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Simultaneous, unanimous No. 1 in both boys and girls basketball doesn’t happen often.
Maryknoll made it happen. The Spartans boys collected all 15 first-place votes to remain at No. 1 in the Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10 this week. The Spartans girls became a unanimous No. 1 for the first time this season.
The boys did it with wins over Punahou (46-39), Kamehameha (49-34) and ‘Iolani (46-43), all on the road. Coach Kelly Grant’s methodology, approaching every possession of every game — regular season, preseason, summer league — as if it was the last chance in a state-championship game has fortified Maryknoll.
Grant was a sharpshooting guard in the 1980s at Maryknoll, then HPU. Maryknoll’s penchant for getting elite on-ball defense from its scorers — guards Zion Milare and Hunter Muramoto have shown potential All-Defensive Team chops — is not common.
The rest of the Top 5 did some shuffling, with Punahou slipping to No. 5 and ‘Iolani moving up to No. 2. The Buffanblu began ILH play 0-2 before closing the week with a lopsided win over Mid-Pacific.
Kamehameha also started 0-2 in league play following a season-ending injury to guard Chaseston Ponteras. The Warriors gave Saint Louis its first loss, 51-43, on Saturday to avoid a winless week.
No. 4 Mililani and No. 9 Campbell are on course for a key OIA West matchup. If the Trojans (12-3, 6-0) get past Nanakuli, and the Sabers (15-4, 4-0) beat Waianae and Kapolei, Friday’s showdown may pack the gym in Mililani.
Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10
Jan. 9, 2023
Rank School (1st) (Record) Pts LW
1. Maryknoll (15) (20-2, 3-0 ILH) 150 1
> won at No. 4 ‘Iolani 46-43, Saturday
> next: vs. Mid-Pacific, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
2. ‘Iolani (14-7, 2-1 ILH) 116 4
> lost to No. 1 Maryknoll 46-43, Saturday
> next: at Saint Louis, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
3. Saint Louis (17-4, 2-1 ILH) 113 3
> lost to No. 9 Kamehameha 51-43, Saturday
> next: vs. ‘Iolani, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
4. Mililani (12-3, 6-0 OIA) 104 5
> def. Aiea 77-45, Saturday
> next: at Nanakuli, Wednesday
5. Punahou (15-5, 1-2 ILH) 96 2
> won at Mid-Pacific 82-33, Saturday
> next: vs. Kamehameha, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
6. Kailua (17-4, 8-0 OIA) 75 6
> won at Kalani 71-34, Wednesday
> next: vs. Kaiser, Friday
7. Leilehua (11-6, 4-1 OIA) 55 7
> def. Pearl City 70-22, Saturday
> next: at Aiea, Wednesday
8. Kamehameha (11-11, 1-2 ILH) 41 9
> won at No. 3 Saint Louis 51-43, Saturday
> next: at Punahou, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
9. Campbell (15-4, 4-0 OIA) 39 8
> won at Radford 67-33, Friday
> next: at Waianae, Monday
> next: vs. Kapolei, Wednesday
10. Kahuku (12-3, 5-1 OIA) 28 10
> def. Castle 75-30, Saturday
> next: at Farrington, Wednesday
Also receiving votes: Roosevelt 3, Kapaa 2, University 2, Moanalua 1.
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