For a year, Evaldas Vegertas dribbled his basketball around the Hawaii Preparatory Academy campus.

It was the least that the 6-foot-7 forward could do after suffering an ACL tear to his right knee as a junior. The extra work didn’t hurt a year later. The Lithuanian anchored his team in the paint as Hawaii Prep fought off Kalani 42-33 Saturday in the Division II final of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships.

"Last season, I got injured. I worked hard to come back and we did it," Vegertas said. "It was really hard to come back and I tried my best."

There was a hardy group of about 30 Ka Makani fans at Blaisdell Arena as HPA (20-3) captured its first basketball state championship. Kalani, the OIA White runner-up, finished the season 12-16. Ace Faumui had 12 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and four steals to pace the Falcons.

The senior-heavy Ka Makani were unseeded in the tourney after losing in the BIIF D-II final to Kohala days after guard Kalen Camero suffered a concussion. With Camero on the bench, another Lithuanian, point guard Justas Gecas, stepped up to the challenge.

"We just tried to play our game: slow tempo, run our plays. We’re like the opposite (of Kalani)," said Gecas, who had eight points and four assists.

Kalani never led, but stayed close all the way. HPA turned a 10-8 lead into a 21-12 cushion by intermission, getting a three-point play from 6-4 senior David Ovbagbedia (12 points, 11 rebounds). Nicky Palleschi, a 6-4 junior, was also key in the first half with seven of his nine points.

"Our focus was to move the ball around and really defend," said Ovbagbedia, a native of Nigeria. "I’m not surprised. I’m just excited."

Ka Makani extended the lead to 12 in the third quarter as Kalani struggled to get open looks.

The Falcons finally made a run in the fourth quarter. Back-to-back buckets by Faumui cut the lead to 36-31 with three minutes to play, but HPA got clutch free-throw shooting from Hide Akai, Gecas and Ovbagbedia to close out the game with a 6-0 run.

"I feel proud of my team. It wasn’t for a lack of effort," Kalani coach Nathan Davis said. "I can say I can always count on that. HPA is a very good team with a lot of pieces. They’re a deserving champion. If we’re going to lose to somebody, I can tip my hat to them."

Kalani’s ascent in boys basketball shouldn’t be ending soon, Davis said.

"We’ll return 10 next year and our JV played in the OIA (White) title game," he said. "I think this is the year we turned the corner."

HPA limited Kalani to 30 percent shooting (13-for-43) from the field, including 3-for-17 from the arc (18 percent).

"Juice (Gecas) has been a gift because we’ve been able to let Kalen catch (and shoot) the ball all year,"HPAcoach Fred Wawner said. "It went from Kalen getting all the attention and letting our big guys develop to really changing a things in the past week. Our guys adjusted well."

HPA was monstrous on the offensive glass with a 39-21 edge, including 16 offensive boards.

"It’s gotten better. We’ve gotten more comfortable in doing that,"Wawner said. "We have pretty passive guys, so you gotta fire up a little bit."

Key — fg-a: field goals made-attempted; ft-a: free throws made-attempted; rb: rebounds; pf: personal fouls; pts: total points; a: assists; to: turnovers; min: minutes played. Halftime — Hawaii Prep 21, Kalani 12.3-points goals — Hawaii Prep 1-9 (Akai 1-2, Gecas 0-1, Gillins 0-1, Stinson 0-5). Kalani 3-17 (Manabe 1-2, Tungpalan 1-4, Roberts 1-11). Steals — Hawaii Prep 8 (Akai 5, Gecas, Ovbagbedia, Palleschi). Kalani 10 (Faumui 4, Mitchell 3, Roberts 2, Bohannon) Blocked shots — Hawaii Prep 1 (Ovbagbedia) Kalani 3 (Faumui 2, Roberts). Officials — Lloyd Lee, Victor McDaniel, Cesar Pudiquet. A—NA.

DIVISION II THIRD PLACE

Seabury Hall 57, Kohala 45

KOHALA—Bronson Fuertes Jr. 0, Kealen Figueroa 7, Cole Fuertes 4, Justin Agbayani 2, Ryan Carvalho 8, Mikala Jordan 2, Chance Pang 6, Sandrex Ramos 2, Shawn Ray Ramos 12, Kamaalea Emeliano-Solomon 2.

SEABURY HALL—Nyck Yashiro 3, Cameron King 24, Brian Lavongtheung 0, Rip Pahukoa 9, Bryce Barbier 4, Jaxson Stinger 12, Paxton Malek 0, Duncan Harrisson 0, Fletcher Prouty 0, Jordan Haylor 5, Michael Chasen 0, Christian Jenkins 0, Cameron Hanisch 0, Harrison Wright 0. 3-point goals—Kohala none. Seabury Hall 3 (King 2, Haylor).

DIVISION II FIFTH PLACE

Kaiser 41, St. Francis 36

KAISER—Kelsey Lewis II 3, Jalen Pinks 0, Isaiah Akiona 0, Melvin Kahunanui Jr. 2, Nicolas Tom 11, Isaac Slade-Matautia 8, Nicholas Lebeck 0, Trevin Kahuananui 8, Micah Okamoto 0, Chance Kalaugher 4, Matt Haili 5.

ST. FRANCIS—Keola Kealoha 7, Kyle Lau 2, Nayton Koki 0, Janson Kupau 5, Matthew Nuumanaia 5, Ranan Mamiya 10, Maunakea Matthews-Medeiros 0, Micah Kalei 0, Justin Sarsuelo 2, Lachoneus Tautuiaki 5, David Zimmerman 0, Kupono Akiona 0, Blayne Won 0. 3-point goals—Kaiser 1 (Tom). St. Francis 3 (Kealoha 2, Kuapu).

DIVISION II
All-Tournament Team
Justas Gecas, Hawaii Prep
Cameron King, Seabury Hall
Mikala Jordan, Kohala
Nicky Palleschi, Hawaii Prep
Brandon Roberts, Kalani
 
Most Outstanding Player:
David Ovbagbedia, Hawaii Prep