A transfer and a rookie coach teamed up to give McKinley its second consecutive O'ahu Interscholastic Association Girls White Conference championship last night.

The Tigers defeated Kailua, 44-41, in overtime to improve to 14-1. They will receive a first-round bye in next week's Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Division II State Championships. The Surfriders, who also will represent the OIA in the state tournament, fell to 12-3 before a crowd of about 350 at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium.

McKinley trailed 29-21 after three quarters, but inched its way back to force overtime, where Tatiana Dinson scored all five Tigers' points.

Dinson, playing her first season at McKinley after transferring from Castle, led the Tigers with a game-high 16 points. Kylie Sato added 13 points.

"Basketball is a game of many plays," said McKinley coach Abel Werner, who took over for Bob Morikuni this season. "The team that wins will make the last big play and we did, luckily."

Kailua held a 39-33 lead with just under a minute left in regulation. But the Tigers closed the deficit on Allyson Villanueva's 3-pointer from the top of the key.

Sato stole the ball on the ensuing Kailua possession, split a pair of defenders, drew a foul and made the basket. Her free throw with 46 seconds left tied it at 39.

"I told my team, 'You've got to believe in each other,' " said Werner. "Keep believing, keep believing, keep believing."

Sato was whistled for a charge with five seconds left, but the Kailua attempt was no good and the game headed to overtime.

After misses from behind the arc by Sato and Villanueva, Dinson grabbed the rebound, sank the basket and drew a foul. She completed the three-point play to put McKinley up 42-39.

Kailua's Sola Williams made the front end of one-and-one to cut it to two. But Dinson answered with a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left to extend McKinley's lead.

Aui Williams' free throw made it a three-point game, but the Tigers ran out the clock.

Sato and Pearl Togiai both fouled out and Werner looked to Dinson for some offense.

"(Werner) told me to step up my game and to play together as a team," said Dinson.

"The thing about McKinley basketball is we got some girls that probably could start on some other teams. I told her, 'This is your time to shine,' " said Werner.

Two of the Surfriders' losses this season have come at the hands of the Tigers. McKinley's lone defeat came on Jan. 6 at Kailua.

KAILUA (12-3) 13 10 6 10 2 — 41

MCKINLEY (14-1) 9 9 3 18 5 — 44

KAILUA — Kristen Corrales 5, Tawnny Kiko 0, Sola Williams 3, Aui Williams 4, Tianna McKeague 0, Zsalei Kamaka 11, Ka'u Kohatsu 8, Ashley Jacobs 4, Tia Navarro 6, Kahealani Chang 0. Totals 12 16-21 41.

MCKINLEY — Jackie Tihano 4, Crystal Tafai 0, Kylie Sato 13, Pearly Togiai 4, Tatiana Dinson 16, Chelsea Taele 0, Jorina Faletoi 2, Allyson Villanueva 5. Totals 15 13-19 44.

3-point field goals — Kailua 1 (Corrales). McKinley 1 (Villanueva).

Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.