The Pine Lads had lost three times in the last two seasons with state tournament berths on the line — in the MIL tournament final to Lahainaluna in 2006 and last season in a regular-season championship playoff game to Moloka'i and in the MIL tournament final to Seabury Hall.

Lana'i finished the regular season 9-1 and Moloka'i 8-2. Both teams will be back in action this week in the MIL tournament, which will decide the overall league title.

Pine Lads coach Jimmy Fernandez said the win might be the biggest in the history of Lana'i boys basketball.

"I think so, I really think it is,'' Fernandez said to The Maui News. "From 1984 to now, I think this is as big as any game I can ever remember. I really can't say there has ever been a bigger one. We are 9-1, this is the best record we have had as long as I have been here, and that is 19 seasons. As a school, for our community, and for our team, as far as the game of basketball goes, this is as big as it has ever been for us.''

Lana'i trailed 20-15 at halftime, but took command of the game by outscoring Moloka'i 18-7 in the third quarter.

Moloka'i coach Lee DeRouin said his team struggled with foul trouble for the second straight night. Lana'i beat the Farmers 58-56 on Friday to force the winner-take-all regular-season finale.

"Again we were experiencing foul trouble tonight,'' DeRouin said. "Our point guard, Herbert Antolin, got his fifth foul in the third quarter and we were just trying to mix and match the best we could after that. We had big trouble staying out of foul trouble.''

Farmers center Joseph Akaka also was in foul trouble, and leading scorer Kaden Tabil, who finished with a team-high 12 points, missed time in the first half after he got his second foul in the first quarter.

The Pine Lads trailed 11-7 after one quarter.

Lana'i's Chris Ganer made two 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. Dustin Donato scored 12 points, and Russell Lamay had 10.

DeRouin said the homecoming crowd in a packed Lana'i gym was impressive.

"Their crowd was into it big time,'' he said. "The Lana'i community supported their team in a big, big way. It felt like a college atmosphere. It was like a Duke-North Carolina game; it was awesome.''

Fernandez said the community has been behind his team all season, but especially this weekend. He estimated the standing-room-only crowd to be about 500 on Saturday, or about 25 percent of the island's population.

"I think this is a big thing for our community, a big win for our school, it has been great walking around during the weekend,'' Fernandez said. "The community has been all over the place congratulating us, saying, 'You guys have a big game.' I know this was a tough game for Moloka'i to play us both nights because the crowds were so supportive. Last night it was packed and tonight it was even more packed.''

With the history, especially recently, it was a win that Fernandez will not forget.

"Well, I'll tell you, we had three chances where it slipped away from us the last couple years, so we knew we were due for something,'' he said. "I am real proud of this team for accomplishing this, especially my five seniors. We are just letting this sink in.''

Moloka'i 11 9 7 12—39

Lana'i 7 8 18 18—51

Leading scorers—Mol: Kaden Tabil 12. Lan: Chris Ganer 16, Dustin Donato 12, Russell Lamay 10.

KA'AHUMANU HOU BOYS 42, HANA 39

At Hana's gym, Byong Jung had 14 points and Aaron Wright added 11 points to lead the Ali'i Lions (3-7).

Joshua Helekahi and Kapena Kaiwi each scored nine points in the loss for the Dragons (1-9).

KING KEKAULIKE BOYS 63, MAUI 52

At Kahului, Chris Curtis had 17 points and Josh Engoring added 15 for visiting King Kekaulike (3-9).

Garrett Gunt added 11 points for Na Ali'i.

The Sabers (0-12) were led by Matt Brown's 13 points.

MAUI GIRLS 56, KING KEKAULIKE 44

The host Sabers warmed up for this week's Maui Interscholastic League Division I tournament with a win over King Kekaulike.

The Sabers (8-4) outscored Na Ali'i (1-11) in each quarter to steadily pull away. Maui got 13 points from Jazmine Corpuz, 12 from Ariel Gaoiran, and 11 from Chynna Ramelb.

King Kekaulike was led by Mykel Love's 23. Love had nine of Na Ali'i's 17 field goals.

HANA GIRLS 50, KA'AHUMANU HOU 10

At Hana's gym, Sanoe Kalalau-Haole scored 16 points, and Cheyenne Kalama-Kekona added 14 for the Dragons (4-6).

Brianna Kaiwi had five points to lead Ka'ahumanu Hou (0-10).