Jackson Swirsky had 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as Le Jardin outlasted Hawaii Baptist 79-61 to secure the ILH’s second and final Division II state-tournament berth on Friday night at Charles Wang Gymnasium.
Le Jardin (20-11 overall) will play in the Heide &Cook/HHSAA Boys Basketball Division II State Championships, which begin on Thursday.
The fast-breaking Bulldogs dominated the boards with 40 rebounds to 20 by HBA. Thirteen of their caroms were on the offensive glass.
Guard Shane Kitty tallied 15 points and seven rebounds, and Giovanni Olivia had 13 points. Laakea Kamahele came off the bench for 12 points and 10 rebounds, playing a key role in LJA’s press breaker. Le Jardin last played in the D-II state tournament two years ago when Swirsky was a sophomore.
“I think we got a better team now. We got a good group of seniors behind us. I think we’re ready to win this thing,” said Swirsky, a 6-foot-5 swingman. “We bought in as a team better this year. We bought into the culture that Coach brought here. We’re ready to go against anybody they make us play.”
In 2022, Le Jardin lost to OIA champion Kaimuki in the opening round, 74-61. The ’24 Division II state bracket had not been posted yet as of Friday, 8 p.m.
Senior guard Eli Shibuya capped a prolific career with 26 points, including 8-for-10 shooting at the free-throw line. Mathew Shigetani added 14 points, and Colton Wong had nine points for HBA (14-17 overall).
“I’m going to miss my coaching staff the most. They supported me and guided me into the player I am today,” said Shibuya, who finished the season averaging 22 points per game. “I’m so thankful to my teammates. Most of my buckets are them setting me up.”
The Bulldogs came out pressing full court and playing their run-and-gun style — under control. After Kai Kimhan hit a mid-range jumper and fed Kitty for a fast-break layup, Kitty scored on a baseline drive. That boosted Le Jardin to a 20-7 first-quarter lead.
A raucous crowd of Eagles and Bulldogs fans filled Wang Gymnasium. The home team led 35-22 at halftime, then extended the gap with a 6-1 run to begin the third quarter. After Kitty splashed a corner 3 and Swirsky knocked in a baseline jumper, Le Jardin led 41-23 with 6:02 to play in the third quarter.
HBA rallied with a 12-4 run, cutting the lead to 45-35 on a corner 3 by Devin Corpuz.
From there, the Bulldogs took command.
