HHSAA Division I BOYS BASKETBALL: Kamehameha holds off ‘Iolani, 64-53, to win Division I state championship

By Wes Nakama
HHSAA Assistant Director of Information

Micah Christenson capped off a brilliant four-year career with 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals to help Kamehameha hold off ‘Iolani, 64-53, for the Hawaiian Airlines/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I Boys Basketball State Championship.

A crowd of 3,648 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Warriors finish the regular and postseason with a 16-2 record after winning their second state title in three years. The 2010 champion Raiders ended up 15-2.

Charlton Tang’s 15-foot baseline jumper broke a 13-13 tie with 5:42 remaining in the second period, and a layup by Shane Yoshida 58 seconds before halftime put Kamehameha up, 26-21.

After Trevyn Tulonghari’s 3-pointer cut it to 36-33 with 3:10 left in the third quarter, Christenson answered with a corner shot from behind the arc and then capped an 11-2 run with a fallaway bank shot from about 23 feet to give the Warriors a 47-35 lead heading into the fourth.

A layup by Davis Achong made it 57-42 with 4:50 remaining, and ‘Iolani could not close the gap after cutting it to 61-53 on Jourdan Simmonds’ two free throws with 44 seconds left.

Reid Saito led the Raiders with 15 points to go with two assists and two steals, and Tulonghari capped off his own standout four-year career with 13 points and four rebounds.

Yoshida, a burly 6-foot-1 senior post who averaged 3.8 points per game in the regular and postseason, contributed 10 points and three rebounds.

Kamehameha shot 48 percent from the field, including 33 percent (5 of 15) from beyond the arc. ‘Iolani made just 18 of 46 of its field goals (39.1 percent), including just 4 of 16 (25 percent) from 3-point range.