Iolani heads
Star-Bulletin
hoops pollILH teams are ranked Nos. 1
and 2 in the first media
rankings of the season
Two-time defending state champion Iolani is the unanimous No. 1 in the first week of the Star-Bulletin's top 10 high school basketball media poll.
Led by point guard Derrick Low and bolstered by a close-knit supporting cast and deep bench, the Raiders (3-0) held three Interscholastic League of Honolulu foes (Saint Louis, Kamehameha and Damien) to under 40 points in the first week of the regular season.
Punahou (3-0), one of Iolani's ILH rivals, received six of seven second-place votes and checked in at No. 2. The Buffanblu's 52-48 overtime victory over Kamehameha was a major factor in the decisions of those polled. Both squads are out to dethrone the Raiders as league champions.
Punahou visits Iolani in the first of two head-to-head matchups on Jan. 23.
Despite two losses (to the Buffanblu and Raiders), the Warriors (1-2) are ranked fifth.
Defending Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Kalaheo (3-0) is No. 3 after its convincing 59-41 victory over previously unbeaten East opponent Moanalua (2-1).
Leilehua (2-0), which finished sixth in the state tournament a year ago, is No. 4 and plays No. 6 Mililani (3-0) tonight in a key OIA West game.
Three teams from the neighbor islands fill the last four spots -- Maui (2-0) at No. 7, Kealakehe (5-0) at No. 9 and Baldwin (2-0) at No. 10.
The Bears visit the Sabers on Jan. 30 in an important MIL clash.
The Waveriders are Big Island Interscholastic Federation contenders along with Waiakea and Hilo.
Kahuku (3-0), which stormed back from a big deficit to beat McKinley, is No. 8. The Red Raiders are aiming to unseat Kalaheo for the OIA East title.
Teams are awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, nine points for second, eight for third and so on, all the way down to one point for a 10th place vote.
The Star-Bulletin's top 10 poll runs each Tuesday through the end of the state tournament in March.
The top-ranked Raiders have two games this week -- against University High School at Punahou's Hemmeter Fieldhouse on Friday and at home against Mid-Pacific on Saturday.
