In typical thrilling fashion capped by another frantic finish, Kahuku held off 'Iolani, 56-53, last night to advance to today's Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Boys Basketball Championship game.

An energized crowd of 3,003 at Blaisdell Arena watched the Red Raiders blow an 11-point lead in the final four minutes, only to take it back on Nehoa Akina's 3-pointer from the left corner with 13 seconds remaining. Kahuku then nervously held on as 'Iolani failed to convert on its final two possessions.

The Red Raiders improved to 19-1 in the regular and postseason and will face Kamehameha (13-1) at 7 p.m. at Blaisdell for the title.

The game will be televised live statewide on OC16.

"We're grateful to be able to stay in it through all of this," said Akina, a 5-foot-8 junior who scored a game-high 19 points — including five 3s — last night. "Our first goal was to win the (O'ahu Interscholastic Association) East (Division), then our next goal was to win the OIA. Our last goal is to win states, and this is our last stop, we're almost there."

With Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up 'Iolani (12-3) enduring its worst shooting night of the season, Kahuku jumped out to an 11-4 lead midway through the first period and was up, 52-41, after Akina's layup with 4:26 left.

But then it was the Red Raiders' turn to go cold, as Jarrett Arakawa sank a 3-pointer with 3:59 remaining to start 'Iolani on a 12-0 run that ended with Pablo Warner's free throw giving the Raiders a 53-52 lead with 35 seconds left.

"They kept attacking, and we knew they were going to do that because that's the team they are," said Kahuku coach Hiram Akina, Nehoa's father. "They are real scrappy and they're all great hustle kids ... it was tough on the sidelines watching them make all those steals."

After Warner missed the second of two free throws, the Red Raiders set up an inbounds play with 16 seconds remaining after the ball had been knocked out of bounds under the basket.

With the Kahuku players lined up single file in the key, Akina dashed out to the left corner and caught a pass from inbounder Irwin Ah-Hoy, then stepped behind the 3-point line and hit a fadeway 3 that hit nothing but net.

"We usually call a lob (pass play), but I saw ('Iolani) playing tight so I told Nehoa to pop out and Irwin found him," said Hiram Akina. "We've worked with Nehoa for years on that shot, and if he's not being guarded, he'll nail that thing."

Raiders coach Mark Mugiishi said the Raiders were expecting a pass to one of Kahuku's tall posts, Christian Feagai (6-7) or Kona Schwenke (6-4).

"We were defending the lob," Mugiishi said. "We committed too many guys inside."

Still, 'Iolani had two golden opportunities to take the lead back.

After calling a timeout at halfcourt with seven seconds left, the Raiders got the ball to Reid Saito, who penetrated and dished to forward Warner cutting along the left baseline. Warner sank a five-footer, but was called for a charge on the play.

But after a timeout, Kahuku was called for a violation on the ensuing inbounds play, giving 'Iolani the ball back with 3.8 seconds remaining.

Saito got the ball on the left side and had an open look from about eight feet on the left side, but his shot hit the front of the rim and Schwenke grabbed the rebound and was fouled with three-tenths of a second left.

He made the first free throw and missed the second, but a desperation 80-foot heave by Kela Marciel hit off the backboard after the buzzer sounded.

"It was pretty crazy," Nehoa Akina said of the frantic finish. "But my dad said we've been here before, just like last night (a 40-39 victory over Punahou)."

'Iolani was plagued by poor shooting all night. The Raiders made just 17 of 70 field goals, including 2 of 19 from 3-point range. They also struggled from the free-throw line, making just 17 of 33.

'IOLANI (19-1) 13 15 16 12 — 56

KAHUKU (12-3) 10 13 14 16 — 53

'IOLANI — Kela Marciel 0, Andrew Skalman 0, Reid Saito 8, Jarrett Arakawa 7, Kainoa Chu 13, Brandon Ball 0, Kainoa Scheer 3, Nicholas Christman 3, Josiah Sukumaran 2, Pablo Warner 17. Totals 17 17-33 53.

KAHUKU — Mikeli Damuni 0, Jray Galeai 12, Irwin Ah-Hoy 6, Sage Kaka 0, Kohl Nauahi 3, Nehoa Akina 19, Jackson Kaka 2, Shairone Thompson 6, Kona Schwenka 4, Christian Feagai 4. Totals 21 7-11 56. 3-point goals: Kahuku 7 (Akina 5, Galeai 1, Nauahi 1). 'Iolani 2 (Arakawa, Chu).

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com