The start of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation boys basketball regular season comes just after the beginning of the new year. For teams across the island, this means that preseason tournaments and games mean more now to allow each coach to get a better feel for their respective teams.
This week, nine boys varsity basketball teams (and two girls basketball teams) will participate in three different tournaments spread out between both East and West Hawai`i and Oahu.
Hilo High School will be hosting the Larry Manliguis Hilo High Holiday Classic from Thursday, December 13 to Saturday, December 15 at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. As usual, this tournament features teams from across the state, including Maui’s Baldwin High School and Oahu’s Pearl City and Hanalani High Schools.
The favorite in this tournament may be the host Vikings. In the most recent Star-Advertiser Top 10 rankings released Tuesday, the Vikings were ranked tenth by coaches and media members across the state. Jalen Carvalho, the team’s top outside shooting threat, highlights the returning group from last year, along with pesky guard Jodd Carter, who has upped his scoring production so far in the preseason.
A possible challenger for the tournament trophy may be the Warriors of Kamehameha-Hawai`i. So far in the preseason, Kamehameha-Hawai`i is 3-1 with their lone loss coming to Division I league championship contender Konawaena. They enter the tournament following a quality win last Saturday over Hawai`i Preparatory Academy in the third place game of the Kea`au / Waiakea Boys Basketball Tournament.
In Kealakekua, the Konawaena Boys Basketball Tournament kicks off on Thursday with a mix of games to satisfy every basketball fan.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
The tournament was slated to feature four boys basketball teams, but Laupahoehoe High School had to pull out of the tournament earlier this week because they did not have enough players available to field a team.
Konawaena will be joined by Kealakehe and Pahoa for the three-day classic. The Wildcats already hold a victory over Pahoa in last week’s Kea`au / Waiakea tournament, while Kealakehe enters the event with a 4-3 record. The Waveriders, under coach Sam Kekuaokalani, competed in Campbell High School’s Saber Invitational on Oahu and beat Molokai and Nanakuli. They followed that up with a 2-2 performance in the Kea`au / Waiakea tournament, highlighted by a final day victory over Kohala.
There will be junior varsity games every day to kick off the tournament, which is held at the Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium. On Thursday, Konawaena’s girls basketball team will get a chance to hit the floor when they face Honoka`a. The defending state champion Wildcats enter the tournament with a 5-1 record, their lone loss to Mililani, and a top ranking in the Star-Advertiser Top 10 rankings.
The Honoka`a boys basketball team will try to showcase their talent at the Pete Smith Classic, hosted by Kalaheo High School. The Dragons, led by Cheyenne Meyer, lost by a point to the fourth-ranked Mustangs at the Kea`au / Waiakea tournament last week and lost in the rematch Sunday in Honoka`a.
While the Dragons won’t face Kalaheo in the classic, they will face quality competition from the Oahu Interscholastic Association and the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. Honoka`a opens play Thursday against Kailua at 7:00 p.m. They will face Punahou II and Maryknoll II in the last days of the event.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
Larry Manliguis Hilo High Holiday Classic schedule
This comments section is a public community forum for the purpose of free expression. Although Big Island Now encourages respectful communication only, some content may be considered offensive. Please view at your own discretion. View Comments
