High School Basketball

Using a different, last-minute defensive strategy, Punahou rallied from an eight-point third-period deficit Friday night to overtake Saint Louis and stun the Crusaders, 43-40, for its first HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship since 2018. A vocal and spirited crowd of 2,272 in SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center watched junior guard Dane Kellner score a […]

By Wes Nakama Short-handed Punahou held off upset-minded University, 49-46, in thrilling HHSAA Boys Basketball State Semifinal action Thursday night. A crowd of about 800 in McKinley’s Student Council Gym watched Tate Takamiya score 16 points and Zion White add 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Buff ‘n Blue improved to 27-8 and advanced to […]

Saint Louis dominated Leilehua 76-57 in the HHSAA Division I Quarterfinals, securing a spot in the semifinals against Kahuku tonight at 7 p.m. at McKinley. Pupu Sepulona and Shancin Revuelto led the Crusaders with 17 points each, while Caelan Fernando and Keanu Meacham added 11 apiece. Saint Louis set the tone early with a 24-9 […]

Kahuku punched its ticket to the HHSAA Division I State Semifinals with a 56-49 win over Baldwin. The Red Raiders took control in the second and third quarters, then held off a late Baldwin push to secure the victory. Ronin Naihe led Kahuku with 16 points, while Justus Daley added 15, all from beyond the […]

Trey Ambrozich delivered a dominant performance, scoring a career-high 28 points and finishing one rebound shy of a double-double to lead University Lab past Kailua, 51-45, in the HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball State Championship quarterfinals. The Jr. ‘Bows controlled most of the game but had to fend off multiple Surfrider rallies in the second […]

Punahou secured a spot in the HHSAA State Tournament semifinals with a commanding 67-53 victory over Kamehameha-Hawaii. The Buff ‘n Blue set the tone early, racing to a 25-11 first-quarter lead and maintaining control throughout the game. Ethan Chung led Punahou with 18 points, including three three-pointers, while Zion White posted a double-double with 16 […]

On this edition of the Student Section our guests were UH Men’s Basketball’s Aaron Hunkin-Claytor & Akira Jacobs, Kamehameha Girls Basketball State Champs Nihoa Dunn & Pomai Nakakura, and ‘Iolani Boys Soccer State Champs Devin Lee & Brody Awaya. Mahalo to Raising Cane’s, HCAMP, and HawaiiUSA FCU for supporting ESPN Honolulu’s The Student Section Show!

Kahuku avenged its earlier loss to Mililani with a 63-51 upset in the opening round of the HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball State Championships. Four Red Raiders scored in double figures, led by Kashus Daley’s 17 points, while Mystique Akina-Watson added 14. After falling to Mililani in the OIA quarterfinals just 12 days earlier, Kahuku […]

By Wes Nakama Betting big on themselves by moving from Division II to DI this season, the University Lab boys basketball team cashed in huge Wednesday night by squeaking past gritty Kamehameha, 51-49, to earn the ILH’s coveted third and final state tournament berth. A tense and vocal crowd of about 500 at Saint Louis’ Clarence T.C. […]

By Wes Nakama Kailua has a long history as a good “basketball town,” but Kailua High School also had a long, 43-year drought between OIA Division I boys hoops championships. That drought finally ended in resounding fashion Wednesday night, when the Surfirders rolled past Mililani, 57-36 to win their first league crown since 1982. A […]