Kohala High School standout Layden Kauka has been named the 2025–26 Gatorade Hawai‘i Boys Basketball Player of the Year, recognizing him as the state’s top student-athlete on and off the court.

After nearly four decades on the sidelines, longtime Hawai‘i high school basketball coach Wally Marciel is retiring from coaching, closing the chapter on a 38-year career that included 36 years in the OIA.

The Damien Farias Senior Classic brought together Hawaiʻi’s top high school seniors Sunday at the Clarence T.C. Ching Gym on the campus of Saint Louis School, celebrating the next generation of island basketball talent.

Kohala completed an unbeaten season with a wire-to-wire 49–35 win over Seabury Hall to claim the Division II boys basketball state championship.

The Cowboys set the tone early with an 18–2 first quarter and leaned on their defense all night to keep the Spartans in check. Layden Kauka led the way with 28 points, five rebounds and three assists, earning tournament Most Outstanding Player honors for the third time and helping secure Kohala’s fourth state title overall.

After an unusually steep and treacherous climb, the Kahuku boys basketball team finally reached the mountain top Friday night by rallying past Punahou, 40-38, in a thriller to win the Hawai'i Army National Guard State Championship.

A spirited and vocal crowd of 2,438 in BankOh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center watched Inoke Lloyd score the winning basket on a backdoor layup with four seconds remaining to help the Red Raiders to finish the season at 25-4 and win their first state championship since 2017. Defending champ Punahou, which led 10-2 after one period and 20-6 just 34 seconds before halftime, ended up at 27-9.

Digging down deep once again to gold off its second straight ILH opponent, Kahuku held off Saint Louis, 42-38, Thursday night in the Hawai'i Army National Guard Boys Basketball State Semifinals.

A tense crowd of about 500 at Hemmeter Field House watched Justus Daley score 12 points and grab eight rebounds as the Red Raiders improved to 24-4 and advanced to Friday night's title game against defending champion Punahou. Keanu Meacham scored a game-high 18 points and Zion Lefotu added 10 points for the Crusaders, who fell to 27-6 and out of the finals for the first time since 2021. 

They say it's hard to beat the same team four times ... but it's even harder to beat the Kamehameha girls basketball squad just once.

'Iolani learned that the tough way Friday night, as the Warriors powered past the Raiders, 50-39, to repeat as Pacific Century Fund Team Aloha/Flying Hawaiian Foundation State Champion.

Despite several things not going its way through the first three periods, 'Iolani rallied from a nine-point deficit Wednesday night to defeat No. 3 seed Campbell, 37-31, in the Pacific Century Foundation Fund Team Aloha/Flying Hawaiian Foundation Girls State Championships.

Effectively using its advantage in size and experience, Campbell powered past youthful upstart Kalani, 39-23, Wednesday night to win the OIA Girls Basketball championship.

In a typically competitive ILH boys basketball season, Punahou took a major step forward Monday evening by holding off visiting Maryknoll, 54-45, at Hemmeter Field House.

Ethan Chung scored a game-high 21 points and Tanoa Scanlan added 16 points as the Buff 'N Blue improved to 22-8 overall and 8-2 in league play. Ghesiah Faleafine-Auwae scored 17 points and Chris Du added 14 points for the Spartans, who fell to 15-11, 6-4.

Even with a regular season title and state tournament berth already in its pocket, Kamehameha stayed in championship form Tuesday night and denied 'Iolani a Senior Night victory, 52-44, in ILH girls basketball action.

In a typically tight ILH boys basketball race, 'Iolani protected home court Thursday night with a narrow 51-46 victory over visiting Maryknoll to move into first place in the league standings.

A sparse crowd at the Raiders' Lower Gym watched Declan Beckette score a game-high 18 points to help 'Iolani improve to 11-5 overall and 3-1 in the ILH, a half-game ahead of second-place four-time defending champion Saint Louis (2-1). Mission Uperesa-Thomas scored 13 points to lead the Spartans, who fell to 11-9, 2-2.

The OIA Eastern Division boys basketball title chase is now back to a neck-and-neck two-horse race, after visiting Kahuku sped past Kailua, 56-41, in a showdown at Harry Murai Gym.

A partisan but equally vocal crowd of about 300 and statewide TV audience on Spectrum OC16 watched Ronin Naihe score a game-high 18 points and grab eight rebounds and Kashus Daley add 17 points and six boards as the Red Raiders improved to 15-4 overall and 5-1 in league play. Dylan Kunz registered a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Sebastian Ledda added 10 points, three boards and two steals for the Surfriders, who fell to 15-7, 5-1.