2017-18 Basketball Thread

[HS Football Fanatic]

I think once Kahuku players gets condition to basketball and play together, they will produce. Plus Coach Akana is a high caliber coach. It's how you finish.

As of 12/21/17 Coach Akana is off NCAA sanctions. Technically he could apply at any D1 college. He is a well qualified coach. Kahuku is very fortunate to have his services. He is an expert of recruiting. He is an expert in getting players to the next level. Yes Avea,Fotu and Villa came from out of state last year, but Akana still coached them to the championship game. If fact it looked like they all played together for 4 years. Even Kesi Ah Hoy and Sauvao defensive skills stepped up. Now as the OIA season started and Kahuku blowing out Kalaheo, it looks like team play can be honed to near perfection. It's how you finish.

@Markeke: And, I'd be totally OK with Kahuku repeating as state D1 champs.

[gopunahou]

As good as Punahou is playing, it ain't a guarantee that the state championship is ours. The 2014 team looked like the best team in the state before ILH play started. That team couldn't even make it to states. IIRC, the last time we went undefeated in ILH play was 1990.

[HS Football Fanatic]

As good as Punahou is playing, it ain't a guarantee that the state championship is ours. The 2014 team looked like the best team in the state before ILH play started. That team couldn't even make it to states. IIRC, the last time we went undefeated in ILH play was 1990.

@gopunahou:
1. A school doesn't have to go undefeated to be state champs in its division.
2. Punahou is ranked #1 until they lose. I do think Punahou alumni should be concerned that Punahou beat Kahuku by only 2, and that last-second winning shot shouldn't have counted, as it was released just after time expired. Also, Kahuku might not be as good as some had thought, as they beat McKinley by only 3 last night. So, if Punahou should at best had only tied Kahuku at the end of regulation, this could mean that Punahou is only 3 points better than McKinley.

[gopunahou]

@ HS Football Fanatic,
Just stating that I can't believe it's been almost 24 years since we went undefeated in ILH play (1993). I forgot that we went undefeated in 1993 because we didn't win the state championship that year. Our '93 team was one of the best teams that didn't win a state championship!

[Naz]

Kahuku only has the Smith kid he is basically surrounded by last season's 3rd stringers and new varsity players from the J.V. Last year's Kahuku team rarely got pressed because they had an incredible point guard who could dribble through a full court press by his self and they had high IQ athletes in every position. Teams wouldn't dare press Kahuku last season. This season, however, different story. The press against Kahuku works and forces many turnovers. Smith has to have a monster double-double on any given night to give Kahuku a fighting chance to beat anybody. I've watched a few games and whenever he gets the ball in the paint, he is getting nailed down there and often not getting calls. The fact that Kahuku kept it close and even had a shot at beating the best team in the state is proof enough to me that Kahuku is a title contender at this point despite the fact that they have one go-to guy who happens to be 6'10" and skilled. A 3-point win vs McKinley shouldn't diminish the 2-pt loss to Punahou. Styles always make match-ups.

[HS Football Fanatic]

@ HS Football Fanatic,
Just stating that I can't believe it's been almost 24 years since we went undefeated in ILH play (1993). I forgot that we went undefeated in 1993 because we didn't win the state championship that year. Our '93 team was one of the best teams that didn't win a state championship!

@gopunahou: Personally, I think it puts too much pressure on a school to expect it to go undefeated. If you ask me, if they win a championship, that's good enough, no matter what their record is. There's a chance Punahou might lose to St Francis, as St Francis beat #2 Maryknoll last night.

[HS Football Fanatic]

Kahuku only has the Smith kid he is basically surrounded by last season's 3rd stringers and new varsity players from the J.V. Last year's Kahuku team rarely got pressed because they had an incredible point guard who could dribble through a full court press by his self and they had high IQ athletes in every position. Teams wouldn't dare press Kahuku last season. This season, however, different story. The press against Kahuku works and forces many turnovers. Smith has to have a monster double-double on any given night to give Kahuku a fighting chance to beat anybody. I've watched a few games and whenever he gets the ball in the paint, he is getting nailed down there and often not getting calls. The fact that Kahuku kept it close and even had a shot at beating the best team in the state is proof enough to me that Kahuku is a title contender at this point despite the fact that they have one go-to guy who happens to be 6'10" and skilled. A 3-point win vs McKinley shouldn't diminish the 2-pt loss to Punahou. Styles always make match-ups.

@Naz: Yes. The game that Punahou "beat" St Francis--(Punahou's winning shot shouldn't have counted, as it was released after time ran-out--Punahou had lots of steals. Without those steals, they definitely would have lost. However, I don't see how McKinley stayed with Kahuku almost the entire game, unless McKinley is underrated. Unless McKinley is ranked this week, I'm not ready to call Kahuku a title contender. Not after that McKinley game.

[Naz]

@Naz: Yes. The game that Punahou "beat" St Francis--(Punahou's winning shot shouldn't have counted, as it was released after time ran-out--Punahou had lots of steals. Without those steals, they definitely would have lost. However, I don't see how McKinley stayed with Kahuku almost the entire game, unless McKinley is underrated. Unless McKinley is ranked this week, I'm not ready to call Kahuku a title contender. Not after that McKinley game.

With Tolu Smith in the lineup, Kahuku has really only lost to Punahou. Take Smith out the lineup and Kahuku is a bottom of the barrel OIA team. Tolu is a problem for any team in the state idc who they are. Kahuku is the only team, other than St. Francis, who really had a chance at beating Punahou. McKinley only lost to Maryknoll by 5, but that doesn't change my mind about Maryknoll being a title contender for D1. Bottom line is it's going to be a topsy-turvy season. Undoubtedly, Punahou is the D1 favorite to win but they are by no means bulletproof. As of tonight "Division 2" Saint Francis hung in with Punahou again. As the season goes on, I feel Saint Francis should drop in the rankings because of their opponents but at the end of the pre-season, here's how I have my top 10:

1. Punahou 2. Saint Francis 3. Maryknoll 4. 'Iolani 5. Kahuku 6. Kapolei 7. Campbell 8. Kailua 9. Lahainaluna 10. Leilehua. What you guys got?

[HS Football Fanatic]

@Naz: Yes. The game that Punahou "beat" St Francis--(Punahou's winning shot shouldn't have counted, as it was released after time ran-out--Punahou had lots of steals. Without those steals, they definitely would have lost. However, I don't see how McKinley stayed with Kahuku almost the entire game, unless McKinley is underrated. Unless McKinley is ranked this week, I'm not ready to call Kahuku a title contender. Not after that McKinley game.

With Tolu Smith in the lineup, Kahuku has really only lost to Punahou. Take Smith out the lineup and Kahuku is a bottom of the barrel OIA team. Tolu is a problem for any team in the state idc who they are. Kahuku is the only team, other than St. Francis, who really had a chance at beating Punahou. McKinley only lost to Maryknoll by 5, but that doesn't change my mind about Maryknoll being a title contender for D1. Bottom line is it's going to be a topsy-turvy season. Undoubtedly, Punahou is the D1 favorite to win but they are by no means bulletproof. As of tonight "Division 2" Saint Francis hung in with Punahou again. As the season goes on, I feel Saint Francis should drop in the rankings because of their opponents but at the end of the pre-season, here's how I have my top 10:

1. Punahou 2. Saint Francis 3. Maryknoll 4. 'Iolani 5. Kahuku 6. Kapolei 7. Campbell 8. Kailua 9. Lahainaluna 10. Leilehua. What you guys got?

@Naz:

Here's mine:

1. Punahou 2. St Francis 3. Kapolei 4. Kamehameha 5. Kahuku 6. Maryknoll 7. Iolani 8. Lahainaluna 9. Campbell 10. Kailua

I'm really frustrated with St Francis. They've had two bites at the Punahou apple, and didn't get it done both times. The second loss was especially disappointing.

[Dog 96707]

One thing for sure... St.Francis shouldn't be in div.2. They'll win that state championship easy. Div. 1, I like pun, kam and kahuku. It could be an all ilh championship, but kahuku will be hard to beat with their big boy in the line up. I like how he plays, he'll be hard to stop this season. I also love how kahuku or should I say Akana keeps getting these bball players to come to play for him. Last year Fotu and Villa (Akana's nephew) and this year Tolu. I'm all for that, the same way stl, pun, Mililani, Kapolei and now Campbell get kids to come play for their respective programs in football. That's all good in my book....but that's a whole different topic. lol

[HS Football Fanatic]

One thing for sure... St.Francis shouldn't be in div.2. They'll win that state championship easy. Div. 1, I like pun, kam and kahuku. It could be an all ilh championship, but kahuku will be hard to beat with their big boy in the line up. I like how he plays, he'll be hard to stop this season. I also love how kahuku or should I say Akana keeps getting these bball players to come to play for him. Last year Fotu and Villa (Akana's nephew) and this year Tolu. I'm all for that, the same way stl, pun, Mililani, Kapolei and now Campbell get kids to come play for their respective programs in football. That's all good in my book....but that's a whole different topic. lol

@Dog 96707: Naz and I agree that St Francis should be in D1. Not only that; he and I have them ranked #2, ahead of every school except D1 Punahou. As for Kahuku, I think they're a little overrated. They're Top 10, but not in the top 5. It would have helped if they had beaten Punahou, and perhaps they might have if Punahou's "winning" shot was ruled late, as it actually was late.

[gopunahou]

I wonder if Paul Honda’s written articles defending St. Francis’s presence in D2

[HS Football Fanatic]

I wonder if Paul Honda’s written articles defending St. Francis’s presence in D2

@gopunahou: That would be a foolish thing to do. Just about everyone ranks St Francis #2 in the state. In football, Iolani never ranked that high. So, it's one thing to say Iolani should be in D2 in football; it's quite another to say St Francis should be in D2 in basketball.

[Naz]

I wonder if Paul Honda’s written articles defending St. Francis’s presence in D2

I like Paul Honda he is a very good sports writer but he is definitely one of the main local sportswriters who is always quick to blow up a SFS win when they beat a division 1 team. Honda seems to place more emphasis on SFS's pre-season wins against D1 teams from last pre-season over SFS winning the D2 title. I'm at the point like so what?! Everyone and their grandmother knows they are playing in a division below where they should be. If I was a D1 coach, I wouldn't schedule SFS as a pre-season opponent because I'd have everything to lose. I just hope now that the regular season has started, SFS starts to drop in the polls solely based on who their league competition will be from here on out.

[HS Football Fanatic]

I wonder if Paul Honda’s written articles defending St. Francis’s presence in D2

I like Paul Honda he is a very good sports writer but he is definitely one of the main local sportswriters who is always quick to blow up a SFS win when they beat a division 1 team. Honda seems to place more emphasis on SFS's pre-season wins against D1 teams from last pre-season over SFS winning the D2 title. I'm at the point like so what?! Everyone and their grandmother knows they are playing in a division below where they should be. If I was a D1 coach, I wouldn't schedule SFS as a pre-season opponent because I'd have everything to lose. I just hope now that the regular season has started, SFS starts to drop in the polls solely based on who their league competition will be from here on out.

@Naz: Yes, I agree that St Francis should be in D1. However, we want polls to be as accurate as possible. So, if St Francis is really the #2 team in the state, then I suggest they should be ranked as such, regardless of which schools they play. As I type this, it would appear that Maryknoll is threatening St Francis' #2 ranking: They are up over Punahou, 21-11, in the 2nd qrtr.