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Drake Watanabe posted his second straight double-double in the state tournament with 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead Roosevelt (10-5) into its first Division II state basketball championship game with a 41-37 win over Hawaii Prep.
Kamu Kaaihue added 12 rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench for Roosevelt, which was tied with No. 1 seed Ka Makani at 26-all after three quarters.
Logan Quinlan gave Roosevelt a 38-36 lead with a layup with 1:40 remaining. After Hawaii Prep’s Kelsen-Jaye Walker went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line to cut the deficit to one, Kaaihue made his only field goal of the game, converting a layup for a 40-37 lead with 30 seconds left.
Javan Perez missed a potential game-tying 3 with 12 seconds to go and Walker missed a putback.
Kayman Lewis hit one of two free throws for Roosevelt for the final margin.
Walker had 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals to lead Ka Makani (14-2), who last won the D-II state crown in 2014.
Kohala 45, McKinley 27
O’Shen Cazimero scored a game-high 16 points and added six assists, five rebounds and two steals to lead the Cowboys (13-2) into the state final.
Kohala had lost in its prior three appearances in the state semifinals. It hasn’t played in the final since losing to McKinley in 2007.
Moses Emeliano added six points and 10 rebounds and Molonai Emeliano had 10 points and six boards for Kohala.
Frank Camacho (8-8) led McKinley with 10 points.