For decades, late-season play has been rewarded in Oahu Interscholastic Association basketball. Nearly every team qualifies for the playoffs. Win and you’re in. Unlike the ILH and MIL, though, consistent success in the OIA doesn’t merit an automatic state-tournament berth, which opens things up for more teams to have shot at the big dance. It drums up drama.
Judging from the roaring crowds at the OIA girls basketball playoffs, there will be thrillers aplenty from Waialua to Hawaii Kai when the boys playoffs tip off today.
Because the state tournament was bumped up a week recently, the OIA playoffs are bunched together, four rounds in a five-day span. Having a prepared roster, a deep bench of seasoned lettermen, can really make the difference in the 2021-22 playoffs.
Today’s losers in the East vs. West OIA Division I play-in (pig tail) round are done for the season. Winners advance to Monday’s quarterfinals. The quarterfinal winners earn state-tournament berths, while the losers duke it out for the remaining (fifth) state berth.
In D-II, Kaimuki made a late-season run to claim the top seed in the East over Kalani. That means the Bulldogs get to host a semifinal matchup against the Waialua-Farrington winner on Monday with a state-tourney berth at stake.
A late-season skid means Kalani hosts Waianae, the West’s third-place team in D-II, and the winner will truck on to Waipahu in Monday’s semifinal.
OIA boys basketball
Division I playoffs
Today
Opening round (play in)
Game 1: W4 Radford vs. E5 Kalaheo, 6:30 p.m., McKinley gym
Game 2: W6 Nanakuli at E3 Roosevelt, 6:30 p.m.
Game 3: E6 Moanalua at W3 Kapolei, 6:30 p.m.
Game 4: W5 Campbell at E4 Kaiser, 6:30 p.m.
Monday
Quarterfinal round
G5: Radford-Kalaheo winner at E1 Kailua, 6:30 p.m.
G6: Roosevelt-Nanakuli winner at W2 Leilehua, 6:30 p.m.
G7: Kapolei-Moanalua winner at E2 Kahuku, 6:30 p.m.
G8: Kaiser-Campbell winner at W1 Mililani, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Semifinal round
At Moanalua
Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 5 p.m.
Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Consolation bracket
Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 6:30 p.m., at higher seed
Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser, 6:30 p.m., at higher seed
Wednesday
Championship game, 7:30 p.m., Moanalua gym
Third-place game, 6:30 p.m., at higher seed
Fifth-place game, 6:30 p.m., at higher seed
Division II playoffs
Today
E3 Farrington at W2 Waialua, 6:30 p.m.
W3 Waianae at E2 Kalani, 6:30 p.m. (after JV game)
Monday
Waialua-Farrington winner at E1 Kaimuki, 6:30 p.m.
Kalani-Waianae winner at W1 Waipahu, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 5 p.m., Moanalua gym
