This swan song was done with force.

Kaiser, which will depart for Division I next season, got 24 points from Keoua Mahiko for a 49-45 win over Kalani to capture the Division II state championship on Saturday night at Stan Sheriff Center.

It is the first state championship in boys basketball for Kaiser (24-8).

Chance Kalaugher provided the power on defense, grabbing 10 boards. The burly 6-foot-5 junior drew constant double teams from Kalani’s swarming defense. That opened the lanes and the perimeter for shooters like Mahiko, who hit two treys in the second quarter to help the Cougars stay ahead after Kalaugher was sent to the bench with two fouls.

Kaiser shot 49 percent from the field (16-for-33) and limited the Falcons (11-17) to 33 percent shooting (15-for-45).

Kaiser, seeded second in the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Basketball Division II State Championships, was also ranked No. 10 this week in the Star-Advertiser Top 10. It has been a long road for the once-struggling Cougars, who couldn’t believe the words of their then-new coach, Branden Kawazoe, less than two years ago.

"He said we would be working out at 5 o’clock in the morning," Mahiko recalled. "We thought he was crazy, but he said we have to grind to get here and he was right."

Mahiko didn’t score in the first four-plus minutes of the game, when it was extremely tight.

"My coaches said to let the game come to me," the 6-foot-2 junior said. "I’ve been forcing shots."

The Cougars got 10 points from smooth guard Kelsey Lewis II, and Nic Tom delivered four assists and two steals, providing a boost when Lewis picked up some fouls.

Tom was nearly the scapegoat, though. With Kaiser ahead 45-38, he fouled Jaron Yamauchi, and then was immediately whistled for a technical foul.

"He thought I swore at him, but I only said, ‘Are you kidding me?," said Tom, a tough defender who picked up fouls four and five.

Yamauchi hit his foul shots and Alex Tungpalan sank both technical free throws, bringing Kalani within 45-42 with 44 seconds left.

But the Falcons couldn’t cash in completely. Yamauchi’s drive and kick to the corner was intercepted by Mahiko, and Lewis went to the line after being fouled. He hit one of his two shots for a four-point lead with 32 ticks to go.

Yamauchi was again picked on a drive-and-kick, this time by Lewis, who hit another foul shot with 21 seconds remaining for a 47-42 Kaiser lead.

Kalani missed two 3-point tries, and Mahiko hit two foul shots with 4.4 seconds left.

Blaise Manabe hit a 3 at the buzzer to close the scoring.

"We got the stops we needed. After the tech, I said this is our season, and we didn’t want Tungpalan to get open," Kawazoe said.

Cory Mitchell led Kalani with 12 points. Yamauchi added 10 points and Tungpalan tallied nine. Tungpalan was especially smothered by the Cougars.

"He’s one of the best shooters around. We know how good he is," Kawazoe said.

Kalani came into the tourney with a losing record in OIA and overall play, but knocked out top seed Pahoa in the opening round.

"Win or lose, I feel the same way about our guys. I’m so proud of them. I wanted this win for them," Falcons coach Nathan Davis said. "Kaiser is a team that’s beaten a lot of good teams. We utilized some of our mismatches. Our guys like Jeremy Robinson (six points), Kapaa Nishimura (six points) and Dunuvan Hahn really battled. Cory (Mitchell) battled with those bigs. We just ran out of time."

Unlike their previous meeting in the OIA D-II final, this was close from the start. The game started with five lead changes before Kaiser forward Mahiko entered. He hit a bucket and then two foul shots, and by the end of the first quarter, Mahiko had five points as Kaiser took a 17-12 lead.

Mahiko hit two treys in the second quarter and had 13 points by halftime, but Kaiser couldn’t build on the lead.

Kalani showed much more patience this time, working quickly, but getting results when the shots were high-percentage. After Nishimura hit a corner 3 and Yamauchi hit two foul shots, the Falcons were within 23-21 with 1:30 left in the first half.

With Kalaugher on the bench — he committed back-to-back offensive fouls and left with 2:15 to go in the half — Robinson hit two foul shots to end the half, pulling Kalani within 26-23.

Kalani shot 6-for-7 from the foul line in the second quarter to stay close.

3-points goals — Kaiser 5-10 (Mahiko 3-4, Lewis 2-5, Kalaugher 0-1). Kalani 3-14 (Nishimura 2-6, Manabe 1-2, Yamauchi 0-1, Robinson 0-2, Tungpalan 0-3). Steals — Kaiser 6 (Lewis 2, Mahiko 2, Tom 2). Kalani 2 (Pepe, Tungpalan). Turnovers — Kaiser 12 (Kalaugher 3, Tom 3, Akiona 2, Lewis 2, Mahiko, TEAM). Kalani 7 (Yamauchi 4, Manabe, Mitchell, Tungpalan). Assists — Kaiser 7 (Lewis 3, Tom 3, Pinks). Kalani 3 (Mitchell, Pepe, Yamauchi). Blocked shots — Kaiser none. Kalani 2 (Nishimura 2). Officials — John David Lee, Robert Ajifu, Robert Higa. A—NA.

All-tournament team

Most Outstanding Player: Keoua Mahiko, Jr., Kaiser 

Chance Kalaugher, Jr., Kaiser

Kealen Figueroa, Sr., Kohala 

Isaac Liva, Jr., Hawaii Baptist

Tolby Saito, Sr., Pahoa

Corey Mitchell, Sr., Kalani 

THIRD PLACE

Kohala 69, Hawaii Baptist 48

KOHALA—Kainalu Emeliano-Solomon 3, Chance Pang 10, Kealen Figueroa 2, Cole Fuertes 0, Maui Hook 3, Justin Agbayani 7, Shawn Ramos 2, Hana Caravalho 12,  Kahua Kualii 2, Kama‘alea Emeliano-Solomon 10, Mikala Jordan 18.

HAWAII BAPTIST—Michael Dang 11, BJ?Hosaka 13, Matthew Sakai 0, Micah Mitchell 0, Tanner Miyoi 2, Kellen Takatsuka 0, Brandon Hirokawa 0, Danton Tominaga 0, Ty Minatoya 6, Preston Thiede 0, Isaac Liva 16.

3-point goals—Kohala 8 (Caravalho 2, Jordan 2, Agbayani, Kai. Emeliano-Solomon, Hook, Pang). Hawaii Baptist 3 (Hosaka 2, Dang).

FIFTH PLACE

DAMIEN 43, PAHOA 42

DAMIEN—Crummel Mooring 0, Ernie Kornya IV 4, Kobe Ikari 16, Storm Maldonado  5, Reggie Luinoras 3, Kapiina King 4, Brandon Galang 0, Shaun Apiki 11.

PAHOA—Kallen Cardines 0, Keinan Agonias 8, Joel Rosario Jr. 5, Kealii Luis 0, Tolby Saito 14, Torrell Thomas 5, William Stinnett 2, Kilinaheho Oliveira 8.

3-point goals—Damien 1 (Ikari). Pahoa 3 (Agonias, Rosario Jr., Saito).