Kalaheo players celebrate at center court after defeating Maryknoll in overtime to win their second consecutive state title. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Kalaheo's Silila Tucker looks to get past the defense of Maryknoll's Joshua Burnett. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Kalaheo's Josh Ko puts up a jump shot in overtime. Evan Asato | SL

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Maryknoll's Kaleb Gilmore attacks the basket as Kalaheo's Shem Sukumaran defends. Evan Asato | SL

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Kalaheo's Shem Sukumaran leaps over Maryknoll's Hyrum Harris. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Kalaheo players celebrate after winning the Division I state title over Maryknoll. Evan Asato | SL

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Brien Ing | SL

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Sat, Feb 23, 2013 @ Blaisdell

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Kalaheo

60

Maryknoll

54

F/OT	1	2	3	4	OT
Kalaheo (14-0, 28-4)	16	8	15	12	9	60
Maryknoll (11-1, 25-3)	3	18	13	17	3	54

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

K. Gilmore 15 pts  1 3pm  8/10 FTs

J. Ko 24 pts  2 3pm  8/10 FTs

T. Schramm 9 tot

D. Morgan 4 tot

T. Schramm 2 ast

J. Ko 2 ast

In a span of less than three minutes, senior Joshua Ko scored 13 of his season-high 24 points to lead Kalaheo to an electrifying 60-54 overtime victory against Maryknoll for the Hawaiian Airlines Division I state boys' basketball championship Saturday night.

Ko scored his team's last nine points in the final 1:25 of regulation, including the game-tying 3-pointer with 27 seconds left and followed with the first four points of OT before fouling out with 19 seconds left.

"Joah Ko was big time tonight," said Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant, just missing on  becoming the first to lead two different teams to state titles (he did with Kaimuki in 2007). "When I saw him in the OIA tournament, I saw him on the bench. I didn't know what was going on. But I knew if they were going to win a championship this year, he would have to be on the floor. He did an excellent job today."

"Someone who plays basketball like this, someone who hits game-time shots like that, it's priceless," Kalaheo coach Alika Smith said.

The Mustangs made history by winning Division II and Division I titles in back-to-back seasons. It was Kalaheo's fifth overall title and fourth non-D2 crown, the first since 2001. The 2001 title was coached by the late Pete Smith, father Alika. They remain the only father-son duo to coach state basketball titles.

"D2 was sweet when we first won it," Ko said. "But this one, I felt, we proved a point. We proved we could play with anybody on the court on this island, no matter if it's ILH, OIA. We can play with anybody on this island. Even in this country. Coach Alika (Smith) believes in us. Our team believes in us. That's the most important thing."

It was all about belief, Ko said. Grant did not see Ko start in the OIA tournament because Smith changed his guard's role a bit.

"Before, my defense wasn't that good," Ko said of his role change. "But (Smith) believed in me. He thought I could step up my defense a lot. That's why he let me start (in the state tournament)."

"He re-focused and that was the bottom line," Alika Smith said. "He's the one that got us here to this point and he's the one that carried us tonight."

The battle of two storied basketball programs drew equally loud cheers from the estimated 3,800 at the Blaisdell Arena. Kalaheo fans were ecstatic when Ko drained a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 51.

With four seconds left, Maryknoll's Danny Danbara's 3-pointer missed and teammate Joshua Burnett drew his fifth foul trying for the rebound, sending Shem Sukumaran to the free throw line in the double bonus with two seconds left.

Sukumaran missed both shots and 6-foot-5 Hyrum Harris got the rebound and called time with one second. But Derick Morgan intercepted Tyson Kaloa's inbound pass at half court to force OT.

In OT, Maryknoll lost the ball on a double dribble violation and Ko's jumper put the Mustangs ahead. After Maryknoll's Kaleb Gilmore missed a 3-pointer, Kalaheo got the rebound and Ko's short jumper put Kalaheo up 55-51 with 2:44 left in OT.

Danbara responded with a jumper to make it 55-53 at 2:22.

After a series of missed shots and turnovers, Kupaa Harrison stole the ball near mid-court and raced to the hoop with a layup to make it 57-53 with 29 seconds left.

Ko committed his fifth foul with 20 seconds left, but Gilmore made only one of two shots to make it 57-54.

Morgan was fouled with 14 seconds left and made one of his two shots to make it 58-54. Silila Tucker was fouled with five seconds, making both shots to seal it for the Mustangs.

The game's start was very different from its finish.

The Mustangs came out hot from the perimeter, making four 3-pointers en route to a commanding 16-3 lead by the end of the first quarter. Kalaheo's pressure defense didn't allow Maryknoll to get its first field goal until 7:22 into the game.

Kalaheo opened the second with two more 3-pointers off the bat by Kalei Zuttermeister to make it 22-3. But the Spartans closed the half with an 18-2 to make it 24-21 at the half. Kalaheo was 6 of 10 from 3-point range in the first half, but Maryknoll held a 17-9 advantage off the glass to help cut its deficit.

Kalaheo finally lost its lead with 6:29 in the third quarter when Danbara got a steal from Kalaheo's front court and went all the way down court, scoring on a layup to tie the game at 27.

The game would be tied at 29, but Kalaheo managed to pull away to 39-34 lead to end the third quarter.

Maryknoll opened the fourth with a 6-0 run, taking a 40-39 lead on a Gilmore layup at 5:31.

Harrison tied the game at 42 with 4:00 left, but Maryknoll responded with six unanswered and taking its largest lead of the night at 48-42 with 1:53 left.

"When they were up by six, coach calmed us down and said 'This is what we practice for all season,'" Harrison said. "He said keep on playing hard the whole game and we'll pull it out."

Ko then scored Kalaheo's last nine points, including the game-tying 3-pointer.

In the past, OT hasn't been kind to Kalaheo. This was its 12th OT in the state tournament, but only its fourth win. The Mustangs have played in some heart-breaking OTs with two losses in title games and three in semifinals. Their win against Punahou Friday broke an 0-3 OT drought in semifinals.

"These kids are so resilient as you could see the last two nights," Alika Smith said. "It's just one of those special teams with a group of special kids."

Zuttermeister had 12 points for Kalaheo, all from four 3-pointers. Kalaheo was 9 of 17 from the arc. Harrison had 10.

Gilmore led the Spartans with 15 points followed by 11 from Schramm, who led all with nine rebounds. Maryknoll had 31 rebounds to Kalaheo's 19.