AJ Dybantsa doesn’t need much attention.
It just comes to him naturally as, perhaps, the most magnetic force in high school basketball. The 6-foot-9 senior nearly had a triple-double with 11 points, eight rebounds and nine assists as Utah Prep overwhelmed ‘Iolani 84-30 Thursday night to advance to the semifinal round of the ‘Iolani Prep Classic.
“You go with the flow of the game. Whatever happens, happens. It’s fun when everybody’s scoring, not just a one-man show. It’s a better team win,” said Dybantsa, who has committed to BYU.
Dybantsa, who also had three swats, was in a blue-collar mode most of the night, but was a pure entertainer on his Eastbay (between the legs) dunk with four minutes left. The home crowd, predictably pro-‘Iolani, couldn’t hold back its glee when he struck a pose after the acrobatic slam. Utah Prep (11-4) gave out a foul after that so he could leave the game and finally finish his night.
“There’s going to be high emotions. They’re playing at their hometown, their home school. The crowd gets super high, we just answer back,” Dybantsa said.
His real value includes sticky, air-tight on-ball defense and a propensity to protect the rim. That was crucial when ‘Iolani stayed close, 19-16, early in the second quarter.
“There’s still three quarters left, so why panic,” he said.
Former ‘Iolani standout JJ Mandaquit scored 13 points and added seven assists as his homecoming continues.
“JJ was doing what he’s supposed to do,” Dybantsa said.
Former Laie resident Anthony Felesi scored eight points during a big 21-3 second-quarter run and finished with 21 points. He took a spill in the fourth quarter and his hand slipped on a breakaway dunk, but no damage was done. His energy and speed in transition unmatched.
“Keep the main thing the main thing,” Felesi said.
Jackson Rasmussen added 11 points.
Aidan Wong led ‘Iolani (8-4) with 10 points.
“The environment is always nuts over here. Just being able to play in my last year, last ‘Iolani Classic, it’s fun to play with the boys,” the senior guard said. “Utah Prep’s defense picked up in the second half. It’s hard because of their length. AJ is like playing against two guys. He’s so long. He’s so quick. He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. He can do everything. It feels like you’re in a bubble guarded by him.”
A capacity crowd saw Utah Prep storm to a 7-0 lead behind dunks by Dybantsa and Felesi in transition.
Three-pointers by Wong and Ayden Goo cut the lead to one as the packed house roared. However, Felesi went coast-to-coast for another slam, and after a block and breakaway dunk by Jackson Kiss, Utah Prep was on a roll, 13-6.
A corner 3 and a putback layup by Raymon Teocson kept the Raiders within 17-11.
After Wong sank two foul shots, “One Team” was within 19-13 with 6.4 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Tre Chikamori opened the second quarter with a corner 3 on a pass from Wong, cutting the lead to 19-16.
Layden Kauka answered with a 3 for Utah Prep. After a baseline jumper by Felesi, Utah Prep had its largest lead, 26-17.
Felesi’s free throws on an intentional foul opened the margin to 13 points, 32-19. His breakaway dunk off a steal opened the lead to 40-19 going into the half.
‘Iolani shot 43% from the arc (6-for-14), but could do little to stop Utah Prep’s fast break. With Dybantsa delivering fullcourt outlet passes, the 6-foot-9 senior had four points, five rebounds and five assists by halftime.
Utah Prep opened the second half with a 7-0 run. Mandaquit fed Dybantsa for a wing 3, and Dybantsa fed Mandaquit, who drove the baseline for a reverse layup and a 47-19 lead.
After Felesi fed Mandaquit for a corner 3 in transition, it was a 31-point cushion.
Mandaquit added two breakaway dunks as Utah Prep opened the lead to 54-19. Mandaquit scored 11 in the third quarter and UPA led 64-26 entering the fourth quarter.
Kauka, a 6-1 guard from Kohala, entered the game in the second quarter and played heavy minutes the rest of the way, scoring 13 points. He is playing through a sore back and got treatment at Fysio Therapie.
“I was a little bit nervous. Big crowd, but it was fun playing alongside JJ and AJ guys,” said Kauka, a two-time All-State selection in Hawaii. “Usually when me, JJ and the other guys score, we usually get the love we get. Going against the home team, it was a little different. The crowd came out louder than I expected.”
Utah Prep will be in a slightly different mental zone today.
“We did sightseeing the first two days here. We went to PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center),” Dybantsa said. “But tomorrow’s going to be more of a mentally locked in day.”
Former Hilo High and UH Hilo players Jason Mandaquit and Aukai Wong are on the Utah Prep coaching staff. So is former Kalaheo and UH Hilo standout Kupaa Harrison. Wong moved his family to Hurricane, Utah, so his sons can attend Utah Prep.
“This was fun. The emotions for JJ were great, coming back to his old school. He was very emotional seeing everybody,” Wong said. “Layden’s on the second team. We play a national schedule and he’s been playing great.”
Utah Prep will battle two-time ‘Iolani Classic champion Oak Hill (Va.) today, 6:30 p.m. Brewster Academy (N.H.) meets Veritas (Calif.) at 8 p.m.
OAK HILL (VA.) 93, IMHOTEP INSTITUTE (PHILADEPHIA) 56
Howard Williams poured in 26 points, including five 3-pointers, as the Warriors advanced. Ethan Mgbako tallied 19 points and Deondrea Lindsey added 14 for Oak Hill (13-1).
Latief Lorenzano-White and RJ Smith paced Imhotep (6-2) with 13 points each. Zion Green chipped in 10 points.
Brewster Academy (N.H.) 61, Wheeler (Ga.) 47
Preston Fowler scored 12 of 20 points in the first quarter as the Bobcats survived and advanced. Darien Moore and Sebastian Wilkins tallied 10 points each and Killyan Toure chipped in nine for Brewster (11-1).
Colben Landrew led Wheeler (8-3) with 18 points. Kevin Savage III added 12 points and Mansur McClain had 11.
This battle was a series of collisions, charges and blocking fouls with the occasional bucket or free throw. In the end, the squad from Wolfesboro kept a lid on the Wildcats, holding Savage scoreless in the fourth quarter.
Sebastian Wilkins’ straightaway 3 at the buzzer gave Brewster its biggest lead, 45-38, going into the fourth.
Veritas Academy (Calif.) 62, St. Paul VI (Va.) 56, OT
Juan Guerrero Hernandez Jr. scored 20 points to lead a balanced attack.
Lamarious White scored 13 points before fouling out in regulation, and Rayane Solhi added 12, including a clutch 3 in overtime.
Aram Soqui Urbano chipped in 11 points, including two key free throws in the extra period.
Jaquan Womack led St. Paul VI with 21 points, including 8-for-9 shooting at the free-throw line.
Jordan Smith Jr. scored 15 and Lawrence Brown added 10.
Down 29-21 at the half, St. Paul VI got within 29-26, but Veritas answered with a 7-0 run.
The Panthers were down by eight when Smith splashed a 15-foot turnaround jumper on the baseline, and Womack stole the ensuing inbounds pass, splashing a corner 3. That brought Veritas within 40-37 late in the third quarter.
Guerrero Hernandez’s 3 with 4:29 left opened the lead to six points.
Smith’s 23-footer from the top cut Veritas’ lead to 51-49 with 2 minutes left. Womack made two foul shots with 1:17 to go, tying the game at 51.
Solhi answered with a pull-up jumper at the foul line for a 53-51 Veritas lead with 56 seconds left.
Derek Daniels’ follow shot tied it at 53 with 31 seconds remaining.
Smith blocked a 16-footer by Guerrero Hernandez in the final seconds of regulation. St. Paul VI called time out with 2 seconds left in regulation, but Smith slipped near the right wing before he could get a shot off, and the game went into overtime.
White’s strong drive to the hoop for a layup gave Veritas a 55-53 lead.
Daniels missed two free throws with 2:30 to play. White then fed Solhi for an open 3, opening Veritas’ lead to 58-53 with 1:55 left.
After Kofi Asare missed two foul shots with 1:07 left, Smith went to the foul line as White fouled out with 58.6 seconds on the clock. Smith made one of two FTs, cutting the lead to 58-54.
Solhi inexplicably missed a layup attempt five seconds later and the Panthers got the ball with 47.3 seconds to go. Smith connected on two free throws and it was 58-56 with 39.2 seconds remaining.
Soqui Urbano went to the charity stripe with 38.4 seconds left and swished both shots for a four-point lead. After Womack was long on a 22-footer, Guerrero Hernandez Jr. made one of his two FTs for a 61-56 lead.
Aaron Bryant’s corner 3 missed, and Solhi added one FT with 8.7 seconds left.
