PUKALANI — After a game like Tuesday night’s Maui Interscholastic League Division I boys basketball tournament final, doing it one more time brought smiles to nearly everyone involved.

Kamehameha Schools Maui forced a winner-take-all showdown for the MIL title after beating Baldwin 42-40 in a drama-filled contest that went to the final buzzer.

Kale Spencer scored 24 points for the Warriors and is looking forward to tonight’s game between the two teams that have both already clinched state tournament berths. The overall championship game is set for King Kekaulike Gym at 7 p.m.

“Great team win, we just had to push through and just get it done,” Spencer said. “I love it, the intensity is high, the crowd is loud. I just love the energy, it’s great. I love playing in these moments.”

The Bears led 20-19 at halftime before Spencer’s inside basket gave the Warriors a 21-20 lead early in the third quarter.

Baldwin’s Quintan Akaka grabbed a rebound of his own miss, scored and completed a three-point play with 6:16 to go in the third, and Kobe Gonzales followed with a breakaway layup to make it 25-21 Bears.

After a Kamehameha Maui free throw, Spencer nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game 25-25 at the 4:45 mark of the third.

Gonzales made two free throws to give the Bears a 27-25 lead with 4:23 left in the third, but Po’okela Aiu nailed a 3 to give the Warriors the lead 28-27 a minute later.

Spencer corralled a rebound and put it back to push the lead to 30-27 with 2:51 left in the third.

After a Bears basket, Akaka nailed a corner 3 to give Baldwin a 32-30 lead. Gonzales then made a free throw to make it 33-30 Baldwin going to the fourth quarter.

Hudson Yarbrough scored from the paint off a nifty pass from Alex Murata to push the Bears’ lead to 35-30, but Spencer answered with a 3 to bring the Warriors back within two, igniting a 12-5 Kamehameha Maui run to the finish line.

Richie Davenport made a free throw with 3:59 to play to pull the Warriors within 35-34. Moments later, Dylan Schnitzer finished a fast break to give the Warriors a 36-35 lead with 3:08 to go.

Schnitzer then made a beautiful alley-oop pass to Spencer, who put it home off the glass to up the Warriors’ lead to 38-35.

Aiu found Kaniau Chow underneath for a layup to push the lead to 40-35, and Baldwin coach Cody Tesoro called timeout with 1:25 left.

Yarbrough missed a corner 3, Schnitzer was fouled and made one free throw with 58 seconds left. Yarbrough scored quickly inside and Akaka banked home a long 3 to bring the Bears within 41-40 with 15 seconds left.

Spencer was immediately fouled, missed the first free throw and made the second to give the Warriors their final margin.

“Whether we win or lose tomorrow, these types of games are essential for us to make a run at states,” Spencer said. “I love it.”

Kamehameha Maui coach Angus Peters III called his last timeout after Spencer’s free throw. Gonzales brought the ball up the floor and missed a 3, then the Bears missed two desperation putback attempts to set up more drama tonight.

The Warriors (8-2) beat the Bears 65-52 earlier this month in the final regular-season game for both.

“We told the boys ‘one game at a time’ — we took care of two, now we have got to go get the third one,” Peters said. “They’re a tough team, they’re well-coached, tough to play and their boys play hard, so it’s going to be a fun one again.”

Tesoro agreed. Yarbrough led the Bears with 17 points and Akaka added 13.

“I love it, I love it and, you know, ultimately it is just preparing us for states,” Tesoro said. “Because this is exactly what a state-caliber game feels like. So whether you’re the 1 seed, the 2 seed, we certainly want to handle our business and take the 1 seed (from the MIL), but these kind of games prepare you for the state tournament.

“They got players, we do, too. We just gotta come back, regroup, watch some film and be ready to go tomorrow.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

BALDWIN (8-2)

Chaz Villados 0, Alex Murata 3, Kobe Gonzales 5, Brody Reformina 2, Xyler Nakamura 0, Jayden Torres-Leeber 0, Darren Castillo 0, Hudson Yarbrough 17, Naliko Chung 0, Trotter Apo 0, Quintan Akaka 13.

KAMEHAMEHA MAUI (8-2)

Logan Rickard 0, Richie Davenport 3, Po’okela Aiu 6, Nahale Dukelow 0, Brevin Carillo 0, Frank Abreu 0, Dylan Schnitzer 7, Kale Spencer 24, Cody Gardanier 0, Kahiau Chow 2.

Baldwin 14 6 13 7–40

Kamehameha Maui 12 7 11 12–42