KAILUA — When it mattered the most, Kaleb Gilmore was at his best.

Gilmore scored eight of his team-high 22 points in overtime to help Kalaheo escape with a 62-56 win over visiting Kahuku Wednesday night.

Playing before a home crowd of about 200 fans at Pete Smith Court, the second-ranked Mustangs rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to improve to 2-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division.

"It was a good team win. We showed that we can come back from being down the majority of the game," said Gilmore, a senior guard. "They're a good team. It was hard to come back."

The Red Raiders, who are ranked fourth in the ScoringLive/OC16 Boys Basketball Power Rankings, fell to 1-1.

Kalaheo trailed for nearly the entirety of regulation, but used a 16-5 run in the final 6:02 of the fourth quarter to send it to the extra period.  

That's when the Mustangs' defense — and Gilmore — took over.

Following a Kahuku turnover on its first possession of overtime, Kupaa Harrison hit a 16-foot pull-up jumper to give Kalaheo a 52-50 lead — its first of the game — with 2:38 remaining.

Gilmore extended the Mustangs' lead with a coast-to-coast layup and a free throw to make it 55-50.

"In overtime we had a couple steals, we got easy layups, which changed the momentum to our side and then we kind of just picked it up from there and kept going," Gilmore said.

The Red Raiders got to within four following a Hyrum Harris putback, but could get no closer.

"They put some pressure on us and we had some turnovers and we just couldn't score in that fourth quarter," Kahuku first-year coach Alan Akina said. "It's really tough."

Gilmore, who is signed to play for Chaminade next year, made 6 of 8 free throws in overtime and 10 of 14 for the game.

"We have a lot of experience, (but) we're also super young," said Gilmore, who also had five assists, three steals and two rebounds. "We only have three seniors, so we're still kind of young and we've got to get the young guys to jell, but they are. We're doing really good as a team right now."

The Mustangs overcame a strong effort by Kahuku's twin posts, Denhym Brooke and Harris. Brooke scored 16 points in the first half and finished with a game-high 23 points to go with eight rebounds and Harris chipped in with 16 points and 17 boards.

"Our guys just fought," Kalaheo coach Alika Smith said. "We just wanted to chip away, chip away and see what happens, but it all started on the defensive end. All the credit goes to those kids that just didn't want to give up."

Harrison finished with 16 points with seven rebounds and Alex MacLeod added 10 points for Kalaheo.

Kahuku held a 33-25 lead at halftime, but went scoreless for the first 4:23 of the second half and was outscored after halftime, 37-23.

"Kalaheo looks like they're at their peak. They're running everything nice and smooth. We've still got a lot of work to do," Akina said. "With all my football players, we've been together two weeks, two and a half weeks, so you can see we need a lot of work."

Both teams next play Friday when Kahuku visits Roosevelt and Kalaheo visits Castle.