KAHULUI — In a battle to the end of the season, in virtually every way, the Kamehameha Schools Maui boys basketball team claimed the Maui Interscholastic League Division I title on Thursday.

In an overall championship game that seemed improbable just two days ago, the Warriors beat Lahainaluna 47-37 at the Shine Matsui Athletic Center to win their school’s third league title in boys basketball and first since going back-to-back in 2007 and 2008.

“It’s unbelievable man, this whole season has been a grind and it’s not my first time, but I feel like I can sit back and relax a little bit,” Po’o Aiu said after scoring a game-high 19 points for the champions. “But we’re back at it (soon).”

The Warriors (10-5) will be in the quarterfinals next week in the Heide & Cook/HHSAA state tournament on Oahu. The Lunas (10-5) will host Kailua in a first-round game on Monday.

Aiu scored 43 points in three games in the last three days, including 15 against the Lunas in the MIL tournament final on Wednesday and nine key points and stellar play in an overtime win over Baldwin when the Warriors trailed by six points with 30 seconds to go on Tuesday.

Kamehameha Maui led the MIL standings early in the season before finishing the regular season on a 1-4 skid and falling to the No. 3 seed in the tournament.

Aiu wore an MIL championship gold medal, a wide smile and had a newly opened packet of Skittles in his hand postgame as he talked about the title.

“Our coach has been preaching to us since we’ve been downhill, he said ‘Believe,’ and we knew we were down, but we just said we’re that team and we believed until that last second,” Aiu said. “We worked hard, we worked hard and we won it man.”

Down one point going to the fourth quarter, Aiu stepped to the free-throw line and made both in a one-and-one situation with 7:11 to play to give his team a 31-30 lead.

Aiu followed with a 3-pointer before the Lunas eventually tied the game at 36-36 on a drive by Kana’au Castro with 4:02 to go.

A minute later, Frank Abreu sank two free throws to put the Warriors ahead 38-36 before a free throw by Kade Cunningham pulled the Lunas within one.

Aiu then drove for a layup to make it 40-37, Kamahiwa Molitau drew an offensive foul at the other end to give the ball back with 1:20 to go and then Dylan Schnitzer made four free throws and Aiu added three more to account for the final margin.

The road to the title was the same one traveled by the 2008 Kamehameha Maui team coached by Lance Cagasan, who is now the principal and whose son Cade Cagasan is a key member of this team. The 2008 team had to beat Baldwin in the MIL tournament semifinals and then the Lunas twice to grab the title.

“It’s crazy, man, we’re starting a new legacy,” Aiu said.

Kamehameha Maui coach Angus Peters III was a member of the school’s original graduating class in 2006 and played for Lance Cagasan.

“It’s been a while, that’s for sure,” Peters said. “It’s the boys, from day one they believed they were champions and they said they would be champions and they never stopped until they got it.”

The loss was a tough one for the Lunas, but coach T.J. Rickard said his team would bounce back in time for their game on Monday. Castro led the Lunas with 15 points.

“I mean, since that Baldwin game a couple nights ago they just gained the momentum and they’re still rolling, man,” Rickard said. “Credit to them, they played really well.

“We’ll be ready. I mean, this one hurts, but hey, we’ve got no choice but to move on and be ready for Monday.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

LAHAINALUNA (10-5)

Kade Cunningham 8, Ian-Jay Cabanilla 2, Jayah Bayol 3, Kana’au Castro 15, Ryder Lombardi 0, Jacques Djurberg 2, Noah Flores Alexander 5, Tevainui Loft 2.

KAMEHAMEHA MAUI (10-5)

Frank Abreu 4, Cade Cagasan 5, Po’o Aiu 19, Noah Kalehuawehe 0, Dylan Schnitzer 10, Imai Kramer 1, Kaimi Kahalekai 0, Kamahiwa Molitau 8, Cody Gardanier 0.

Lahainaluna 6 10 14 7–37

KS Maui 7 11 11 18–47