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Standout Saints unsure about future with school’s closure

By Paul Honda on January 8, 2019

They are humble gladiators with a simple dream, to bring the utmost success and glory to a tiny school in Manoa Valley. A lot changed, however, on Monday afternoon. When news hit campus, Jonan “Bubbah” Aina-Chaves may as well have been hit by a bolt of lightning. The prolific junior running back and his classmates learned that St. Francis would close its doors at the high school and middle school. The football team, which rose quickly to prominence over the […]

Hoopbook: Nicholson’s 60-point, 20-dunk game in 1966

By Paul Honda on January 8, 2019

This could start with a, “Once Upon a Time…” Jim Nicholson was a 6-foot-6 center at Saint Louis in 1966. In a chaotic basketball season that saw mass forfeitures across the then blended Interscholastic League of Honolulu, players were banned almost across the board for breaking a rule about offseason participation in non-school leagues. The late, great Bill Kwon chronicled the sad circus. (Click twice on the photo below to read the column.) Today, there are leagues for youths like […]

Polynesian Bowl hosts free showcase for student-athletes

By Billy Hull on January 8, 2019

The Polynesian Bowl Hall of Fame is hosting a Hawaii football showcase for current high school juniors and seniors this Sunday to kick off the 2019 Polynesian Bowl week in Hawaii. With help from Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc., the Polynesian Bowl is bringing over a minimum of 20 NCAA D-II and D-III, NAIA and junior college coaches to attend the showcase that is free to participate in. Polynesian Bowl coaches, many of whom who are former NFL and college […]


HAWAII GROWN: Tagovailoa: “Good is not good enough”

By Billy Hull on January 7, 2019

Alabama sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was very clear with his message after the Crimson Tide’s stunning 44-16 loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff national championship game tonight in Santa Clara, Calif. “Just five words. Good is not good enough,” Tagovailoa told reporters in the postgame press conference. The 2017 Saint Louis graduate, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting this year, finished 22-for-34 for 295 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Tagovailoa threw a pick-6 on […]

Hoopbook: How the state’s best fare against Top 10

By Paul Honda on January 7, 2019

Stopping short of Sagarin ratings and slightly more modernized forms of analytics, gauging high school hoops teams now — at roughly halfway through the season — can seem difficult. But the congestion involved with examining more than a dozen quality boys basketball teams, and perhaps as many as two dozen, can be simplified. One way is looking at a team’s win-loss mark against opponents who are or have been ranked in the Star-Advertiser Top 10. There are sometimes flaws, like […]

Govs, Lunas enter boys Top 10

By Paul Honda on January 7, 2019

The shuffle continued today for every team in the Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10 except for one. While Punahou remains atop the poll, Farrington and Lahainaluna entered for the first time this season. No. 9 Farrington (8-6) may be the hottest team in the Oahu Interscholastic Association after posting wins over then-No. 7 Moanalua and then-No. 9 Kalaheo in the past two weeks. The Governors are 3-0 in the East’s blended schedule. They will play in the OIA Division II […]

Kalani moves up to No. 5 in state

By Paul Honda on January 7, 2019

Seven weeks can be a long time, but the ‘Iolani Raiders haven’t peaked quite yet. ‘Iolani remains on top of the Star-Advertiser Girls Basketball Top 10 today after collecting nine out of 10 first-place votes from the panel of coaches and media. The Raiders (15-6, 6-1 Interscholastic League of Honolulu) returned from the East Coast and trounced Punahou 59-36 in their only action last week. Lahainaluna (12-4, 7-0 Maui Interscholastic League) received a first-place vote for a second week in […]

No. 4 Maryknoll 31-for-34 at FT line in win over No. 2 ‘Iolani

By Paul Honda on January 5, 2019

Strange as it may sound, Maryknoll gave up 14 3-pointers by ‘Iolani and still played well enough defensively to pull out a 62-54 road win on Saturday at the Raiders’ gym. Frank Felix scored 23 points and poured in seven treys, including four in the first quarter and two in the second, but it wasn’t enough for No. 2 ‘Iolani. The Raiders are now 0-1 in ILH play (9-6 overall) despite making all those treys, largely because the visiting Spartans […]