State title brings back some old fire for Kalaheo

Sifting through the ancient scrolls of HHSAA boys basketball history, it’s impossible to ignore the imprint of Kalaheo High School.

From the late Pete Smith to his son Alika, the Mustangs are significant in both past and present — a powerhouse tradition rekindled and not so common in the sport. With a 60-54 overtime win over top-seeded Maryknoll on Saturday in the Division I final of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships, the Mustangs brought the old fire back. Fans in orange were everywhere at Blaisdell Arena, making an impact that rivaled their opposite number.

Maryknoll, even with the win, has reignited the old championship engine. It was a night when two old titans became reborn.

Smith paid homage to his father, as his young sons wore shirts bearing Pete Smith’s image during pregame introductions. Kalaheo won its first D-I state crown since 2001, the last of Pete’s three state titles. But the history and glory of Kalaheo hoops took on a new chapter with a team that didn’t have a true center cemented in the low post. With a 39-4 record, the Mustangs took their second state title — last year’s was in D-II — in as many seasons.

"Our kids played smart. They stuck to the game plan. We did some things out of character, but they refocused," Smith said. "Highs and lows. It was just great to see. My dad is with me every step of the the way. I love him to death. This one’s for him."

Josh Ko, who followed Smith from Punahou to Kalaheo to play varsity basketball, let the tears of joy flow.

"It’s the best feeling in the world," he said after scoring 24 points in the win, including 13 in a row to propel Kalaheo’s comeback.

He fouled out in overtime, leaving much of the load to teammates.

"The ref, you know, I had to let it go. Maryknoll, they had the idea to come after me after I got my fourth. They wanted to make me foul out, and that was smart on coach Kelly Grant’s part," Ko said. "I have so much faith in our guys coming off the bench. Hitting those free throws, they were clutch. Kupaa (Harrison) hit those clutch free throws and played defense against their big boys, he came through. He’s not that big, but he has heart."

Smith credited his staff and players, but saved his biggest praise for his go-to scorer.

"Josh came up huge. From everyone who played and stepped on the court, they contributed," Smith said. "If it wasn’t for him, none of this would’ve happened. He’s one of those kids who loves the game of basketball. He’s a smart kid."

While the coach was on the ladder, the last to take a snip at the net, he could only say one thing as his son handed him the scissors: "I haven’t been this high in years."

For Harrison, the clutch 3-point shooter who did his share of low-post defense against Hyrum Harris — a 6-foot-5 standout roughly 80 pounds heavier — it was a pinnacle of sorts. He left ‘Iolani last year and came to Kalaheo.

"We knew we could spread them out on offense and spread out their bigs, but we knew we had to sacrifice something on defense," said Harrison, a 6-3 sophomore.

It’s the Windward side where Harrison’s family has roots. Dad Tim Harrison coached at Kailua and was one of Pete Smith’s disciples in the game.

"They have some imports and they’re good," Tim Harrison said, clutching the championship trophy long after the game. "The guy’s like double Kupaa’s size in girth. So he did well tonight. I’m happy for him. He turned on in the tournament."

Kalei Zuttermeister hit four treys in the first half, sparking Kalaheo to a 22-3 lead, but his battle on the post against 6-9 Tobias Schramm was vital and valuable.

"It’s like going around a wall. I had to play ‘D’, " the 6-3 transfer from Castle said.

It was a different result compared to their preseason matchup against another physically superior team: Yates of Texas. In that game, Kalaheo jumped to a double-figure lead, but foul trouble led to the Mustangs’ demise, and Yates rallied for a 76-73 win. This time, the Mustangs learned to play tough in the post without racking up fouls.

For the Spartans, this is true: There’s no second state title, but the specter and amazement of fans over this truly classic title game will continue for years, decades and maybe longer. After all, there are fans — many, in fact — who may not remember who won the state title five or 10 years ago.

But ask someone years from now which was their favorite title game of all, and already, Kalaheo-Maryknoll may be impossible to beat. The only one that might be close is the 1992 Kamehameha-Hilo game, won by Kamehameha in triple overtime. That game still resonates for fans, while this one may entertain far more for a longer time because of the wild swings of momentum and constant action.

Grant, who played on Maryknoll’s only state title team in 1984 under Tony Sellitto, can be proud of this team. They came back from a 19-point deficit, and though they lost an eight-point lead in the final quarter, they never quit.

Kalaheo loses key seniors in Ko, defensive stopper Derick Morgan, versatile Shem Sukumaran, and another sharpshooter in Zuttermeister. Reliable backup guard Silila Tucker will graduate — he has volleyball season ahead — and so will valuable backup Kurt Vegas. But Harrison will be back. So will promising sophomore guard Alexander Macleod.

Maryknoll may well be the favorite next season. Schramm will graduate, as will point guard Danny Danbara, but the rest of the starting lineup — Harris, explosive swingman Josh Burnett and scoring phenom Kaleb Gilmore are expected to return.