (7-7).

MOANALUA (7-7) 9 6 5 6 — 26

RADFORD (13-0) 6 15 17 16 — 54

MOANALUA — Bri Dacoscos 0, Marie Annianette Verdida 0, Dena Dela Cruz 0, Michelle Hardy 4, Amanda Selvey 0, Janelle Uncangco 0, Qwineysha Wheeler 4, Britni Ronolo 11, Indah Widyakusuma 5, Justine Aguas 0, Joanna Nicolas 2. Totals 10 6-14 26.

RADFORD — Itali Lindsey 5, Bui Baravilala 3, Antionette Carradine 0, Disa Brown 2, Marlena Malepeai 14, Brittini Fuller 6, Chelsea-Ann Villanueva 10, Marsharen Dupont 4, TaNitra Byrd 10. Totals 23 8-15 54.

3-point goals: none.

Reported by Jessica Beck

ROOSEVELT 53, MILILANI 30

Dianna Zane scored 13 points, Mikela Thoemmes added 12 and Tiana Sugui had 11 as the Rough Riders routed the Trojans.

Zane hit three 3-pointers, Thoemmes scored from in close and Sugui was effective in transition and on drives to the basket. Roosevelt, the East runner-up, broke the game open with a 19-3 run, which gave it a 28-12 lead with 1:25 left before halftime.

"Defensively, we structure things according to our strengths and weaknesses," Roosevelt coach Bobby Keanini said. "We took advantage of some things. Nothing against them, they made some substitutions we could take advantage of."

Mililani, the West's No. 3 team, went nearly 7:30 in the first half without a field goal. The Trojans went another 6:45 in the second half without a field goal.

Roosevelt (10-3) finished 24 of 57 from the field, while Mililani (7-7) was 13 of 46. Sophie Chang led Mililani with seven points.

MILILANI (7-7) 9 5 11 5—30

ROOSEVELT (10-3) 13 15 13 12—53

MILILANI—Chelsea Basilio 6, Chelsea Korodan 3, Baleima Pangorand 0, Kellise Dela Cruz 0, Glenelle Nitta 4, Joleen Realin 4, Sophie Chang 7, Pomai Grube-Hose 0, Meilin Akiu 4, Celina Garcia 0, Geraldine Solia 0, Abigail McCoy 2, Khyla Alcantra 0. Totals 13 2-5 30.

ROOSEVELT—Dianna Zane 13, Tiana Sugui 11, Samantha Murakami 3, Kathleen Nakata 2, Jayna Tasaka 0, Tiyana Nakasone 4, Kelcie Namba 0, Keely Bitanga 0, Tasia Kamakawio'ole 8, Ciera Kapea 0, Mikela Thoemmes 12. Totals 24 1-2 53.

3-point goals—Mililani 2 (Korodan, Nitta). Roosevelt 4 (Zane 3, Murakami 1).

Reported by Hinano Higa

'AIEA 57, FARRINGTON 54

Natasha Helsham scored 17 points, including four free throws — from a foul and technical called against Farrington — with three seconds left to break a 53-all tie and lift visiting Na Ali'i (9-4).

Capri Holiona added 16 points and Caroline Sio 11 for 'Aiea. Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo scored 15 and Lucina Otineru 11 for the Governors (10-4).

FARRINGTON (10-4) 13 14 13 10 4 — 54

'AIEA (9-4) 7 13 15 15 7 — 57

FARRINGTON— Honour Stone 4, Amanda Cadiz , Natalie Mata 4, Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo 15, Janell Nance 5, Valerie Lesu 3, Diana Prescott 4, Sofia Folaunahina 8, Lucina Otineru 11. Totals 17 17-23 54.

'AIEA — Natasha Helsham 17, Natasha Fong 4, Shayla Kuehu 0, Emily Tausaga 4, Capri Holiona 16, Savannah Albinio-Cudal 0, Caroline Sio 11, Jennifer Yuen 5. Totals 17 23-36 57.

3-point goals: Farrington 3 (Leooe 2, Lesu).

Reported by Issac Avila

KALANI 67, KAHUKU 37

Iwalani Rodrigues scored 17 points, Chloe Martin 15, Rhianna Farm 14 and Violet Alama 12, leading the host Falcons (11-2) past the Red Raiders (5-9) and into the semifinals against 'Aiea.

Taeja Afalava and Alayna Galeai each scored nine to lead Kahuku.

KAHUKU (5-9) 11 11 8 7 — 37

KALANI (11-2) 21 12 15 19 — 67

KAHUKU — Taeja Afalava 9, Alysha Cummings 8, Nile Teo 5, Lavania Latu 1, Rachel Tailele 2, Alayna Galeai 9, Lama Tito 3. Totals 13 8-20 37.

KALANI — Chloe Martin 15, Kayla Kimura 0, Brandi Yamauchi 3, Iwalani Rodrigues 17, Ashlyn Onaga 4, Rhianna Farm 14, Kim Balsai 0, Jamie Higa 0, Violet Alama 12, Tia Kobayashi 2, Cara Kamehiro 0, Tiare Maafala 0. Totals 28 7-7 67.

3-point goals: Kahuku 3 (Cummings, Teo, Tito). Kalani 4 (Martin 3, Yamauchi).

Reported by Tenari Maafala

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.