Boys basketball

Outrage. Controversy. Flames of well-meaning criticism searing from the mouths of coaches and fans who saw the Kahuku-Anuenue score — final was 121-18, no typo – scorched the earth near and far. Star-Advertiser columnist Dave Reardon addressed the issue in Friday’s newspaper. Here’s a look back at the night that was, depending on how you look at it, awesome, ugly, played with sportsmanship, no mercy, with grace. A breakdown in four parts. DOOR NO. 1: THE GAME Fact: Kahuku (20-3 […]

The OIA boys basketball playoffs begin Thursday with undefeated Kahuku leading the way out of the East and undefeated Kapolei the top seed out of the West. Kalaheo, the defending OIA Division I champion, is the East’s No. 2 seed after winning the tiebreaker with Kailua and McKinley by virtue of beating both teams. OIA Boys Basketball Playoffs

A year after finishing third in the OIA West and making an early exit in the league playoffs, Kapolei deserved a chance to celebrate a division title on Friday night. But the Hurricanes didn’t have much chance to exult in a 58-42 win at Leilehua in a matchup of the division’s undefeated teams. Kapolei coach Gary Ellison and athletic director Darren Camello instead focused on keeping the Hurricanes varsity and JV players together near the gym exit while security quelled […]

Running a bit short of time with the OIA girls semifinals coming up tonight. My girls Top 10 ballot follow-up took more time than I expected, but here’s the Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10 and my ballot below. Honolulu Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10 Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017 1. Kahuku (15), 166 1 2. Punahou (2), 154 3 3. Maryknoll, 127 4 4. ‘Iolani, 125 2 5. Lahainaluna, 103 5 6. St. Francis, 59 6 7. Leilehua, 50 8 8. […]

The season is maturing and turning out to be one of the more interesting ones in recent seasons because of one reason: depth. Depth as in the number of quality teams out there, especially compared to girls basketball. Some of that has to do with homegrown development. Some has to do with imported talent, whether it’s Kahuku with island players who have returned along with a transfer from New Zealand, or McKinley with former Chicago resident Kevin Kim. The two […]

Here’s Monday’s Star-Advertiser boys basketball top 10, followed by my ballot. I’m not sold on the very young Leilehua Mules yet, and Kailua is vastly underrated here. The same team that beat then-No. 1 ‘Iolani and two mainland teams in the ‘Iolani Classic was mercilessly pulverized by voters because of last week’s loss to Kahuku. Where’s the balance and perspective, panelists? Classic example of recency bias, a term I don’t like, but fits. As for Lahainaluna, it’s not easy to […]