Boys basketball

In so many ways, the Hawaii Baptist Eagles were up to the challenge when they hosted No. 3 St. Francis on Friday night. What the Eagles didn’t know is how hot the visitors would be from 3-point range — 15-for-26! — in an 87-54 win over HBA. >> The visiting Saints had a modest 29-27 rebounding edge. St. Francis grabbed nine offensive rebounds while the Eagles had a whopping 12 offensive caroms. But the numbers are slightly skewed. St. Francis […]

When Kalaheo beat Farrington 102-94 in an OIA boys basketball game more than three decades ago, it was about talent and transition and depth. No one knew then that it would remain the highest-scoring game by a losing team for years on end. But those two teams had the depth to keep the scoreboard operator in workout mode. On paper, a major ILH D-II matchup between high scoring St. Francis and Hawaii Baptist would seem to be a candidate to […]

They were, during different stretches in the Darren Matsuda era, a run-and-gun outfit that loved to play at breakneck speed. At times, the top-ranked Punahou Buffanblu are still that team. But more than ever, the senior-heavy squad opts for efficiency over extravagance. The result? Three wins and no losses to start the gauntlet of Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys basketball. Tonight’s 66-59 win over No. 2 Kamehameha was mostly uptempo, though neither team gambled excessively on defense with fullcourt traps. […]

We have reached a point in the high school boys basketball season when everything has been sifted through. We know Punahou is the cream of the crop. No, wait. Is it Kamehameha? It’s one of those two, and that’s backed with facts and results. But now is just now. The season is still young. St. Francis is done with tackling Division I powerhouses until next season, though I’m all for a few exhibition games between the Saints and ‘Iolani or […]

Coaches and media gave Punahou nine of 10 first-place votes as the Buffanblu remained at No. 1 in the Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10 released Monday. Punahou edged Maryknoll 47-42 and Mid-Pacific 46-39 last week to open Interscholastic League of Honolulu play. The Buffanblu are 18-1 overall. The only loss came against Lincoln (Calif.). Kamehameha (15-3, 2-0 ILH) received one first-place vote for the second week in a row. St. Francis (18-3) remained at No. 3, the highest ranking for […]

The Kaiser Cougars are searching for a few good men. The line of defense has been in need of fortification, coach Branden Kawazoe said. They took a big step toward building that wall on Friday with a 70-52 win over Kaimuki at the Cougars’ gym. “We started the game better than we have before,” Kawazoe said. “We had a good hour-and-a-half film session yesterday and a 30-minute session before the game today. We’re just trying to focus on defensive intensity, […]

What can a coach say to his team after playing well enough to beat just about any team in the state? The Maryknoll Spartans limited No. 1 Punahou to 36-percent shooting (12-for-33), battled the visitors evenly (24-all) on the boards, and had a 17-6 lead after one quarter. Kelly Grant was far from upset about his team’s 47-42 loss in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu opener. Fourth-ranked Maryknoll needed a few more hits from the perimeter and a few more […]

There is a rule in the pristine gymnasium of Kahuku High School. Thomas Walker, for whom the gym is named after, might approve. The rule is simple. During drills, the Red Raiders will intermittently shoot free throws. For posts like Tolu Smith, the minimum is 7-for-10 at the line. Anything less means four full-court sprints for each miss below seven. Or more. It’s no easier for the guards, who actually have a threshold of eight. Anything less than 8-for-10 at […]