For Kaimuki, the repeat was twice as sweet.

The Bulldogs overcame 2007 nemesis Kalaheo, 56-45, last night to win their second straight O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys basketball championship before a raucous crowd of about 1,100 at McKinley's Student Council Gym.

Kaimuki, ranked No. 5 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, improved to 11-5 in the regular and postseason, and will receive the OIA's No. 1 seed and first round bye in next week's state tournament.

"This one feels way better, especially for all us seniors, we're going out with a bang," said Bulldogs power forward Keone Reyes, who finished with 16 points last night despite early foul trouble. "The whole team, the juniors and the sophomores, supported us all year and we did it together."

To pull off the school's first repeat title, Kaimuki had to endure a surprising five-loss regular season that included two defeats to No. 4-ranked Kalaheo (12-3) and a stunning upset by Roosevelt (3-9).

But the Bulldogs peaked in the playoffs, knocking off OIA Western Division champ Mililani, 59-52, in the quarterfinals on the Trojans' home floor, holding off No. 10 Radford, 68-59, in Thursday's semifinals, and then avenging the two losses to the Mustangs with a strong finish last night.

Reyes and Beau Albrechtson swished back-to-back 3-pointers late in the third period to break a 31-31 tie and lead an 8-0 run, and Kaimuki never trailed again. The two post players combined for five 3-pointers on the night.

"They weren't guarding us on the outside," said Albrechtson. "So when we had the open shot, we took it."

The strategy worked in the first period, as Reyes drained two 3s and Albrechtson added one to help the Bulldogs go up, 14-8. Kalaheo then rallied back in the second quarter, but senior guard Daniel Colon sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Kaimuki a 26-25 halftime lead.

The Bulldogs led despite Reyes sitting out the final 4 minutes, 13 seconds after picking up his third foul.

"I thought we didn't take advantage of that as much as we should have," Mustangs coach Chico Furtado said.

Reyes also sat out the first three-plus minutes of the third period, and Kalaheo managed to tie it at 31-31 on a layup by Cliffton Pires. But Reyes answered with a 3-pointer from the top of the key, and Albrechtson followed with another 3 and then slammed home a two-handed dunk after a steal to put the Bulldogs up, 39-31, with 1:02 left in the third quarter.

The Mustangs cut it to 41-39 on Tyler Caswell's putback with 5:35 left in the game, but Colon scored on a layup and a putback to start an 8-0 run, and Kaimuki stayed in control the rest of the way.

"This feels like such a relief, after all the doubts this season," Albrechtson said. "All our hard work paid off in the end."

KALAHEO (12-3) 8 17 8 12 — 45

KAIMUKI (11-5) 14 12 13 17 — 56

KAIMUKI — Daniel Colon 14, Chezz Ramos-Dias 0, Craig Cabudol 0, Brandon Madamba 2, Bryan Lim 0, Chauncey Nicola 2, Kamahoi Cookman 0, Maka Nahinu 4, Ryan Kakitani 1, Keone Reyes 16, Beau Albrechtson 17, David Taulung 0. Totals 19 12-22 56.

KALAHEO — Alika Kaanapu 0, Cody vonAppen 3, Koa Siliga 4, Taylor Jay 3, Keano Bruhn 0, Bruce Andrews 0, Tyler Caswell 7, Cheynne Lishman 7, Chase Moses 9, Cliffton Pires 7, DJ Chang 0, Deaux Burns 2, Aaron Fernandez 3. Totals 15 8-14 45. 3-point goals: Kaimuki 6 (Reyes 3, Albrechtson 2, Colon). Kalaheo 7 (Moses 2, vonAppen, Lishman, Jay, Siliga, Fernandez).

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.