Farrington's Jake Smith puts up a jump shot against Kahuku. Smith poured in 25 points to help the Govs take down the Red Raiders. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Farrington players celebrate after defeating Kahuku to win a second straight OIA Division title. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Thu, Feb 19, 2015 @ McKinley

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Kahuku

44

Farrington

48

Final	1	2	3	4
Kahuku (12-2, 18-6)	11	9	17	7	44
Farrington (7-4, 22-10)	5	15	12	16	48

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

J. Smith 25 pts  4 3pm  7/9 FTs

K. Akina 10 pts  3 3pm  1/1 FTs

B. Tatupu-Leopoldo 9 tot  4 off  5 def

S. Avea 8 tot  1 off  7 def

B. Tatupu-Leopoldo 4 ast

H. Harris 4 ast

HONOLULU – Different cast, same movie ending.

Farrington claimed its second straight Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I title with a 48-44 win over No. 2 Kahuku in the league's championship game at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium Thursday night. The Governors also clinched the league's seeded berth and first round bye in the upcoming 12-team state tournament. 

Jake Smith, a transfer from Kamehameha, led the Governors in the contest with a season-high 25 points. The senior swingman also knocked down four triples, including the go-ahead trey with 40 seconds left in regulation. 

"It feels amazing," said Smith. "We live for these kind of moments. My team had my back and I had theirs. It was a total team effort."

The Governors (11-4), ranked ninth in the ScoringLive/OC16 Boys Basketball Power Rankings, made their way into the OIA title game with back-to-back overtime victories over Campbell in the quarterfinals, and No. 1 Kalaheo in the semifinals. Farrington coach Allan Silva believes that his team's experience in those games carried them throughout the night. 

"Experience helps a bunch right," said Silva. "Two overtimes, we almost did it again. These guys are used to these kinds of games and they came through. Like I said the other night, ‘a lot of guts, but a lot of brains too.'"

Smith is one of three transfers that join the Governors this season, the other two being guards Ranan Mamiya and Keola Kealoha from Saint Francis. Although it was the first year that the trio has played for Farrington, it wasn't the first being on the same team together. Most of the team plays for the Kalihi Valley Elites, an outside league club.

"It was not a new team," Smith affirmed. "We all grew up together playing basketball, same club. We just had to polish the chemistry that we did have." 

"They play together," added Silva. "In Hawaiian they call it ‘lokahi.' It means unity, and harmony. This team has it. It's amazing."

Kahuku (12-2) brought in a noticeable size advantage with its starting frontcourt all over 6-foot-3. To counteract this Farrington employed a press that forced the Red Raiders into 24 turnovers. Mamiya led the defensive effort with a game-high four steals.

"The pressure on Kahuku was the biggest part of the game," said Silva. "We had to take them out of their regular offense because you see how big their guys are – like 6-foot-7, 6-foot-5 – so we had to get them out of their regular flow."

The Red Raiders' two twin towers down low, Denhym Brooke and Hyrum Harris, were limited to seven total field goal attempts.

Kahuku also had to deal with its two primary ball handlers in foul trouble for the most of the night. Starting point guard Tamamoko Green and reserve Alohi Gilman both fouled of the game. Green also suffered an ankle injury one minute into the second half and did not return until late in the fourth quarter.

"Gilman was in foul trouble so he couldn't be aggressive on defense," said Kahuku coach Alan Akina. "He's our defensive stopper and Tama Green was hurt with his ankle so we was out of our rotation."

Akina's son, Keanu, led the Red Raiders in the loss with 10 points and three made 3-pointers. Sophomore swingman Samuta Avea also played well, scoring nine points with eight rebounds and three steals. All of Avea's points came in the second half.

The two teams have already clinch berths into the Division I state tournament that begins next week. The other four OIA teams joining Farrington and Kahuku in the tourney are: Kalaheo, Leilehua, Campbell and Moanalua.