McEnroe, Farrington beat Kaiser for D2 title

The Governors post for a photo with Raefe McEnroe (22) front and center. CJ Caraang | SL

Raefe McEnroe pulled a double-double with game-highs of 18 points and 13 rebounds and No. 9 Farrington pulled away from Kaiser, 56-43, Wednesday night to capture the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II boys' basketball championship at the McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium.

"Fees terrific, feels great," McEnroe said of winning the title. "I'm on top of the world right now."

It was the Governors' first D2 title since 2011. Farrington (10-3) also has four Division I/pre-D2 era OIA crowns, along with eight Interscholastic League of Honolulu titles. They are likely to draw a seeded berth for the D2 state tournament.

Kaiser (8-6), which beat Farrington during the regular season, also has secured a state berth.

Leads changed hands 13 times through the first three quarters. But Farrington snapped a 33-all game in the closing seconds of the third with Felcris Ahadain's 3-pointer with the 6-foot-3 McEnroe opening the fourth with one of his own and the Govs never looked back. A 3-pointer by Kaiser's Mario Drummer pulled Kaiser to 39-36, but the Governors went on a 15-2 run to pull away from the Cougars.

"I switch flipped in my head," McEnroe said of his 3-pointer that ignited a 20-point fourth period. "I just turned on the beast mode. Once you start it, you can't turn it off until the end of the game."

"That was a big 3, just to get us going," Farrington coach Steve Leopoldo said. "Once somebody gets us going, everybody starts feeding off each other."

Aeman Kurt Castro added 10 points, including one of six 3-pointers for the Governors.

Drummer led the Cougars with 14 points.

The game was a fight for three quarters. No team held more than a four-point lead during that span. When the Govs took a 21-17 lead in the second period, the Cougars tied it a 21 with 1:43 left on two Luke Stevens' free throws. The game stayed at 21-all at the half. The lead changed six times in the third and was tied at 33 before Ahadain's 3-pointer, his second of two.

In the fourth, Kaiser labored on the offensive side.

"Ball just stopped going in the hoop," Kaiser coach Kenneth Powell said. "It went in for them, it didn't for us."

The Cougars had chances, but could not capitalize. With Farrington leading 43-37 with a little more than four minutes left, the Govs failed to convert two technical foul free throws and turned over the ball on their next two possessions. But Kaiser had no answer. Instead, the Govs pulled away with an 13-6 run to end the game.

The Cougars beat the Govs, 62-53, during the regular season.

"Last time we were lazy," McEnroe said. "We expected to win. This time, we came with a purpose. We wanted revenge and we got it."

If there was a season the Governors wished they were in Division I, this was it.

"Definitely wish we were D1," McEnroe said. "Would've took D1 champs, too."

Farrington beat D1 finalists Kailua and Moanalua, as well as state D1 tournament-bound Kahuku and Kalaheo.

"It is what it is," Leopoldo said. "Stuff happened last year. (We were) 3-7. We should be moving up next year."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].