Kaiser's Keoua Mahiko had a game-high 24 points to lead the way in the win over Kalani. Evan Asato | SL

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Sat, Feb 28, 2015 @ Stan Sheriff

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Kaiser

49

Kalani

45

Final	1	2	3	4
Kaiser (9-4, 24-8)	17	9	8	15	49
Kalani (5-9, 11-17)	12	11	7	15	45

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

C. Mitchell 12 pts  2/2 FTs

K. Mahiko 24 pts  3 3pm  7/9 FTs

J. Robinson 6 tot  3 off  3 def

C. Kalaugher 10 tot  1 off  9 def

C. Mitchell 1 ast

N. Tom 1 ast

MANOA - Kaiser survived a test of wills in the final 44 seconds to fend off Kalani, 49-45, Saturday night to capture its first New City Nissan Division II boys' basketball state championship at the Stan Sheriff Center.

"This is great," Kaiser guard Keoua Mahiko said. "This has been our goal since Day 1."

The No. 9 Cougars (11-4), the only Division II team in the ScoringLive/OC 16 Power Rankings, won the rubber game of the season between the two Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division rivals. The Falcons won the regular-season game, 78-77, while the Cougars avenged that with a 49-36 win for the OIA Division II title.

The Cougars led the game since two minutes, 56 seconds in the first quarter. But the Falcons came within 45-42 with 44 second left after four free throws, the latter two when Alex Tungpalan made his technical free throws.

But Kalani (7-10) could not take advantage of the automatic half-court inbounds from the technical, as it turned over the ball with 34 seconds left. The Cougars also got two more turnovers on steals by Kelsey Lewis II and Keoua Mahiko, while increasing their leads by making four of their last six free throws to negate the effect of Blaise Manabe's 3-pointer at the buzzer.

"These guys are resilient," Kaiser coach Branden Kawazoe said. "They find ways to get it done. When their backs are up against the wall, they find a way to get it done. I'm proud of how hard they compete and how they stick to the game plan."

For Kalani, this is the second year in a row it finished second in state D2 tournament, having lost to Hawaii Prep, 42-33, last year.

"These kids are great," Kalani coach Nathan Davis said of his players. "They show up everyday, give it everything they've got."

Mahiko led all scorers with 24 points, followed by Chance Kalaugher's 11 and Kelsey Lewis II's 10. Kalaugher had 10 of 24 rebounds.

"He's a warrior," Kawazoe said of Mahiko. "He's not afraid of the moment and he single-handedly put this team on his back.

Corey Mitchell led the Falcons with 12 points with Jaron Yamauchi adding 10.

In the frenzied fourth period, the Cougars were up 45-38 on jumper by Kalaugher with 51 seconds left. But Nic Tom was called for his fifth foul with 44 seconds left. He also was assessed a technical, putting the Falcons at the line for four shots. Yamauchi made his two free throws and Alex Tungpalan also made his two shot to pull the Falcons to 45-42.

"I was upset that it was my fifth and that took me out of the game," Tom said. "I just said, 'that one took me out of the game and he (the referee) got mad and called a tech on me."

Watching the Falcons pull to within a one-possession game had Tom worried a bit.

"I was very upset at myself that I let that happen," he said. "I'm thankful that (my teammates) hung in there and made up for my mistake and we were able to finish the game."

With the technical, the Falcons also enjoyed the ensuing inbounds from mid-court. But they turned over the ball with 34 seconds on a steal by Mahiko, who got the ball to Lewis, who was fouled. Lewis made his first free throw, but missed the second, which was rebounded by Kapaa Nishimura. But Lewis later stole the ball and was fouled; he made one of two free throws to make Kaiser's lead 47-42, but Nishimura again came down with the rebound off the second missed shot.

Kalani missed two 3-point attempts in its next possession, but in the rebound effort by Kaiser, the ball went out of bounds with six seconds left with Kalani inbounding from the baseline. But Mahiko stole the inbounds pass with four seconds left and sealed the game by sinking both double-bonus free throws to make it 49-42 before Manabe's 3-pointer just before the buzzer.

Tom credited Jalen Pinks, his sub, for helping force the two turnovers.

"He was rattling his man, forcing them to make unbalanced passes, which got Keoua and Kelsey the two steals," Tom said. "They just played great 'D.' I didn't like watching from the side, but I'm really thankful they made up for my mistake."

Following the four free throws that pulled Kalani to 45-42, the Falcons were trying to set up Nishimura, who had the team's only two 3-pointers, but Yamauchi lost the ball.

"That  play was to have Tungpalan reverse off two screens and misdirect and for Yamauchi to get to the hole on the other side on a little dump off to Nishimura," Davis said. "That's kind of what we were looking for…Kaiser made a great play."

Regardless of the outcome of Saturday's game, Kaiser was going to move up to Division I by virtue of finishing in the top seven (it was tied for third) in the OIA East. They have a chance to be the second team to win D2 and D1 titles in successive seasons. Kalaheo did it in 2012 and 2013.

"We're going to have to play harder," Mahiko said. "We're going to play bigger and better teams. We're going to have to step up the challenge."

The Cougars only graduate two players - Lewis and Micah Okamoto - so they will be a seasoned squad next year.

"It's going to be fun," Kawazoe said. "We'll enjoy this one for now and start the preparation for next year."

Note: Early in the fourth period, Lewis had the first of his two steals in the game that he took all the way for a layup that increased Kaiser's lead to 38-30. What was amazing was as he was going up for the layup, he passed the ball around his back as he saw a defender coming at him and made the shot with his left hand. He said it was a shot he's always wanted to try.

"I watched (Washington Wizards') John Wall do it," Lewis said.

Division II Boys Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team

Chance Kalaugher, Jr., Kaiser
Kealen Figueroa, Sr., Kohala
Isaac Liva, Jr., Hawaii Baptist
Tolby Saito, Sr., Pahoa
Corey Mitchell, Sr., Kalani

Most Outstanding Player: Keoua Mahiko, Jr., Kaiser