Kaimuki completed its long, 12-month road back to the boys basketball state championship game last night, rallying past upstart Kamehameha-Hawai'i, 54-44, before a semifinals crowd of 2,557 at Stan Sheriff Center.

The O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion and No. 2-seeded Bulldogs improved to 13-5 in the regular and post-season and will face Interscholastic League of Honolulu champ and No. 1 seed Punahou (13-1) in tonight's title game.

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised live statewide on OC-16.

"It feels great, we've been working hard all season, and all off-season, just to get back to this point," said Kaimuki senior forward Keone Reyes, who finished with a game-high 27-points and four assists last night. "We're more than confident, this is the best we've ever felt."

The Bulldogs, who lost to 'Iolani, 54-41, in last year's title game, returned three key seniors in Reyes, forward Beau Albrechtson and guard Daniel Colon. But Albrechtson was saddled with foul trouble and played only eight minutes in the first half last night.

That helped the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion and No. 3-seeded Warriors (16-3) keep pace and even take a 36-32 lead going into the fourth period.

But Colon started the final quarter with a driving layup, igniting a 13-2 run that put Kaimuki ahead, 45-38, with 2 1/2 minutes to go. Kamehameha-Hawai'i closed to 45-42 on Reece Alnas' banker with 1:35 remaining, but Albrechtson and Reyes combined to make six straight free throws over the next minute to give the Bulldogs a 51-42 lead.

Reyes, a 6-foot, 255-pound power forward, finished the night making 10 of 14 field goals, mostly in the low post, and 7 of 11 free throws.

"Keone was hard to stop," Warriors coach Nelson Wong said. "We tried playing straight man, we tried playing support defense, but that spin move is something we don't see a lot of on the Big Island. He's their main guy down low, and he showed why."

Albrechtson, a 6-4 post, finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds — including nine on the defensive end — in just 21 minutes.

"In the first half, (the Warriors) were getting a lot of second chance shots, but we didn't give up too many in the last four minutes," Kaimuki coach Kelly Grant said.

Wong said his team, playing in its first state semifinals, could not fully capitalize on Albrectson's time spent on the bench.

KS-HAWAI'I (16-3) 14 11 11 8 — 44

KAIMUKI (13-5) 12 13 7 22 — 54

KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAI'I — Kameaaloha Wong 4-14 1-2 11, Reece Alnas 3-8 0-0 6, Russell Kackley 0-5 2-2 2, Isaiah Kekaualua 0-4 0-0 0, Kealoha Kramer 1-2 0-0 2, Hogan Rosehill 3-6 2-3 8, Colton Collins 5-12 0-0 10, Kelii Kimi 2-5 1-1 5. Totals 18-56 8-6 44.

KAIMUKi — Daniel Colon 4-8 0-0 9, Chezz Ramos-Dias 0-0 0-0 0, Craig Cabudol 0-0 0-0 0, Brandon Madamba 0-2 0-0 0, Bryan Lim 0-0 0-0 0, Chauncey Nicola 0-0 0-0 0, Jamari Hamilton 0-0 0-0 0, Kamahoi Cookman 0-0 0-0 0, Makalii Nahinu 0-1 3-4 3, Ryan Kakitani 1-1 0-0 3, Keone Reyes 10-14 7-11 27, Desmond Tautofi 0-0 0-0 0, Beau Albrechtson 4-5 4-4 12. Totals 19-31 14-19 54. 3-point goals: Kamehameha-Hawai'i 2 (Wong 2). Kaimuki 2 (Colon, Kakitani).

CONSOLATION

'IOLANI 41, SAINT LOUIS 39

Liloa Nobriga scored on a layup off an assist from Ryan Dung with 10 seconds to go to lift the Raiders (12-3) into the fifth-place game against Moanalua. Saint Louis finished 13-5.

'IOLANI (12-3) 12 11 12 6 — 41

SAINT LOUIS (13-5) 13 14 8 4 — 39

'IOLANI — Kela Marciel 2-3 1-2 5, Andrew Skalman 0-0 0-0 0, Nick Christman 0-0 0-0 0, Ryan Dung 2-11, 2-2 6, Case Miyahira 1-6 0-0 2, Taylor Mounts 0-2 0-0 0, Liloa Nobriga 3-6 2-4 8, Lionel Fujioka 0-0 0-0 0, Berton Wong 3-4 2-2 9, Brandon Ball 0-0 0-0 0, Bricen McCartney 1-5 0-0 3, Pablo Warner 4-9 0-0 8. Totals 16-46 2-14 41.

SAINT LOUIS — Ricksson Pacarro 0-1 0-0 0, Kuli'a Aiona 0-1 0-0 0, John Quindara 0-2 0-0 0, Lucas Gonsalves 0-1 0-0 0, Scott Smith 5-10 1-4 11, Corey Lau 0-0 0-0 0, Kyle Gonzaga 1-1 0-0 2, Solomona Aigamaua 3-8 0-1 6, Geordon Hanohano 1-1 0-0 2, Michael Tuiloma 2-4 0-0 4, Micah McClinton 1-1 0-0 2, Jamison Miller 1-2 2-2 4, Siunipa Fiefia 2-4 0-0 4, Cole Shidaki 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 18-41 3-7 39. 3-point goals: 'Iolani 2 (Wong, McCartney). Saint Louis none.

MOANALUA 58, KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI 47

Stevie Austin scored 23 points to lift Na Menehune (13-6) past the Warriors (9-4).

KS-MAUI (9-4) 10 14 14 9 — 47

MOANALUA (13-6) 14 8 23 13 — 58

KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI — Keaton Tam 3-4 0-0 7, Kaleo'okalani Demello 2-7 0-0 4, Jordan Jenkins 1-7 0-0 3, Joshua Kong 0-0 0-0 0, Jeffery Oka 0-2 0-0 0, Kekoa Turbeville 1-1 1-1 3, Lindsey Kalaiwaa 0-0 0-0 0, Travis Wong 1-2 2-4 4, Brian Pali 1-3 0-0 2, Erwin DeCoite 3-7 0-1 6, Terani Richmond 0-2 0-0 0, Kaiea Medeiros 8-11 2-4 18, Evan Garces 0-1 0-0 0, Kalae Camarillo 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-47 5-10 47.

MOANALUA — Kris Lazarou 0-4 1-2 1, Jay Yoshizawa 2-6 0-3 4, Paul Wasada 0-2 0-3 0, Emanuel Vierra 0-1 0-0 0, Stevie Austin 9-15 1-1 23, Rob Munoz 3-5 0-0 8, Josh Kure 3-11 0-1 8, Roshawn Terry 0-2 2-2 2, Casey Schuler 0-0 0-0 0, Ryan Hua 5-9 2-5 12, Shawn Richey 0-0 0-0 0, AJ Kirkman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-55 6-17 58. 3-point goals: Kamehameha-Maui 2 (Tam, Jenkins). Moanalua 8 (Austin 4, Munoz 2, Kure 2).

CAMPBELL 67, BALDWIN 53

Jayden Delizo scored 27 points and Walter Daniels added 15 to lead the Sabers (11-6) into the consolation final against Honoka'a.

BALDWIN (8-5) 8 14 15 16 — 53

CAMPBELL (11-6) 6 17 26 18 — 67

BALDWIN — Chase Nakamura 5-9 2-2 12, Jordan Helle 1-4 0-0 2, Ike Duru 0-1 1-2 1, Micah Shibano 2-4 2-2 6, John Salmo 7-13 7-12 22, Lincoln Seto 0-3 4-6 4, Michael Marrs 1-2 0-0 2, Kawika Grace 1-2 0-0 2, Ross Bisera 0-0 0-0 0, George Firmignac 0-2 0-0 0, John Cabael 0-2 0-0 0, Viliami Lavaka 1-1 0-2 2. Totals 18-43 16-26 53.

CAMPBELL — Zachary Manuel 0-1 0-0 0, Danny Mau 0-0 0-0 0, Jay Nahial 0-0 0-0 0, Patrick Ward 5-11 0-4 12, Joseph Atimua 1-4 0-0 3, Michael McDonald 0-1 0-0 0, Jayden DeLizo 8-15 8-12 27, Walter Daniels 5-10 5-6 15, Terence Tafai 1-1 0-0 3, Pita Feleunga 0-0 0-0 0, Rashaad Battle 3-4 0-0 7. Totals 23-47 13-22 67. 3-point goals: Baldwin 1 (Salmo). Campbell 8 (DeLizo 3, Ward 2, Tafai, Atimua, Battle).

HONOKA'A 47, RADFORD 38

Kien Aveiro's 15 points led the Dragons (15-3) past the Rams (11-7).

HONOKA'A (15-3) 10 9 11 17 — 47

RADFORD (11-7) 9 11 6 12 — 38

HONOKA'A — Komakana Fernandez 2-4 5-6 9, Keala Freitas 1-1 7-8 10, Kyle Iaeda Vallente 1-1 0-0 3, Justin Raquel 0-0 0-0 0, Kapanai'a Carvalho 0-3 0-0 0, Bobby Guzman 0-0 0-0 0, Ike Shigematsu 0-1 0-0 0, Kasey Souza 0-1 0-0 0, AJ Alan McShane 0-0 0-0 0, Damian Sabater-Hart 3-8 0-1 6, Mike Nickel 0-2 0-0 0, Christian Cook 0-1 1-2 1, Kien Aveiro 6-13 3-7 15, Shelton Kalilikane 1-3 1-2 3. Totals 14-38 17-26 47.

RADFORD — Andre Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Jonathan Combis 0-1 0-0 0, Travis Daniels 0-7 0-4 0, Joash Pangalinan 0-0 0-0 0, Justin Lord 1-4 0-1 3, Mario De Los Santos-Gonzalez 0-1 0-0 0, Stevie Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Matt Hoover 1-3 1-2 4, Jared Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Matt Alofaituli 1-3 0-0 2, Aldrin Valdez 0-0 0-0 0, So'oso'o Taulelei 3-4 3-4 9, Gary Satterwhite 6-16 4-6 16, Antonio Williams 1-1 2-6 4. Totals 13-42 10-23 38. 3-point goals: Honoka'a 2 (Freitas, Iaeda Vallente). Radford 2 (Hoover, Lord).

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.