The Kaimuki Bulldogs went with a smaller lineup and still found its "beast" down low.

Center Desmond Tautofi scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Ryan Kakitani hit five 3-pointers to finish with 15 points as Kaimuki defeated fourth-seeded Baldwin, 64-51, in yesterday's quarterfinals of the Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division I Boys Basketball State Championships at McKinley's Student Council Gym.

Kaimuki (15-5), the 2007 state champion, usually plays with two taller players. Yesterday, it went with a smaller lineup to match up with the Bears. The Bulldogs play No. 1 Kamehameha (12-1) in today's 5 p.m. semifinal at the Blaisdell.

"I think it worked pretty good," Kakitani said of the lineup change. "We had a lot of open shots early on. It worked for the best."

Jason Nutter, one of the guards brought into the smaller lineup, played 21 minutes off the bench, handled the ball well and finished with nine points. Gabriel Stietzel hit three 3-pointers and also had nine points, and David Taulung added eight points and seven assists for Kaimuki.

Kakitani's first 3-pointer broke a 5-5 tie in the first quarter. He hit two more to help the Bulldogs lead 16-5 after the first quarter. He opened the second quarter with his fourth 3-pointer to make it 19-5. The Bulldogs led 30-15 at halftime.

"I was surprised a couple went in," Kakitani said. "After that, it's good."

Lincoln Seto scored 22 points for Baldwin (14-1) and Pasoni Tasini added 13.

The Bears trailed by as many as 25 in the third quarter, but cut the deficit to 13 twice in the fourth quarter. Tasini's basket with 3:58 remaining made it 54-41.

"We talked all year about heart," Seto said. "We had to go out and show everybody what we had to do."

The Bulldogs opted to spread the floor midway through the fourth and found Tautofi in the post on numerous occasions. He scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth and Nutter made 5 of 6 free throws to close out the game.

Kakitani called Tautofi "a beast."

"Every time he touched the ball, he was able to score," Kaimuki coach Kelly Grant said. "He just needs to know how to place (himself)."

KAIMUKI (15-5) 16 14 18 16 — 64

BALDWIN (14-1) 5 10 11 25 — 51

KAIMUKI — Raphael Vares 0, Tevin Nishiyama 0, David Taulung 8, Elijah Morita-Dudoit 0, Mason Kualii-Moe 0, Jason Nutter 9, Ryan Kakitani 15, Clay Montiho 0, Gabriel Stietzel 9, Kelly Tobin 2, Dayton Ortiz 0, John Vave 0, Desmond Tautofi 21, Chad Kaaihue 0. Totals 22-42 12-19 64.

BALDWIN — Jayven Tabon 0, John Vergara 3, Micah Shibano 7, Lincoln Seto 22, James Rey Vergel De Dios 0, Tim Pang 4, Jordan Villanueva 2, Pasoni Tasini 13, Tevita Malafu 0. Totals 19-56 7-11 51.

3-point goals: Kaimuki 8 (Kakitani 5, Stietzel 3). Baldwin 6 (Seto 3, Shibano 2, Vergara 1).

KAMEHAMEHA 67, KALAHEO 36

The top-seeded Warriors looked nothing like a team that had nearly two weeks off, running wild in the first half with a frenetic defense and piecing together a 22-0 run to distance themselves from the Mustangs in a quarterfinal game last night at McKinley.

Pi'i Minns scored 12 points, Chaz Bajet added 11 and Auwae DeRego 10 for Kamehameha, which last played Feb. 21.

"We started with energy, defense, we went out and executed," Bajet said. "As the game ticked on, we picked it up."

The Warriors (12-1) held the Mustangs scoreless for over eight minutes in the first half in putting together a 22-0 run.

Matt Gasparine-Young's basket with 4:26 left for Kalaheo in the first quarter cut the deficit to 5-4.

Koa Ka'ai then hit a free throw and made a layup and Bajet made back-to-back 3-pointers for Kamehameha. Six Warriors scored during the run that made it 27-4 with 5:24 left in the first half after DeRego's basket. Gasparine-Young scored with 4:04 left in the second to make it 27-6. Kamehameha had 13 steals and forced 15 turnovers in the first half.

Kamehameha coach Jesse Nakanishi said his team has been focusing on defense during the time off. That will be key in today's game against Kaimuki.

"They are a very good team that can shoot the lights out," Nakanishi said. "We'll need to find the shooters."

Gasparine-Young had 10 points for Kalaheo (13-7), which plays Baldwin in a consolation game today.

KALAHEO (13-7) 4 11 13 8 — 36

KAMEHAMEHA (12-1) 17 17 21 12 — 67

KALAHEO — Dwayne Mitchell 0, Kevin Leong 0, Richard Preza Haynes 1, Zack Lovelace 0, John Bascuk 3, Christian Kepa 3, Kona Makaula 3, Shane Hipa 8, Shawn Hipa 3, Aaron Fernandez 4, Quincy Mason 0, Matt Gasparine-Young 10, Carlos Craig 1. Totals 13-45 5-16 36.

KAMEHAMEHA — Edmund Kamano 3, Shane Matayoshi 2, Frank Ho 2, Micah Christenson 9, Wally Calistro 6, Chaz Bajet 11, Brandon Dumlao 3, Pii Minns 12, Auwae DeRego 10, Shawn Bode 0, Koa Ka'ai 9, Blake Viena 0, Damien Teramae-Kaehuaea 0. Totals 23-56 12-15 67.

3-point goals: Kalaheo 5 (Kepa, Hipa, Bascuk, Makaula, Shawn Hipa). Kamehameha 9 (Bajet 3, Calistro 2, Christenson 1, Minns 1, Kamano 1, Dumlao 1).