After missing her first free throw with 11.8 seconds left in a tied game, Jessilyn Artaho-Aki thought her second attempt would miss as well.

"I ignored everybody that was yelling," said Artaho-Aki, whose Kapa'a teammates reminded her to focus during the timeout before the free throws.

She made the second attempt and University High's Quynne Eharis missed from point-blank range with about 3 seconds left as Kapa'a won, 56-55, in last night's first round of the Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division II Girls Basketball State Championships at Farrington High School.

"Three of our games we had in the regular season, our scenario was just like this — last second shot," said Kapa'a coach Terry Maguire, whose Warriors (9-1) face third-seeded Sacred Hearts (15-0) in a quarterfinal game at Farrington at 7 p.m. today. "It's been a heart attack."

Kapa'a lost a 13-point first-half lead as Eharis' 33 points helped the Jr. Rainbows (10-9) lead by eight with 2:27 left. Nobody could keep up with the 5-foot-11 junior post, whose team cleared the lane, isolated her at the top, then passed as she drove inside the entire night.

University High called a timeout after Artaho-Aki's free throw, brought the ball down the court, then passed inside to Eharis from the left wing. Her shot bounced on the rim and the ball was tipped around until time expired.

"It would've been her perfect night," Maguire said of Eharis. "She hadn't missed all night. She does it with her hustle."

Artaho-Aki finished with 18 points and Mahea Hanie-Grace and Ashlyn Lee added 10 each for Kapa'a.

"It shows they don't give up and really have it in them to follow to the end," Maguire said.

University High coach Bryan Nakamura was proud of his team, which battled back last night like it had all season. He lost four players to ACL injuries this season and at one point had to move up two junior varsity players just to field a six-person team. More JV players were brought up later in the season and the Jr. Rainbows had to win the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's postseason tournament to grab the league's fourth and final berth.

"We were kind of getting out of our comfort zone, playing their style," Nakamura said of the first half. "In the second half, we settled down and got into our comfort zone."

UNIVERSITY HIGH (10-9) 7 13 16 19—55

KAPA'A (9-1) 10 19 9 18—56

UNIVERSITY HIGH — Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence 2, Shannon Lee 3, Anuhea Memea 8, Quynne Eharis 33, Quirena Natividad 6, Crystal Wang 3, Bernadette Maumalanga 0. Totals 20 14-24 55.

KAPA'A — Ashlyn Lee 10, Jodi Das 0, Kira Nakamura 7, Victoria Tuttle 1, Leinaala McCabe 8, Reggie McCabe 0, Mahea Hanie-Grace 10, Lahela Creamer 0, Shalyn Tupou 0, Layna Christian 2, Jessilyn Artaho-Aki 18. Totals 22 7-11 56.

3-point goals — University High 1 (Lee). Kapa'a 5 (Hanie-Grace 2, Artaho-Aki 2, Nakamura).

HAWAI'I PREP 55, SEABURY HALL 44

Tayler Wang scored a career-high 36 points to help Ka Makani beat the Spartans in a first-round game at Farrington.

Hawai'i Prep (6-5) plays No. 2 Kaimukī (13-2) in a quarterfinal game today at Farrington.

"We always want to win the first game, everyone wants to win that," Wang said. "Now that we have a chance, we need to keep pushing."

Hawai'i Prep led 13-0 after the first quarter and Wang had 17 points by halftime as Hawai'i Prep led 25-17.

"We had really good defense," Wang said. "Our help defense had been bad but we picked it up."

Sierra Jacob had 28 points for the Spartans (7-4), who play University High in a consolation game today.

HAWAII PREP (6-5) 13 12 20 10—55

SEABURY HALL (7-4) 0 17 6 21—44

HAWAI'I PREP — Lauren Hanano 0, Katie Ho 4, Angel Wu 0, Yuki Ainge 0, Lei Tenorio 0, Leahi Lindsey 8, Desi Seid 2, Nani Lum 2, Camille Kiyota 0, Tayler Wang 36, Lana Queen 3. Totals 24 5-15 55.

SEABURY HALL — Katie Bettendorf 2, Tiana-Lee Camarillo 0, Samantha Sullivan 2, Tiare Camarollo 0, Charlotte Burns 0, Sierra Jacob 28, Megan O'Malley 0, Samantha Monge 2, Trina Valencia 10. Totals 19 2-3 44.

3-point goals — Seabury Hall 4 (Jacob 4). Hawai'i Prep 2 (Wang 2).

KAISER 54, HAWAI'I BAPTIST 38

Kiana Nakai and Celeste Tsuleternara each scored 10 points to lead the Cougars over the Eagles and into the quarterfinals.

Kaiser (7-8) will play top-seeded Moloka'i (10-0) tonight at 5 p.m. at Kalani High.

Jamie Iha scored 10 to lead Hawai'i Baptist (10-6).

KAISER (7-8) 14 9 12 19—54

HAWAI'I BAPTIST (10-6) 12 7 7 12—38

KAISER — Micaela Bitanga 9, Kristi Arellano 5, Kiani Ka'aha'aina 6, Mele Adams 4, Krysta Yasui 4, Kiana Nakai 10, Daryn Vordebruegge 3, Shelby Pa 3, Tiara Haole 0, Celeste Tsuletenara 10, Tiana Miyashiro 0, Haley Ross 0, Courtney Phillips 0. Totals not reported.

HAWAI'I BAPTIST — Stefany Baker 2, Jennifer Young 5, Natasha Travens 0, Amber Au 2, Jamie Iha 10, Kimberly Au 3, Jennifer Uehara 3, Reana Lee 0, Jordin Ramos 0, Jami-Lynn Grumling 2, Kayla Yamamoto 5, Lyndsay Strach 4, Remi Yasui 2. Totals not reported.

3-point goals — Kaiser 2 (Vordebruegge, Arrellano). Hawai'i Baptist 2 (Iha 2).

KAHUKU 68, WORD OF LIFE 34

Jessica Falemalu scored 16 points, Rachel Tailele added 13, and the Red Raiders raced to a 26-6 first-quarter lead to beat the Firebrands.

Kahuku (13-3) will play No. 4 Kamehameha-Hawai'i (9-5) in a quarterfinal game tonight at 7 p.m. at Kalani.

Alexis Villa scored 14 points to lead the Firebrands (11-5), who play Hawai'i Baptist in a consolation game today.

WORD OF LIFE (11-5) 6 7 6 15—34

KAHUKU (13-3) 26 12 16 14—68

WORD OF LIFE — Faith Zerba 2, Rachel Tokuda 4, Alexis Villa 14, Phoibe Fetu 6, Chanelle Maldonado 3, Monique Jackson 0, Leilani Molale-Toro 0, Adaiah Hanakahi 5, Elaine Naulu 0. Totals not reported.

KAHUKU — Kawelina Gilman 6, Hi'ilei Cummings 8, Malia Tonga 3, Jessica Falemalu 16, Temutisa Te'o 0, Rachel Tailele 13, Mata Tonga 6, Natallia Cravens 6, Joshlyn Noga 4, Uhi Naeole 2, Amanda Tonga 4. Totals not reported.

3-point goals — not reported.