It is a brutal world in prep basketball for the ILH.
With the private-school league having just two state-tournament berths, ‘Iolani wound up getting the squeeze after losing to Maryknoll in the first-place tiebreaker series, then later losing again to Maryknoll in the league’s playoff tourney.
The Raiders went into last week ranked No. 1 in the Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10. They dropped to No. 6, and just like that, their season is over.
Saint Louis survived and advanced. The Crusaders beat Maryknoll to finish the regular season in a first-place tie, then won the first-place tiebreaker series with another victory over Maryknoll. Even a playoff loss to Punahou on Saturday didn’t deter the panel of coaches and media, who voted Saint Louis No. 1, just two points ahead of Mililani.
Mililani had more first-place votes than Saint Louis, 5-3, but also received a number of No. 3 and No. 4 votes.
No. 3 Maryknoll and No. 4 Punahou met on Monday night in an elimination game for the ILH playoff tourney title. The Spartans won and will meet Saint Louis on Wednesday for the ILH title.
Kailua, ‘Iolani, Campbell, Leilehua, Kamehameha and Kahuku round out the Top 10.
ILH and OIA championship games will be on Wednesday. The Heide & Cook/HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships begin on Monday.
Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10
Jan. 29, 2023
Rank School (1st) (Record) Pts LW
1. Saint Louis (3) (22-7, 7-3 ILH reg. season) 87 4
> def. No. 2 Maryknoll 53-43, Tuesday
> def. No. 2 Maryknoll 33-30, Thursday
> lost to No. 5 Punahou 51-44, Saturday
> next: vs. Maryknoll-Punahou winner, Wednesday
2. Mililani (5) (18-3, 10-0 OIA reg. season) 85 3
> def. Roosevelt 56-46, Friday
> next: vs. Leilehua, Monday, 7:30 p.m.
3. Maryknoll (1) (27-6, 7-3 ILH reg. season) 79 2
> lost at No. 4 Saint Louis 53-43, Tuesday
> won at No. 1 ‘Iolani 40-33, Wednesday
> lost at No. 4 Saint Louis 33-30, Thursday
> def. No. 1 ‘Iolani 42-28, Saturday
> next: vs. Punahou, Monday
4. Punahou (21-7, 5-5 ILH reg. season) 65 5
> lost at No. 1 ‘Iolani 55-42, Tuesday
> def. No. 8 Kamehameha, Friday
> won at No. 4 Saint Louis 51-44, Saturday
> next: at Maryknoll, Monday
5. Kailua (1) (20-4, 10-0 OIA reg. season) 63 6
> def. Kalaheo 64-52, Friday
> next: vs. Campbell, Monday, 5:30 p.m.
6. ‘Iolani (19-9, 7-3 ILH reg. season) 57 1
> def. Punahou 55-42, Tuesday
> lost to No. 2 Maryknoll 40-33, Wednesday
> def. Mid-Pacific 51-43, Friday
> lost at No. 2 Maryknoll 42-28, Saturday
7. Campbell (22-5, 10-1 OIA reg. season) 42 7
> def. Moanalua 65-54, Friday
> next: vs. No. 6 Kailua, Monday, 5:30 p.m.
8. Leilehua (17-7, 8-2 OIA reg. season) 32 9
> def. Kaiser 74-58, Thursday
> won at No. 10 Kahuku 53-49, Friday
> next: vs. Mililani, Monday, 7:30 p.m.
9. Kamehameha (14-16, 3-6 ILH reg. season) 24 8
> won at Mid-Pacific 64-25, Tuesday
> lost at No. 5 Punahou 64-52, Friday
10. Kahuku (16-4, 9-1 OIA reg. season) 7 10
> lost to No. 9 Leilehua 63-59, Friday
> next: vs. Roosevelt, Monday, 6:30 p.m.
Also receiving votes: Kohala 6, Moanalua 3.
