Boys basketball

Dan Fotu has been on a few journeys thanks to basketball and an adventurous spirit. No trip was a long as the one he made two weeks ago, flying from Auckland, New Zealand to Suva, Fiji to Honolulu, Hawaii. And, of course, a ride to Laie. Fotu has been here before, a young pre-teen watching older brother Isaac Fotu play basketball for Hawaii. Dan always loved the game, but had no expectations of playing high school ball in the islands. […]

Jessiya Villa was born and spent his early years in Hawaii. When his father, former Kamehameha hoops standout Kahi Villa, moved the family to Virginia, Jessiya had no idea what the future would hold. Today, he is back in Hawaii as a senior at Kahuku, playing for his uncle, Coach Brandyn Akana. The Red Raiders are coming off a remarkable third-place finish at the ‘Iolani Prep Classic, the highest finish by an island team since ‘Iolani took third in 2006. […]

The Kahuku Red Raiders are in rarified air after finishing third in the ‘Iolani Prep Classic on Wednesday. Kahuku outlasted Southwind (Tenn.) 55-51 in a gritty, grinding battle from start to finish. That gives Big Red, which beat Mount Vernon (N.Y.) and De La Salle (Calif.) to reach the semifinals. Kahuku is the first local team to finish third since ‘Iolani in 2006. “I’m so proud of the guys. They played really well this week,” Red Raiders coach Brandyn Akana […]

He has no idea how the hysteria started. “I have no idea,” said the most famous bench-warming player on the No. 1 prep basketball team in America, and possibly on all of planet earth. All Dillon Glendenning knew was that here he was, after his team’s big win, standing on the court at ‘Iolani School gym, surrounded by dozens of adoring fans, all kids. He had more fans wanting to take his photo than Corona del Sol standout Saben Lee, […]

Yesterday — Monday, Dec. 19, 2016 — was one of the most enjoyable days of prep basketball I can remember. From morning to night, a lot of great competition, and the Kahuku-De La Salle battle before a packed house was special. Having three island teams in the quarterfinals was rare enough, but Kahuku’s 56-51 win gives fans their first Hawaii team in the semifinal round since 2006, when Kawika Shoji sparked ‘Iolani to wins in the first two rounds. I’d […]