The sixth—and final—chapter in a lengthy season series with its Windward Oahu rival provided a particularly gratifying conclusion for Kailua.

A week after being stunned by Castle in the OIA White title game, it was the Surfriders' turn to celebrate last night after a 53-36 win over the Knights in the championship game of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Division II boys basketball tournament at Blaisdell Arena.

“;I think that's a tribute to both teams, each one getting a title,”; Kailua coach Tim Harrison said. “;After the disappointment in the OIAs, it's really satisfying.”;

A last-second 3-pointer proved to be the difference in Castle's win in the OIA White championship game on Feb. 28. This time, Kailua didn't allow the Knights any such opportunities.

The Surfriders scored the game's first 12 points and the lead never dipped into single digits the rest of the way as they captured the school's first state championship since 1982.

Kailua junior Dylan Farias led all scorers with 18 points and was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Guard Corey Lau sparked the Surfriders early and finished with 13 points, as did forward Kenny Ellis as the Surfriders thwarted Castle's attempts to make a run.

“;We wanted them and we got them in the finals,”; Farias said. “;We knew in order to beat these guys we had to have a great start, but they wouldn't stop coming back.”;

Ellis joined Farias on the all-tournament team and capped his high school career with a state title after having his football season cut short by a broken leg suffered in the Surfriders' first game last fall.

“;After I hurt my leg in football, I knew basketball was all I had for the rest of this school year, my last year in high school, so I wanted to give it my all,”; Ellis said. “;It's the best feeling in the world to finish it like this.”;

In the OIA White final, Castle was able to keep the tempo at a pedestrian pace to stay close before making its push in the final moments.

Yesterday, the Surfriders got their transition game rolling early yesterday to sprint ahead and stay there.

Two 3-pointers by Lau bookended Kailua's 12-0 run to open the game as Castle struggled to generate any offense. The Knights missed their first nine shots before Brent Roberts scored on a putback at the 3-minute mark of the first quarter. Farias ended the quarter by hitting a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to give Kailua a 17-4 lead.

“;We wanted to push the ball, and if it wasn't there our big men were trailing and could just give it to them,”; Lau said.

Kailua's lead swelled to 23-6 before Castle guard Michael Santos hit back-to-back 3-pointers. The Knights trailed 25-15 at the break, but Kailua scored the first 10 points of the second half to assert control of the game and split the season series.

“;Their defensive pressure took us out of our game, but the whole game we came out flat,”; Castle coach Jeff Hiro said. “;You dig a hole that deep against a team like that, it's tough to come back.”;