With a core of freshmen, sophomores and juniors, top-seeded Saint Louis edged second-seeded Campbell 41-39 to capture its second state title in a row at SimpliFi Arena.
Freshman Keanu Meacham sank two foul shots with 20.8 seconds left for a 40-37 Saint Louis lead, and after Josh Ellis drove for a layup to bring Campbell back within one point, there were 10 seconds left.
Campbell fouled Jordan Posiulai with 4.8 seconds left, and he hit the second of his two free throws for a 41-39 lead.
Campbell never got a shot off, turning the ball over on a cross-court inbounds pass with four-tenths of a second left.
“Maybe I’ll get some sleep now,” Saint Louis coach Dan Hale said. “People see the final product, even last year’s group, but they don’t see all that other time the kids work together, play together. During timeouts, ‘We got you!’ With adversity, you’ve got to have that adversity and they play hard for each other. We were fortunate to come out with a win over a team of that level and caliber. It’s defense that sealed the game.
The Crusaders did it with gritty team defense, containing a Campbell squad that was on a hot streak in the postseason. Sophomore Pupu Sepulona led the way with 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. However, when he sat the entire second quarter with two fouls, the Crusaders stood their ground.
“I was just trying to think about the second half and what I’m going to do. Trying not to foul out,” said Sepulona, a 6-foot-2 wing/post. “Second half, I had to do my job.”
Sepulona scored 11 points in the second half, using explosive bursts and spin moves to get to the rim.
“Every team we face, they have at least one good guy. He’s the real deal. We tried to go after him and he got the two fouls early, but we didn’t succeed running our plays, executing our defenses,” Campbell coach Wyatt Tau said. “We didn’t get that much rebounds. Hat’s off to Saint Louis. They did a good job.”
ILH champion Saint Louis closed the season 27-7 overall.
Posiulai tallied 11 points as Saint Louis outrebounded Campbell 18-14 and limited the Sabers to 43% shooting from the field (13-for-30).
Saint Louis sophomore point guard Shancin Revuelto was instrumental again. After having no turnovers in a semifinal win over Moanalua, he had four assists, four steals and just one turnover against a ballhawking Campbell defense.
“It’s the offseason, really. All the five-minute drills that Coach Dan makes us run. The running on the track and all the lifting, that’s what got us here,” Revuelto said.
Miles Hornage led Campbell (26-6) with 15 points. Malik Jackson chipped in seven points. and Mizah Carreira hustled for a team-high seven rebounds. It was the first trip to the state final for the Sabers, who won their first OIA title last week.
“It sucks losing, but I’m so happy about our guys. I’m so proud to be their coach,” Tau said.
The crown is No. 8 in Saint Louis history. The first seven were in 1957, ’61, ’66, ’67, ’68, ’86 and ’22. The school has six runner-up finishes.
For Meacham, who shot 3-for-4 from the foul line and is arguably their best free-throw shooter, it’s all new.
“I just put out all the noise and just shoot it. I clear my mind, get my shot. It feels good. I’m surprised, but our whole team got it done,” Meacham said.
Campbell visited Saint Louis in preseason (Dec. 26), and the Crusaders won 55-49. It was during a trip to the Kapaa Invitational when the team went to another level.
“After our Kauai trip, we really bonded together and we could find out what our tendencies were and how our defense is going to play out,” said Posiulai, a 6-3 junior. “My confidence really came up this year. Last year I was kind of shy and not confident, but this year I really had to step up. Being forced into that environment really pushed me forward and got me better.”
The game was tied at 13 entering the second quarter, when Sepulona sat with two personal fouls. Campbell switched out of its 3-2 matchup zone to man defense.
Saint Louis took a small lead before Campbell walked into the locker room with a 22-21 halftime margin. Posiulai had 10 points on 3-for-3 field-goal shooting and 4-for-4 free-throw shooting. Sepulona had four points at the break.
Sepulona returned in the second half and sparked a run that gave Saint Louis a six-point lead, but the Sabers battled back. Jackson’s fast-break layup at the buzzer tied it at 32 after three quarters.
Campbell switched back to its matchup zone and Hale called time out with 5:35 remaining.
Sepulona went to work on the block, sinking a free throw with 5:08 to go for a 33-32 Crusaders lead. He added two more foul shots with 2:36 left for a 35-32 cushion.
A steal by Rondell Blenman-Villarreal led to a fast-break layup by Rylan Sotelo with 1:44 to go.
Saint Louis’ Jordan Nunuha made one of two free throws for a 36-34 cushion with 57.4 seconds left, and after a jump ball in front of Campbell’s basket, Saint Louis got the ball back.
Sepulona’s two foul shots with 34.3 seconds to play extended the lead to 38-34, but Jackson splashed a straightaway 3 to bring Campbell within one point with 22.7 seconds to go.
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HEIDE & COOK/HHSAA BOYS BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
All-Tournament Teams
Division I
Miles Hornage, Campbell
Jordan Posiulai, Saint Louis
Rondell Blenman-Villareal, Campbell
Shancin Revuelto, Saint Louis
Justin Yap, Maryknoll
Most outstanding player: Pupualii Sepulona, Saint Louis
Division II
Landon Kauka, Kohala
Trey Ambrozich, University
Koa Laboy, University
Duke Mobley, University
Joshua Rego, Kauai
Most outstanding player: Layden Kauka, Kohala
