Punahou and Seabury Hall won HHSAA boys basketball titles at the Stan Sheriff Center on Friday night.
In the Division I championship game, Punahou edged Saint Louis 43-40, denying the Crusaders their fourth consecutive state title.
The Buffanblu led as much as 38-30 with 3:41 left in the game. After the Crusaders rallied to tie the contest at 39 with 1:10 remaining, forward Zion White scored on a layup on Punahou's next possession with 57 seconds left, giving the Buffanblu the lead for good. A desperation 3-point attempt by Shancin Revuelto at the buzzer was off the mark for Saint Louis.
White finished with nine points and 14 rebounds. Meanwhile, Dane Kellner added a game-high 13 points for Punahou.
"We worked super hard all season," said White, who is also a standout football player for the Buffanblu. "We grind all offseason just for this moment right here."
For Saint Louis, Pupu Sepulona closed out his storied basketball career with nine points, seven rebounds and a steal.
"This being the last game of my high school basketball career, and the last moment I can have with the game that I love, I give credit to God for such a wonderful time in the game of basketball," Sepulona said, wiping away tears. "Just being able to play (at Saint Louis) four years and just enjoying every second of it."
In the Division II championship game, Seabury Hall prevailed 49-33 over Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy to win its first state basketball title in school history.
The Spartans came agonizingly close in the 2024 Division II state championship game, losing 49-45 to Kohala in overtime. A trio of Layden Kauka free throws forced overtime, where Kohala eventually took over.
Friday's game between the Spartans and Kā Makani was never particularly close, as Seabury jumped out to a 9-0 lead to begin the game and led 14-3 after the first quarter.
"Last year, we were so close," Seabury Hall head coach Scott Prather told Aloha State Daily after the game. "I was heartbroken for a long time, not for myself or my own selfish agenda, but for the boys that were so close and deserved it, so to come back this year and be hungry for a year straight knowing that we were this close last year, it's almost better this way. In a sense, it's such poetic justice."
The Spartans were led by senior swingman Bromo Dorn, who had 20 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists with no turnovers.
"Coming in as a freshman, I realized we had no state championships," Dorn said. "I made a promise to myself, my coaches, my family, my school, I'm not leaving the school without winning one. Seabury is just such a tight-knit community with 350 people in the high school, really small school, but there's just a bunch of support."
Prather, who had a standout college career at Hawai‘i-Hilo, believes Dorn is bound to surpass him.
"I think his potential, his ceiling is limitless," Prather said of Dorn. "I've told him before, I think he's the best player the MIL has ever produced. He's that good. And I played in the MIL, and he's better than me. I'll say it right out for everybody to know. I think he's better than me. Somebody's got to get this kid on the college roster. Some coach out there is going to be very, very happy to have him on the team."
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
