The path was much more difficult, but the Saint Louis Crusaders are now three-time state champions.

Junior forward Pupu Sepulona had 11 points and seven rebounds as top-seeded Saint Louis withstood a strong push by Punahou for a 48-39 win in the Division I title game of the Heide & Cook/HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships. Sepulona knelt in prayer at the sound of the final buzzer.

“Starting from the beginning of the season, we’ve gone through ups and downs. Adversity. We’ve bounced back from our losses in the regular season. I feel like God has taken me down the right path, and that’s what made me feel mentally and physically strong,” Sepulona said. “God is so great, making sure that I have a state championship again with my teammates.”

The ILH was stronger, forcing Saint Louis into an elimination-mode playoff run after a 7-3 regular-season.

“Punahou brought back most of their guys. The whole state improved. What we had to do was make sure we also did that. You can never doubt your own path,” Saint Louis coach Dan Hale said. “I firmly believe that the path we went on was the path we needed to go on, having to scrap our way to even get to this game. Being able to do that, everybody committing to what we were doing and what we were saying as a team. The defense, the sharing the ball, everybody doing their role. It was definitely a team effort this year.”

Stone Kanoa and Caelan Fernando chipped in eight points each, while Jordan Nunuha added seven points, five rebounds and two blocks off the bench.

Junior point guard Shancin Revuelto orchestrated the methodical, efficient Hale offense. He also came up with six steals to thwart the speedy Buffanblu.

“I feel amazing. No one thought we should be here right now, the other schools,” Revuelto said. “I’m proud of all of my boys. I’m proud of everyone who came out to support us. That was everything.”

Senior center Jordan Posiulai will graduate with a third state-championship ring on the way.

“At the end of the day, we knew this was the one thing we wanted, so it was easy to get in line and listen,” he said. “Anything is possible!”

Saint Louis (26-5) shot 53% from the field (20-for-38) and limited Punahou to 39% shooting from the floor (14-for-36).

Noah Macapulay led Punahou (23-7) with nine points. James Taras added eight points on 2-for-6 field-goal shooting, and Ayndra Uperesa-Thomas had four points on 2-for-6 shooting.

It was the fourth matchup between the teams. Punahou won the first game, then Saint Louis won the next two, including one for the ILH title.

“With so many seniors — we have 12 — we had that maturity to try and make this run to the championship,” Macapulay said. “I’m so proud of our guys for coming together and making this run. Even though we came up short, I love my team. We can’t take back anything. We put everything on the line for this game and I’m proud that we gave it our all.”

The Crusaders established their rhythm early. Fernando connected on two 3-point bombs, and Nunuha hustled for a putback to give them a 15-8 lead shortly before the first quarter ended.

Saint Louis extended the lead to 19-8 after Corey Bailey found Nunuha on a lob for a spectacular basket, plus free throw, which Nunuha made.

Sepulona scored on a spin move, switching to his right hand for the bucket, and it was 21-8 with 5:20 to go in the first half.

Punahou chipped away and brought the lead down to 27-20 after Taras opened the second half with a tough baseline drive and Macapulay swished a jump shot in the paint.

Punahou got within 35-29 on Macapulay’s wing 3 with 6:45 left, but Revuelto answered with a near miraculous baseline jumper while getting fouled. Sepulona’s low-post shimmy move for a bucket kept Saint Louis’ cushion at 39-31 with five minutes remaining.

Punahou was within 41-34 after a follow tip-in by Dillon Kellner. On their next possession, Fernando deflected a pass by Evan Porter, leading to a Posiulai-to-Fernando-to-Keanu Meacham transition layup. The Crusaders led 43-34 with less than two minutes remaining.

Macapulay’s jump shot in the key cut the lead to seven points, but Meacham hustled for a putback on Sepulona’s miss.

Kellner’s baseline jumper brought Punahou within 45-38 with 41 seconds to go.

Sepulona then battled for the offensive board on Meacham’s missed layup, drew the foul and scored the bucket for a 47-38 edge with 26.7 seconds left.

Punahou got no closer the rest of the way.

“They’re a great team. All my boys — Ayndra, James, Kekai (Burnett), Dillon, Jon Yoshimoto. They’re elite,” Sepulona said. “They’re going to play hard and bring their A-game. We had to play physical, play aggressive. Just do our thing. No fear.”

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THIRD PLACE

Leilehua 56, Kalaheo 44

Sharpshooter Twain Wilson went 8-for-10 from the field and finished with 19 points as the Mules stymied the Mustangs in the D-I third-place battle. The senior guard closed his prep career with a 20.3-point scoring average in the state tourney this week.

Cobe Wyatt added 13 points, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, while Matteus Ioane hustled for 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals for OIA champion Leilehua (24-5).

Josh Schutter paced Kalaheo (21-15) with 11 points. CJ Bostic and Brandon Cain added nine points each.

FIFTH PLACE

Kahuku 55, Nanakuli 39

Tiki Akina-Watson scored 14 points and Kache Kaio added 10 points. Kahuku finished the season 22-6 overall.

Blaze Kaululaau led Nanakuli (20-13) with 16 points. Dragon Kekahuna tallied nine points.