Glenn Young would be proud.
The late, great ‘Iolani basketball coach was all about raising the bar for Hawaii high school basketball. In 1983, he founded one of the nation’s premier prep basketball tournaments. Young would have enjoyed watching the Honolulu Hoops Showcase, which pitted ‘Iolani, Kamehameha and Punahou against two teams from Arizona and one from California over the weekend. Kamehameha and Salpointe Catholic, the No. 6 team in Arizona, battled in the finale. Kamehameha emerged with a 63-47 win and finished as the only unbeaten team in the three-day tournament.
“It’s like my father’s thinking when he started the Iolani Classic 40 years ago,” ‘Iolani coach Dean Young said. “I believe that every chance we get to play good mainland competition is beneficial to our local players and helps us to grow and improve.”
Kamehameha (19-3) collected 11 of 12 first-place votes in the latest Star-Advertiser Girls Basketball Top 10.
Five-time defending state champion ‘Iolani went 2-1 in the Showcase. Since losing two key players to season-ending injuries in December, ‘Iolani’s multitude of games against teams from Japan, California and Arizona has accelerated the development of the entire roster.
Young is optimistic that the trend of out-of-state competition will continue.
“I’d like us to continue to schedule as many mainland games as possible and to make our Hoops Showcase an annual thing. Last season, it didn’t make sense to me that we had to play Punahou and Kamehameha four times for our regular-season schedule. That motivated us to come up with the Showcase and reduce the number of regular-season rounds,” he said.
Given enough time to plan, mainland programs from Arizona and California are more than happy to play in Hawaii. Their states use a power-rating formula that includes nonconference results.
“I’m a firm believer that this will help us with our overall goal, to try and compete for a state championship. That’s why (we) come play tough teams and have tough games. We came to Hawaii to play the best,” Salpointe Catholic coach Joseph Luevano said.
“Coach Pua (Straight of Kamehameha) and (co-athletic director) Brandy Richardson, from the get-go, they said they would get us three of the best teams on the island and they proved it. ‘Iolani was amazing and extremely well-coached. Punahou was tough and physical, a grind-out team. Kamehameha, I don’t think we’ve played a team in a long time that was that disciplined. They’re so disciplined. They were so basic. They made us guard them not just for first 15 seconds. They made us guard them for the entire 35 seconds. They got good shot after good shot. Credit to them.”
Kamehameha lost a close game to CIF powerhouse Mater Dei in December, then led another CIF powerhouse, Bishop Montgomery, by 21 points before losing 55-52.
“There was a team last year, Xavier Prep, they had a very senior-laden team with players who went on to play Division I college basketball. They were like Kamehameha. They executed every possession and they were tough defensively. I was just impressed with how unselfish Coach Pua’s team is. Her team reminds me of the best teams that we see in Arizona.”
Straight noted that coaches had been hopeful about arranging a crossover showcase with teams from the OIA. There wasn’t quite enough time.
The tournament was coordinated before 2023-24 Division II state champion Maryknoll declared its return to D-I. Young would like to see the Showcase expand next season.
“With Maryknoll back in D-I, we could run a four-day tournament with four mainland teams and still play each other twice for the regular season and get 10 games,” he said.
Glenn Young would certainly tip his hat to that.
Star-Advertiser Girls Basketball Top 10
Monday, Jan. 13, 2025
Rank School (1st) (record) Pts LW
1. Kamehameha (19-3, 4-0 ILH) (11) 119 1
> def. Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.), 63-47
> next: vs. No. 4 Maryknoll, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.
> next: vs. No. 3 ‘Iolani, Thursday, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
> next: at No. 4 Maryknoll, Saturday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m.
2. Konawaena (15-3, 6-0 BIIF) (1) 106 2
> bye
> next: vs. Parker, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.
> next: vs. Keaau, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.
> next: vs. Kohala, Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.
3. ‘Iolani (18-6, 2-2 ILH) 98 4
> def. Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.), 66-32
> next: vs. No. 8 Punahou, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.
> next: at No. 1 Kamehameha, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
4. Maryknoll (10-5, 2-2 ILH) 85 3
> lost to No. 4 ‘Iolani, 41-36
> next: at No. 1 Kamehameha, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.
5. Hanalani (17-4, 6-0 ILH D-II) 64 5
> def. Kamehameha I-AA, 54-24
> next: vs. ‘Iolani I-AA, Monday, Jan. 13, 5 p.m.
> next: vs. Punahou I-AA, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 6 p.m.
> next: vs. Sacred Hearts, Saturday, Jan. 18, 10 a.m.
6. Kahuku (10-4, 8-0 OIA) 59 6
> def. Farrington, 57-25
> next: at Kailua, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.
> next: vs. Kaimuki, Friday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.
7. Mililani (15-7, 7-0 OIA) 45 7
> won at Pearl City, 47-13
> next: vs. Campbell, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.
> next: at Radford, Friday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.
8. Punahou (10-12, 0-4 ILH) 33 8
> lost to Bakersfield Christian (Calif.), 46-32
> next: at ‘Iolani, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.
> next: at Maryknoll, Thursday, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
9. Maui (12-2, 9-0 MIL) 30 9
> won at King Kekaulike, 55-29
> next: vs. Lahainaluna, Friday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.
10. Campbell (8-5, 8-0 OIA) 11 10
> def. Pearl City, 50-12
> next: at Mililani, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.
Also receiving votes: Pahoa 5, Waimea 3, Hawaii Baptist 2.
Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10
Monday, Jan. 13, 2024
Rank School (1st) (record) Pts LW
1. Saint Louis (21-1, 5-0 ILH) (11) 110 1
> def. No. 3 Maryknoll, 39-35
> next: vs. No. 7 ‘Iolani, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m.
2. Punahou (17-4, 2-1 ILH) 99 2
> lost at No. 1 Saint Louis, 53-52
> next: vs. No. 10 Kamehameha, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m.
3. Leilehua (15-5, 5-0 OIA) 86 4
> won at Waianae, 69-50
> next: vs. Pearl City, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m.
4. Kailua (17-4, 6-0 OIA) 69 5
> won at Castle, 76-47
> next: vs. Farrington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m.
5. University (11-9, 1-2 ILH) 54 9
> won at Mid-Pacific, 66-49
> next: vs. No. 10 Kamehameha, Thursday, Jan. 16, 5 p.m. (Saint Louis)
6. Mililani (14-4, 5-1 OIA) 49 6
> won at Pearl City, 76-41
> next: vs. Aiea, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m.
7. Maryknoll (16-6, 0-3 ILH) 42 3
> lost at No. 1 Saint Louis, 39-35
> next: vs. Mid-Pacific, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.
8. ‘Iolani (12-7, 2-1 ILH) 40 7
> won at No. 10 Kamehameha, 73-68 (2 OT)
> next: at No. 1 Saint Louis, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m.
9. Kahuku (11-8, 4-1 OIA) 36 8
> won at McKinley, 72-26
> next: vs. Castle, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m.
10. Kamehameha (6-9, 1-2 ILH) 14 10
> lost to No. 7 ‘Iolani, 73-68 (2 OT)
> next: at No. 2 Punahou, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m.
Also receiving votes: Mid-Pacific 3, Campbell 1, KS-Hawaii 1, Seabury Hall 1.
