University Lab's Leif Fautanu puts up a free throw against Hawaii Baptist. Behind Fautanu's game-high 15 points, the Jr. Bows won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division II single-elimination tournament with a 47-38 win over Hawaii Baptist at Klum Gym. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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_19021705__19021626_ULS_HBAbbk_0378.jpg - Greg Yamamoto | SL

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The last time the University Lab boys basketball qualified for the state tournament, Leif "LJ" Fautanu was just a freshman.

The Jr. ‘Bows won the D2 state crown that year — the 2015-'16 season — since capturing back-to-back pre-classification championships in the late 80s and after missing out on states in each of the last two seasons, Fautanu wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away.

Behind Fautanu's game-high 15 points Saturday afternoon, University Lab punched its return ticket by winning the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division II single-elimination tournament with a 47-38 win over Hawaii Baptist at Klum Gym.

"This year, I mean, it's my last year — senior year — most motivated," said Fautanu, a 6-foot-3 center. "Our team, we've been working in practice all year for this moment. I know coach (Ryan Tong) always references the last few years' teams, how they were really good and always come up short, but this feels like a major accomplishment, doing this, what the other two years couldn't."

Tong, the second-year coach of the Jr. ‘Bows, is a 1990 graduate of the school and was a player on those state-championship winning teams of 1987 and 1988.

"I'm just proud to be a part of this team. I'm proud to be the coach of them and I told them, ‘be proud of it because the lsat two years we had really, really good teams — state-worthy teams that weren't able to make it to the state tournament' — so they should be proud of their efforts all year long," Tong said.

It took a complete team effort from Tong's squad Saturday — he played all nine players suited up against the Eagles — but the X-factor, to be sure, was Fautanu. The 290-pound Fautanu, who is signed to play football at UNLV next year, didn't play in the previous meeting between the teams, which resulted in a 52-48 win for HBA. Instead, he was taking part in the Polynesian Bowl at Aloha Stadium.

"During the Poly Bowl I was keeping up with the score online," said Fautanu, who is averaging a team-best 19.2 points per game in ILH play.

Despite the loss to the Eagles, Fautanu was able to draw some positives out of it.

"I was really excited knowing that my team can operate without me. That's like a big thing for me, I mean, our team is good and without my guards I wouldn't have as much points as I do now, but I think we're better now," Fautanu said.

As the only player remaining from the 2016 state championship team, Fautanu is in a position of leadership for this year's Jr. ‘Bows.

"I think for him, you know, it helps as far as leadership. He's been to the top of the mountain, so to speak, and then over the last few years, his sophomore and junior years, again making it to this point, where we're in the ILH (tournament) championship, but then we lost, so he comes with a wealth of experience," Tong said. "He's really been a vocal leader this year and led by example and we depend on him so much, not just as a player, but just cause of who he is. He's a great kid, comes from a great family and is an excellent leader."

University (10-4 league, 14-10 overall) is riding a four-game winning streak entering this week's Snapple D2 State Championships.

Fautanu and the Jr. ‘Bows open the eight-team tournament against third-seeded Hawaii Prep Thursday. Tip off is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Saint Francis.