The Punahou Basketball Invitational has begun, and will run through Friday.
The Buffanblu, who won the tournament last year 68-54 over Kaiser, open tonight at 8 p.m. against Hamamatsu Tech. Punahou has won six of the last seven titles, with its only loss in that span coming to Kalaheo 41-40 in the 2014 championship.
No. 2 Punahou will have plenty of competition in this one, with tournament mainstay Wilson (Ore.) looming in the second round if it can get past Kamehameha II. Wilson reached the final of the tournament in 2009 and 2012 only to lose to the Buffanblu each time.
St. Francis, ranked No. 7 in the Star-Advertiser’s latest poll, is the only other ranked team on Punahou’s side of the bracket. The Saints play Bentley in the opening round.
No. 5 Kamehameha is the top-ranked Hawaii team on the other side of the bracket, facing Los Alamitos (Calif.). The Warriors and No. 10 Saint Louis could play in the winner’s bracket if they both win their first two games. The Crusaders beat Sherman County already today and meet Bishop Hendrickson in tomorrow’s quarterfinals.
Here is the complete bracket, it is being updated by the school as games finish:
Better yet, Punavision is streaming the tournament live here:
http://www.punahou.edu/webcasts/index.aspx
Here are the scores from the first day:
Punahou 90, Hamamatsu Tech (Japan) 57
Wilson (Ore.) 55, Kamehameha II 26
Santa Margarita (Calif.) 77, Kamehameha-Hawaii 35
St. Francis 65, Bentley (Calif.) 54
Sequoia (Calif.) 81, Damien 37
Los Alamitos (Calif.) 58, Kamehameha 54
Saint Louis 64, Sherman County (Ore.) 46
Bishop Hendricken (R.I.) 63, Punahou II 46
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