Maui Preparatory Academy completed a 17-0 run to the Heide & Cook/HHSAA Division II boys basketball state title with a 65-35 win over Kaimuki today at the Neal Blaisdell Arena.

The margin of victory was the largest in the history of the Division II state final — the first was played in 2007, although there was no game played last season due to COVID-19.

The state team crown is the first of any kind for the 81-student private school in Napili.

“Man, I’m so happy for our kids, they put in a lot of work, a lot of sacrifices in the offseason,” co-head coach Zach Bailey said. “Happy for our school, our history — this is one that these kids and our players will remember forever.”

It is also the first state boys basketball title for the Maui Interscholastic League since Lahainaluna won the A Division state title in 1982 — that tournament ran from 1965-82. St. Anthony also won the A Division title in 1977, the only other boys basketball crown in MIL history until Saturday.

Drew Triplett, The Maui News MIL D-II Player of the Year in 2020, led the way for Na Pueo with 10 points, 16 assists and eight rebounds. Jimmy Falk added 17 points, while Dylan Falk and Levi Basurto each had 12 points.

Triplett was proud to make a little history for the MIL.

“It’s crazy,” Triplett said. “Seabury (Hall) and Baldwin were here tonight supporting us and a ton of people from our school community came. For Maui especially, just bringing it back home to the whole island, it’s amazing.

“The whole island, pretty much everybody from all places, people who used to live there, they were all supporting us and everybody came together to give us the support we needed to fight through because these were a tough last three days, mentally, physically. But everybody was rallying behind us and I’m excited for them, for our school.”

Na Pueo shot 23 of 45 from the field (51.1 percent) and 8 of 18 from 3-point range (44.4 percent). MPA held Kaimuki to 16-for-44 shooting (36.4 percent) and 3 of 14 from 3-point range (21.4 percent).

After trailing 15-14 at the end of the first quarter, Na Pueo took control with a 17-4 advantage in the second quarter. They upped the lead to 22 points going to the fourth quarter.

Read full coverage in the Monday edition of The Maui News.