PUKALANI, Maui — About the only thing that hadn't gone just right for Micah Ritte-Manangan in the Maui Interscholastic League Division II boys basketball tournament was his 3-for-9 performance from the free-throw line Friday night.

On Saturday in the league's overall championship game, Manangan made up for all of that with a 12-for-12 performance from the line to go with an impressive and full statistical line.

Manangan poured in a career-high 28 points — giving him 65 in three games over three days — dished out eight assists and collected seven steals to lead Moloka'i High School (11-2) to a dramatic 76-70 win over Lana'i at King Kekaulike gym.

''Nope, never scored more than that, not in high school, no never, the highest I ever got was around 23, that is about it,'' Ritte-Manangan said to The Maui News. ''I'm glad it came this night because we really needed it.''

It is the Farmers' first MIL boys basketball title since 1995 when there was only one level of play throughout the state. They finished second to Seabury Hall last season in the first year of Division II boys basketball.

The win completed a D-II sweep for the Moloka'i basketball teams. The girls team beat Seabury Hall for the MIL crown on Thursday.

The Moloka'i boys rallied from a 25-15 deficit at the end of the first quarter when Ritte-Manangan scored 11 of their 17 points in the second, and tied the game at 32-32 when Kawaiola Kalipi nailed a jumper with 34 seconds to go before intermission.

Dustin Donato's follow shot gave the Pine Lads (9-3) a 34-32 lead at the intermission. The third quarter featured six lead changes and two ties before Moloka'i went to the final quarter ahead 51-46.

A pair of free throws by Joseph Akaka gave the Farmers a 57-50 lead before Lana'i went on a 7-0 run — with five of the points by Phillip Bolo — to tie the game with five minutes to play. Again the Farmers went on a 6-0 run, but the Pine Lads came right back with a 5-0 run to get within 64-63 on a 3-pointer by Bolo, who had six 3-pointers on the night and 21 points.

One last time, Moloka'i got separation — going up 71-67 with 1:35 left when Akaka scored inside for the final two of his 19. One last time, Lana'i refused to die when Bolo hit his final 3 to make it 71-70 with 1:16 to go.

Ritte-Manangan made the last two of his free throws with 38 seconds left, Herbert Antolin added one more 12 seconds later and — fittingly — Ritte-Manangan finished things off with a tip-in in the final five seconds.

''The boys knew that this was a four-quarter game,'' Moloka'i coach Lee DeRouin said. ''After that first quarter, it was raining threes on us by Lana'i. They were hotter than anything. That happened last year against Seabury (Hall, in a loss in the championship game). Last year, Seabury broke our back in that first quarter, we never recovered. This year the boys knew, especially Micah, he knew, it was a four-quarter game.

''That boy, he just put out an outstanding individual performance within the team concept. It was 28 points within the team concept. That was beautiful. In big games, big guys step up. He wanted it. He wanted it more than anybody on the floor tonight, I believe.''

DeRouin also gave credit to Akaka, who also had a career-high in points and helped the Farmers control the boards, especially when the 6-foot-1 Donato — the Pine Lads' tallest player by two inches — got in foul trouble.

Ritte-Manangan, a junior point guard, gave credit to his teammates.

''I just felt encouraged with my teammates playing with me and I just wanted to play hard tonight,'' he said. ''That is what I did — came out playing hard. We all did.''

When told it was the school's first boys basketball title in 13 seasons, he smiled.

''Oh man,'' Ritte-Manangan said. ''Last year, I was a starter too, and we didn't make it. We lost two games in a row. This year actually winning it, I can't explain it. It is just too good to be true.''

Ritte-Manangan started for much of last season, but the team lost five other players — and six seniors — who started for the team last season.

''Last year was a little motivation, but I really think that the new teammates really came out hard,'' he said. ''I think our new players really came in and stepped up really well. I thank my teammates a whole lot because they pushed me in this game.''

For the Pine Lads, it was a chance for the first MIL boys title in any sport since joining the league in 1984, but they will be making their first trip to state in a boys team sport. They clinched that berth when they beat the previously undefeated Farmers two nights in a row last weekend.

''I am happy to go to the states,'' Lana'i coach Jimmy Fernandez, a 19-year veteran with the program, said. ''I tried to keep my boys upbeat. I have got a lot of love for the Moloka'i program and I have got a lot of love for my boys, a lot of respect for my team. It is going to be our last boat ride, both Moloka'i and us, home to Lana'i and Moloka'i. We are with the big boys now. We get to ride airplanes over to Honolulu and play in our first state tournament, so I am so happy and excited about that.''

LANA'I (70)

Philip Bolo 7 1-4 21, Russel Lamay 4 0-0 8, Elmer Agtarap 5 0-0 12, William Haban 4 3-4 15, Lorenz Valdez 0 0-0 0, Bryan Etrata 2 4-6 8, Dustin Donato 2 2-2 6. Totals 24 10-16 70.

MOLOKA'I (76)

Herbert Antolin 1 5-6 7, Scottie Rapanot Jr. 1 1-2 4, Kawaiaola Kalipi 2 0-0 5, Micah Ritte-Manangan 7 12-12 28, Kaden Tabil 3 0-2 6, Eddie Delos Reyes 1 0-1 2, Keoni Kahoalii 2 1-2 5, Joseph Akaka 7 5-12 19, Kinohi Kelly-Paleka 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 24-37 76.

Lana'i 25 9 12 24—70

Moloka'i 15 17 19 25—76

3-Point Goals—Lana'i 12 (Bolo 6, Haban 4, Agtarap 2), Moloka'i 4 (Ritte-Manangan 2, Kalipi, Rapanot Jr.). Total Fouls—Lana'i 23, Moloka'i 13. Fouled Out—Donato.

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