Kaimuki did not have the kind of O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys basketball regular season it had hoped for, yet the Bulldogs still are the one team probably no other opponent hopes to face.

Kaimuki was coming off its first league title since 1993 and, with three key players back, appeared to be a preseason favorite to repeat. But the Bulldogs (7-5) had an up-and-down run through the OIA Red Conference Eastern Division schedule, including two losses each to Moanalua and Kalaheo, plus a stunning defeat to Roosevelt (3-9).

Fortunately for Kaimuki, everybody starts fresh in the league playoffs, which begin today with first-round doubleheaders at Moanalua and Radford. The Bulldogs, seeded No. 4 in the East, meet West No. 5 seed Wai'anae (5-7) in the 5 p.m. game at Radford.

"I think we're OK, the guys have been practicing hard," Kaimuki coach Kelly Grant said. "We're still trying to find out where our groove is, what is the best defense for us to play, the best combination on the floor. We didn't think we would walk through this thing."

Grant said the losses were due to a combination of factors, including foul trouble, poor defense and lack of production from the bench. In the first loss to Moanalua, the Bulldogs were up by as much as 31-24 in the first half and led for most of the game. But Advertiser All-State forward Keone Reyes was whistled for his fourth foul with 1:44 remaining in the third period and sat on the bench until 4:27 to play, with the score tied 55-55.

He eventually fouled out with 1:09 left and Na Menehune won on a breakaway layup with three seconds remaining.

In other losses, Grant said Reyes, second-team All-State forward Beau Albrechtson and senior wing Daniel Colon have had to carry most of the offensive burden.

"Our three main guys are averaging 30 minutes per game," Grant said. "We also need to play better defense. Giving up 60-something points to Moanalua (twice) is not going to get it done."

On the bright side, Kaimuki appears to have history on its side. The Bulldogs have made late runs to make the state semifinals in 2002 and win the league crown last year.

"I think the last four years, we've had to win two games to get in (to the state tournament), so it's the same scenario," Grant said. "The key is we've got to play together. When things go bad, the guys have got to stick together."

Cohesiveness has been a key ingredient for Mililani, the West champion that will face Kaimuki in Saturday's quarterfinals if the Bulldogs get past Wai'anae today.

The Trojans (12-0) are the tournament's only unbeaten team.

"I'm impressed with our guys, because they've been challenged with a lot of close games and they've stepped up," Mililani coach Hiram Akina said. "They know it takes a team effort to come through and win."

The team effort means the players coming off the bench sometimes end up playing more minutes than the starters. But Akina said the Trojans have accepted their roles and are willing to sacrifice personal goals.

"They believe the team comes first," Akina said. "I've seen this team grow up and mature in that way. They know they have to be humble, because for us to be successful everybody needs to contribute. Winning is their thing."

OIA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS

RED CONFERENCE

TODAY

FIRST ROUND

AT RADFORD

5 p.m. — West No. 5 Wai'anae (5-7) vs. East No. 4 Kaimuki (7-5)

6:30 p.m. — East No. 6 Castle (3-9) vs. West No. 3 Radford (8-4)

AT MOANALUA

5 p.m. — East No. 5 Kahuku (3-9) vs. West No. 4 Leilehua (6-6)

6:30 p.m. — West No. 6 Pearl City (1-11) vs. East No. 3 Moanalua (8-4)

SATURDAY

QUARTERFINALS

AT MILILANI

6 p.m. — Castle-Radford winner vs. East No. 2 Kailua (8-4)

8 p.m. — Kaimuki-Wai'anae winner vs. West No. 1 Mililani (12-0)

AT KALAHEO

5 p.m. — Moanalua-Pearl City winner vs. West No. 2 Campbell (9-3)

6:30 p.m. — Kahuku-Leilehua winner vs. East No. 1 Kalaheo (10-2)

WEDNESDAY

CONSOLATION BRACKET

AT TBA

6 p.m. — Quarterfinal losers

8 p.m. — Quarterfinal losers

SEMIFINALS

AT MCKINLEY

6 p.m. — Quarterfinal winners

8 p.m. — Quarterfinal winners

FEB. 15

FIFTH PLACE GAME

AT TBA

4 p.m. — Consolation bracket winners

FEB. 16

AT MCKINLEY

6 p.m. — Third place game

8 p.m. — Championship game

WHITE CONFERENCE

SATURDAY

QUARTERFINALS

AT 'AIEA

5 p.m. — West No. 3 Waialua (3-8) vs. East No. 2 Farrington (8-4)

6:30 p.m. — East No. 4 Thompson (5-7) vs. West No. 1 'Aiea (10-1)

AT KAISER

5 p.m. — East No. 3 McKinley (7-5) vs. West No. 2 Waipahu (5-6)

6:30 p.m. — West No. 4 Nanakuli (2-9) vs. East No. 1 Kaiser (11-1)

WEDNESDAY

SEMIFINALS

AT WEST HIGH SEED

5 p.m. — McKinley-Waipahu winner vs. Kaiser-Nanakuli winner

6:30 p.m. — Farrington-Waialua winner vs. 'Aiea-Thompson winner

FEB. 15

THIRD PLACE GAME

AT TBA

6:30 p.m. — Semifinal losers

FEB. 16

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

AT MCKINLEY

6 p.m. — Semifinal winners

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.