By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Kamehameha's Justin Takasaki scores over teammate
Keola Abreu during yesterday's game against St. Bernard
in the Iolani Prep Classic.
Twins propel Iolani
Brad and Cord Anderson shine
By Pat Bigold
in Raiders' easy victory, but now they face
the No. 1 team in the nation
Star-BulletinIolani is clearly one of the state's best teams, and an 8-1 preseason record supports that. But the Raiders will encounter a different dimension of the game tonight when they meet the nation's top prep team, St. John's at Prospect Hall (Frederickton, Md.), at 8 in the quarterfinals of the Iolani Prep Basketball Classic.
Iolani head coach Mark Mugiishi knows that in order to stay with the Vikings -- No. 1 in Street & Smith's, USA Today and the National Prep Poll -- his players will have to perform above their heads.
"It's a great opportunity and we're going to go out there and do our best to compete with them, but we have to be realistic, too," he said. "We know they have really great athletes and they play a really well-disciplined basketball game."
Identical twins and junior transfers Brad and Cord Anderson combined for 33 points yesterday afternoon as the Raiders clobbered Canyon High School (Anaheim, Calif.), 62-36, to earn their date with the Maryland juggernaut.
St. John's (4-0), led by 6-foot-8 North Carolina signee Jason Capel, isn't easily contained. That poses a dilemma for Mugiishi, whose team was second in the state tournament last year.
"You can't even really hold the ball against St. John's because they run an extended half-court trap, and if you're not attacking the basket, your guards are hung out to dry," he said. "But I wouldn't want to play them that way anyhow."
The Andersons, who came to Iolani from Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island, wowed the crowd with four dunks -- two on alley-oops.
Cord Anderson, who led all scorers with 21 points, was constantly set up by brother Brad.
Brad led the team in rebounds (seven) and assists (five).
"He's the passer, I'm the finisher," Cord said.
"It's always been like that since we were a lot younger," Brad said.
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Kamehameha's Kennen Kanoa, number 15, gives St. Bernard's
Jeremy Cranon a little help with his pass. Kanoa's
teammate, Jocob Ordenstein is on the left..
"I was very impressed with the twins," said Capel, who scouted the game with head coach Stu Vetter. "They were rebounding and dunking, playing hard the whole game. It even got me excited."Vetter said he thinks the twins bring a new dimension to the Raiders.
"They're exciting players," he said. "Twelve years ago, when we were over here and played Iolani, you didn't see alley-oop dunks. You didn't see spectacular plays, but these guys are capable of making them."
Cord scored 10 points and Brad had four assists as Iolani took a 22-19 halftime lead into the locker room.
Eight of Cord's points came in the first quarter when 6-7 center Shawn Christensen sat with two quick fouls.
The Comanches opened the second half with a 7-3 run for a 26-25 lead. But the Raiders answered with an 11-0 run.
Cord scored five straight points to put Iolani ahead to stay, 30-26. Brad fed Doug Jackson for a basket and scored a hoop to make it 34-26, and Cord capped the run with a dunk.
Canyon was led by 6-7 senior Ali Goodman's 15 points and 6-9 senior Andy Gaulden's 10.
Kamehameha 39, St. Bernard (Playa Del Rey, Calif.) 38: Keola Abreu made a pair of free throws with 1:03 left to snap a 35-35 tie, and Jacob Ordenstein added two more in the closing seconds.
Javier Hanson hit a 3-pointer near the buzzer for the Vikings.
Hanson led all scorers with 10 points. Abreu led Kamehameha with nine points.
The Warriors will play Miami (Fla.) Senior (11th USA Today, fourth National Prep Poll) today at 6:30.
St. Joseph will play Provo (Utah) today at 5.
Fairfax plays two-time Hawaii state champion Moanalua today at 3:30.
