High School Basketball

By Wes Nakama For the Punahou boys basketball team, staying close with perennial national power Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) Tuesday night was not just a wish — it was an expectation. The defending state runner-up Buff ‘n Blue went toe-to-toe with the talent-laden Warriors for three full periods in the ‘Iolani Classic first-round game, only […]

By Wes Nakama Five-time defending girls basketball state champion ‘Iolani entered this season knowing there would be a challenging road to a sixth straight title. But that journey got tougher earlier this week, and just as the Raiders were preparing for a matchup against the nation’s No. 9-ranked team, Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) Friday night. The […]

The Hawaiian Kingdom National Team is set to represent Hawai’i in the 2024-25 season, kicking off with an international tour in Brisbane, Australia from October 4-11. The team will participate in cultural exchanges and compete in basketball matchups against the Queensland Indigenous Team and a Gold Coast-based Māori team. Additionally, they will challenge two U18 […]

Friday Night Prime Time came one day early due to the holiday on March 29, 2024. In front of a very energetic crowd filled with families, students, and friends, the Aiea Na Ali’i battled against the Pearl City Chargers in a close game. Friday Night Prime Time is an event that brings together special needs […]

The Damien Farias Senior Basketball Classic was held at Saint Louis School this past weekend, featuring some of the state’s top seniors! Best wishes to all of them on their future endeavors! Photos: Lori McKeown

Kohala triumphed over Seabury Hall in a nail-biting 49-45 overtime win, securing their back-to-back HHSAA/Heide & Cook Division II Basketball State Championship. Facing challenges, including a face-guarding defense, Kohala displayed resilience and teamwork, with Jayden Hook’s inside presence and Hezekiah Wilson’s contributions playing vital roles. The win highlighted Kohala’s journey, overcoming tough opponents to defend […]

By Wes Nakama Eager and determined to put another stamp in the history books, Saint Louis raced out to a big early lead and then held off Punahou, 48-39, Saturday night to win its third straight Heide & Cooke/HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship. A supportive crowd of 3,194 at Blaisdell Arena watched tournament Most Outstanding Player […]

By Wes Nakama After a 47-year wait, Nanakuli returned to the Heide & Cooke/HHSAA Boys Basketball state quartefinals on Thursday, only to end up with the same result — a loss to Saint Louis. An estimated crowd of about 800 at Punahou’s Hemmeter Fieldhouse watched Pupu Sepulona score a game-high 14 points with five rebounds […]

In a nail-biting contest, Leilehua clinched a narrow victory over Kahuku, securing their advancement to the state semifinals with a final score of 58-57. The first half saw both teams exchanging leads in a back-and-forth battle. However, Kahuku gained momentum in the third quarter, outscoring Leilehua 18-11. Despite this setback, Leilehua rallied in the final […]

Punahou defeated KS-Hawai’i with a final score of 69-57, securing their spot in the state semifinals. KS-Hawai’i made a strong start, taking an early lead of 18-9 by the end of the first quarter. However, Punahou mounted a comeback, steadily chipping away at the deficit and outscoring the Warriors from the second quarter onwards and […]