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Brandon Ching | ScoringLiveFebruary 25, 2024, 5:06am
Sat, Feb 24, 2024 @ Blaisdell
How bout them Cowboys.
Kohala rallied and denied Seabury Hall, 49-45, in overtime to repeat as HHSAA/Heide & Cook Division II Basketball State Champions at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center Saturday.
The Cowboys (22-2 overall) win their third overall state title and become the first school since Saint Francis in 2017-18 to win back-to-back.
"Feels great, it's really a blessing. Going back-to-back is history for Kohala and our small town and community, so it's really a blessing," Layden Kauka said.
"Feels like making history and it feels nice to execute it also to make our town proud," Jayden Hook added.
Layden Kauka finished with 24 points on 7-of-20 shooting, shot 6 for 7 from the free throw line and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Cowboys. He averaged 29.6 points in three state tournament games to be named the Most Outstanding Player.
Jayden Hook added 13 points and seven boards and Hezekiah Wilson grabbed eight rebounds.
"To be honest, I didn't start out as a big. I was always a guard until I got to high school because our team never had a big so I had to change how I play and my style of play. I had to become a better player and just fit the role they needed me to be," Hook said of being an inside presence for his team.
Sebastian Peterson gave Seabury Hall (25-3 overall) a 45-42 lead after swishing a pair of free throws with 17.2 seconds left in regulation. Layden Kauka attempted a wing 3, but was fouled by Keahi Sjostrand. He hit all three free throws to tie the game at 45.
"We were going to set up a double screen for him but it didn't work out. He created his own shot, got fouled, went to the line, knocked it down. I always give him a hard time because in practice when we shoot free throws, he's like 10 of 10. I give him a hard time, ‘You better be 10 out of 10 in the game, not just in practice. There's practice shooters and game shooters, so I knew he was going to knock it down," Kohala coach Kihei Kapeliela said.
"I feel like I was made for these types of moments. After last season, I was in the same situation and I missed both of them. I thought I was going to cry, not going to lie, I thought we lost that game. But during the off season, I just practicing my free throws and shooting with confidence, I feel like I was made for these types of moments," Kauka said.
Bromo Dorn pushed the ball up court and pulled up for an off balanced jumper and Peterson's put back attempt hit back iron to send it to overtime.
Layden Kauka got Kohala into the bonus and split a pair of free throws to give the Cowboys their first lead since the first quarter. He pulled up from the baseline to hit a jumper with 41 seconds left in the period for a 48-45 lead.
"It was hard for me to get open because they were face guarding me. So whenever I was open, I took the chance to shoot. I shoot with confidence because I know I worked all season and I'm capable of making those kind of shots," Kauka said.
Dorn missed a 3-point attempt but Sjostrand got a steal and was fouled but missed both foul shots with 12 seconds remaining. Hezekiah Wilson was fouled but he missed both attempts.
Hook got the offensive rebound on the second attempt and split his free throws with 7.2 seconds remaining that held up in the end as Seabury Hall's desperation shot bounced off the rim.
"That last free throw, I didn't know it was going to be there, it was just a feeling," Hook said.
Heide & Cook/HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships
All-Tournament Team (as selected by the media and the HHSAA)
DIVISION II
Bromo Dorn, Seabury Hall
Jayden Hook, Kohala
Koa Laboy, University
Alika Ahu, University
Jeremiah White, Kaimuki
Most Outstanding Player: Layden Kauka, Kohala
"He's been doing that all year. He's a workhorse. He has a great knack for the ball. He's our best finisher around the rim. That's what he does. We see Jayden do that everyday in practice," Kapeliela said of Hook.
Kohala, despite being smaller, edged Seabury Hall on the glass, 37-36.
The Spartans reached the title game for the first time since 2016 after crushing Pahoa, 66-43 in the opening round, knocking out University Lab, 53-52, in the semifinals. It was seeking its first state title in school history.
Kohala had a tough route to defend its state title. The Cowboys beat ILH runner up Le Jardin, 67-53, outlasted OIA champion Kaimuki on their own floor, 50-45.
Dorn led Seabury Hall with 18 points, eight boards, Kobe Garcia added 11 points and Peterson, who overcame an early injury contributed seven.
"It was hard guarding Bromo because he's a tough player and he's tall and lanky and he's able to get to the rim and pull up and I had to find a way to contain him," Kauka said.
"We're used to being the smaller team. The length and stuff, we're not surprised. When you have length and athletic like Bromo, but when you have the length and athletic like Bromo, that makes it tough. When you're an all-around player like Bromo, that's the kind of length that gives us trouble," Kapeliela said.
Isaac Libron converted a 3-point play to tie the game at 9 going into the second quarter. The shooting from both teams cooled in the period as Dorn made the first points off a free throw at the 3:32 mark. The scoring picked up as Garcia's jumper extended the lead to four.
Kohala shot 1 for 12 from the field while Seabury Hall went 4 for 13 from the floor. The Spartans were 8 for 22 while the Cowboys were 5 of 22 from the field in the first half.
Layden Kauka sank a pair of free throws at the 1:07 mark, but Dorn hit a corner 3 to put Seabury Hall up 19-14 at halftime.
The Cowboys trailed by seven twice the third quarter and Garcia put the Spartans up nine with his shot in transition. Kauka answered, but Dorn hit a corner 3-pointer to put Seabury Hall up, 29-19.
"We were down 10 at one part and we had a lot of time left. We have to make stops and execute on the other side. We've been there before, even yesterday we were down six in the fourth. These guys don't panic, they've been through a lot of games. We had to make stops and execute," Kapeliela said.
Hook scored in the paint and Layden Kauka hit back-to-back deep 3-pointers to bring Kohala within two, 29-27. Dorn answered and canned a triple from the wing to beat the buzzer for a 32-27 lead going into the fourth.
Similar to the third, Seabury Hall led by seven twice before Hook got it within four with a 3-point play. Leo McKuin put the Spartans up six with free throws. The Cowboys chipped away as Hook scored from the block and Libron hit a runner to trail, 38-36.
The teams traded 3-pointers as Wilson hit a 3-pointer to get within one, but that was short lived as Sjostrand responded with a big 3. Layden Kauka his fourth 3 to get within one.
For the game, Seabury Hall shot 16 for 53 (30.2 percent) and Kohala finished 16 for 49 (32.7 percent). The Spartans shot 8 for 13 from the free throw line while the Cowboys finished 11 for 17.
Kohala scored 16 points off turnovers and had seven second chance points.
The Cowboys beat the Spartans in the preseason 65-58 on Dec. 7.
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