It was like shooting by yourself.

'Iolani made nine 3-pointers, most of them uncontested, and defeated second-seeded Waiakea, 67-45, in the semifinals of the Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Girls Division I Basketball Championship at Kaimuki last night.

The Raiders (15-2) will face Interscholastic League of Honolulu foe and top-seed Punahou in tonight's championship game.

"I thought I wasn't going to make it," said 'Iolani's Kylie Ahlo, who made three 3-pointers. "I was going to stop shooting after missing the first two, but my teammates told me to keep shooting."

Jamie Smith, the Raiders' star forward, scored 11 of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. By then, 'Iolani had already built a 16-point lead behind hot shooting from 3-point range. Ahlo, Tami Konishi, Chanel Hirata and Dayna Jandoc took turns bombing away in the second and third quarters to open up the game.

"That was a big boost for us, Jamie's been our go-to player and everybody knows when the guards help out, it pulls the defense out," Jandoc said.

Hirata finished with 13 points and Ahlo, Jandoc and Konishi had nine points each.

Waiakea, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion, led 10-7 after the first quarter and opted to run the clock on its possessions.

Jandoc's 3-pointer with 4:00 left in the second quarter gave 'Iolani a 15-14 lead, its first lead since 2-0. Carie Yamashita scored on the next play for Waiakea to make it 16-15 before 'Iolani found its touch.

Konishi hit a 3-pointer to start a 9-2 'Iolani run to close out the second. Ahlo hit a 3-pointer and Smith converted a 3-point play.

'Iolani led 24-18 at halftime.

"The way they were playing, they were holding the ball ... they were sagging off Jamie and double teaming her inside," 'Iolani coach Glenn Takara said. "I think it was crucial for us to hit it (3-pointer)."

The Raiders hit four 3-pointers to start the third quarter, two by Jandoc and one each from Hirata and Ahlo, for a 36-23 lead with 4:09 remaining.

The Raiders made 14 of 21 free throws in the fourth quarter to close out the Warriors.

"We gave Jamie a break, she's been working hard in the other games," Ahlo said.

Kira De Morales scored 18 points and Kamie Imai had 10 for Waiakea, which is making its first state tournament appearance since 2000.

Waiakea coach Grant Kauhi hopes his Warriors can continue the pace from the third and fourth quarters when his team picked up the tempo. Waiakea, which suffered its first loss of the season, plays Radford in today's third-place game.

"The third and fourth quarter, they played with heart and soul and scrapped back and worked as hard as possible," Kauhi said.

He also reminded his team late in the game what it set out to do this season.

"We wanted respect this year," Kauhi said. "It's been Hilo, Konawaena. I told them don't hang your heads."

'IOLANI (15-2) 7 17 19 24 — 67

WAIAKEA (14-1) 10 8 9 18 — 45

'IOLANI — Elysse Tom ,0 Tami Konishi 9, Kylie Ahlo 9, Lahela Usui 4, Lori Yamashita 3, Chanel Hirata 13, Dayna Jandoc 9, Jamie Smith 20, Raechele Takara 0, Georgette Lopes-Liutolo 0, Shauni Watanabe 0, Hailey Maeda 0. Totals 18 22-30 67.

WAIAKEA — Stacy Sakane 0, Cassandra Morigaki 0, Jamielyn Moe 7, Tracie Sakane 0, Shantei Paranada 0, Kirsty Imai 0, Alyssa Miyake 0, Kamie Imai 10, Raenelle Santos 4, Camie Yamashita 6, Kira De Morales 18. Totals 22 0-3 45.

3-point goals—'Iolani 9 (Jandoc 3, Ahlo 3, Konishi 2, Hirata 1). Waiakea 1 (Moe).