This Hawaii high school boys basketball season has been filled with parity and chaos in the statewide rankings.
How else would it be reasonable that a No. 2 team (Kailua) beats the No. 1 squad (Maryknoll), but drops two spots in the new poll? Kailua’s 42-40 win over the Spartans on Day 1 of the Moanalua Invitational last week was quite a feat considering that four Surfriders were ailing with illness or injury.
Center Noa Donnelly (19 points) and feverish guard Maddox Pung (17 points) were brilliant in the close win. However, Kailua lost to Seaside (Ore.) a day later, 47-45. On Day 3, ‘Iolani jolted Kailua, 49-39.
Saint Louis, the No. 1 team in the season’s debut poll, swept through four games on Maui and collected the most first-place votes, seven. However, it is Maryknoll that remains at No. 1 while Saint Louis and Punahou share the second banana spot.
Punahou opened nonconference play with a 61-59 loss to a then-healthy Leilehua squad two weeks ago. Since then, the Buffanblu have been stellar with guard Dillon Keller and bigs James Taras and Ayndra Uperesa-Thomas leading the way. The Buffanblu won their Punahou Invitational, rallying from a seven-point deficit twice to edge Mililani for a second time in as many weeks, 66-62.
In all, five teams received at least one first-place vote from the panel of coaches and media. Mililani slipped two notches to No. 6 after playing without 6-foot-7 Timothy Dorn, who has a calf injury.
Leilehua, playing with 6-4 wing Trystin Stevens, lost to Kaimuki, 57-55, in the semifinals of the Kaimuki Invitational. Bulldogs senior Jeremiah White splashed a corner 3 as time expired for the win.
Maryknoll, Punahou and Kahuku began play in the annual Pete Smith Classic on Monday at Kalaheo.
Bonus shots: Mainland teams were outstanding here last week. Defending Nevada state champion Liberty won the inaugural Merv Lopes Classic at Farrington, beating Kahuku, 76-62 in the semifinals.
Rocklin (Calif.) routed all three foes to capture the Kaimuki Invitational title.
Seaside played just two games Moanalua’s tourney and won both by narrow margins. The best mainland team in that tourney, and, perhaps, in any of the events was Eleanor Roosevelt (Calif.). Led by five-star prospect Brayden Burries, they went 2-0 in the tournament with an 87-46 win over Campbell, a 74-46 win over Maryknoll.
The ‘Iolani Prep Classic begins on Dec. 18 and features St. John Bosco (Calif.), ranked No. 11 in the MaxPreps national rankings.
Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10
Monday, Dec. 11, 2023
Rank School (1st) (Record) Pts LW
1. Maryknoll (2) (7-2) 119 1
> next: vs. Nanakuli, Monday
> next: vs. Kahuku or Punahou, Tuesday
2. (tie) Punahou (3) (6-1) 115 6
> next: vs. No. 9 Kahuku, Monday
> next: vs. Nanakuli or Maryknoll, Tuesday
2. (tie) Saint Louis (7) (7-1) 115 3
> next: vs. Trinity Grammar (Melbourne), Wednesday
4. Kailua (2) (7-3) 112 2
> next: vs. Radford, Tuesday
5. ‘Iolani (1) (7-2) 95 7-T
> next: at Kaiser, Friday
6. Mililani (7-2) 82 4
>> next: vs. DeMatha (Md.),
7. University (5-1) 55 7-T
> bye
> next: at McKinley, Tuesday
8. Kahuku (7-1) 48 9
> next: vs. No. 6 Punahou, Monday,
> next: vs. Nanakuli or Maryknoll, Tuesday
9. Leilehua (8-2) 38 5
> next: vs. Trinity Grammar (Melbourne), Thursday
10. Kamehameha (5-4) 22 10
> next: at Aiea, Saturday
Also receiving votes: Kalaheo 9, Kohala 5, Kaimuki 4, Nanakuli 4, Kapaa 2.
