Three years after a 3-7 season resulted in a demotion to Division II, Roosevelt's girls basketball team is champion of the entire O'ahu Interscholastic Association for the first time since 1982.

The Rough Riders raced past Kalaheo, 52-33, last night to win the title before a vocal crowd of about 800 at McKinley's Student Council Gym. They also earned a bye and likely top two seed for next week's state tournament at Stan Sheriff Center.

"This is what our season was all about, we had dreams of this," said Roosevelt senior Tati Beasley, in between hugs from excited family and friends, and buried under a stack of lei. "When we came in to the gym (in February), we looked at what we got and said, 'If we really want this, we gotta go out and get it.' We worked hard, and all that hard work turned into this."

The Rough Riders (14-1) came out blazing last night, jumping to a 12-2 lead in the game's first six minutes. Kalaheo (11-4) closed it to 14-7 by the end of the period, but Roosevelt stretched it to 24-12 by halftime, ending the second quarter with a 7-0 run.

The closest the Mustangs got in the second half was 32-26, after Hoku Kaiu-Denning's baseline jumper with 2:52 remaining in the third period. But the Rough Riders again responded, ending the quarter with a 5-0 run, and never allowed Kalaheo to get within 10 points the rest of the way.

"We took control and kept the intensity up," said Beasley, who finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds, one block and one steal. "We wanted to kick butt in the paint and dominate."

Tiana Sugui added 12 points, Iwalani Rodrigues had 11 points and five rebounds, Shannon Miyashiro had nine points and four rebounds, and point guard Dianna Zane contributed two points, three steals and two assists.

"Their starting five is very good," Mustangs coach Chico Furtado said. "They have so much offensive firepower. They're very athletic, and we needed to keep them off the glass, but we didn't do that."

Roosevelt's tight 2-3 zone defense also held Kalaheo's top two scorers — Shanadee Canon and Kendra Fischer — to a combined nine points and three field goals.

"We wanted to make sure we recognized where Shanadee and Kendra were at all times," Rough Riders coach Bobby Keanini said. "We also did not want to give them free throws; we wanted to make them earn everything."

Keanini, in his 11th year as Roosevelt's head coach, said winning the OIA has been an annual goal.

"We've been fortunate to have good players come into the program, and we have some mature seniors," he said. "We put this down as a goal every year — this is what we've wanted."

ROOSEVELT (14-1) 14 10 13 15 — 52

KALAHEO (11-4) 7 5 14 7 — 33

ROOSEVELT — Iwalani Rodrigues 11, Tati Beasley 15, Dianna Zane 2, Tiana Sugui 12, Noelle Kawelo 2, Shandree Amstead 1, Shannon Miyashiro 9, Kayleen Ka'aiai 0, Mahie Rattley 0, Kanani Young 0. Totals 19 11-21 52.

KALAHEO — Hoku Kaiu-Denning 2, Delicia Wilson 7, Lohi Aweau 0, Nova Bird 0, Anu Ah Yun 0, Shanadee Canon 3, Brianne Villarosa 0, Caira Pires 0, Kendra Fischer 6, Kaliko Kepa 15. Totals 13 6-12 33. 3-point goals — Kalaheo 1 (Wilson); Roosevelt 3 (Sugui 2, Rodrigues).

KAHUKU 42, RADFORD 36

Artevia Wily scored 16 points to lead the Red Raiders over the Rams for third place. Both teams had already clinched state tournament berths.

KAHUKU (11-5) 10 7 10 15 — 42

RADFORD (12-3) 8 13 6 9 — 36

KAHUKU — Camilla Ah-Hoy 9, Lenora Nauahi 2, Ane Vea 5, Lily Latu 6, Artevia Wily 16, Nicole Nautu 2, Kaimi Ah Puck 0, Salote Livai 0, Kenra Moe 2, Christine Meredith 0. Totals 14 13-21 42.

RADFORD — Leslie Lazo 0, Nicole Grebe 0, Celina Cruz 0, Ashley Rioux 4, Marlena Malepeai 17, Francis Respicio 2, Brittini Fuller 6, Kiara Dykes 0, Kamia Smith 5, Chelsea-Ann Villanueva 2, Gabby Rellin 0, Marsharen DuPont 0, Chadney Thompson 0. Totals 10 16-19 36.

3-point goals—Kahuku 1 (Wily); Radford 0.

Reported by Jeselle Macalam

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.