Oahu down to 5 spots
in hoops poll
Five teams from the neighbor Islands are in the Star-Bulletin's top-10 high school basketball poll this week, including two newcomers.
No. 9 Baldwin and No. 10 Waiakea entered the writers' poll for the first time this season, joining three neighbor island teams who cracked in previously -- No. 5 Maui, No. 6 Kealakehe and No. 8 Waimea.
Castle made the biggest move of the week, moving up from No. 10 to No. 7 after finishing its regular season in the highly competitive Oahu Interscholastic Association East Division with a 9-2 mark.
All other movements were minuscule. Maui Interscholastic League champion Maui High School fell one spot as OIA East champ Kalaheo moved up one place to No. 4.
KIF front-runner Waimea was the only other team making a move, climbing up one from No. 9.
The top three teams -- Iolani, Punahou and Mililani -- and Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Kealakehe stayed put.
No. 1 Iolani and No. 2 Punahou meet for the second time this season tonight at 6:30 at Hemmeter Fieldhouse. With a victory, the Buffanblu (11-1) can move into a first-place Interscholastic League of Honolulu tie with the Raiders (12-0).
The OIA, MIL and BIIF are holding their postseason tournaments this week, while the KIF and ILH finish up their regular seasons.
The ILH's third-place tournament is next week, followed by the state tournament the following week.
Star-Bulletin Top 10
The top 10 high school basketball teams in the state, according to a poll of media statewide.
1Iolani (7)12-0701
Last week: def. University 66-31; def. Mid-Pacific 65-32
This week: at Punahou, tonight; vs. Maryknoll, Thurs.
2Punahou11-1622
Last week: def. Saint Louis 55-49; def. University 66-34
This week: vs. Iolani, tonight; vs. Damien, Thurs.
3Mililani10-0533
Last week: def. Waialua 65-43; def. Nanakuli 78-57
This week: OIA tourney, vs. Kahuku or Radford, Fri.
4Kalaheo10-1515
Last week: def. Kahuku 74-61, OT; def. McKinley 74-49
This week: OIA tourney, vs. Kapolei or Moanalua, Fri.
5Maui9-0424
Last week: def. Hana 94-40
This week: MIL tourney, vs. Kaahumanu Hou
or Seabury Hall, Thurs.
6Kealakehe13-0336
Last week: def. Kohala 63-53; def. Ka'u 66-54;
def. Waiakea 63-48
This week: BIIF tourney semifinals, opponent TBA, Sat.
7Castle9-22310
Last week: def. Moanalua 56-48; def. Farrington 69-46
This week: OIA tourney, vs. Pearl City or McKinley, Fri.
8Waimea6-0159
Last week: def. Kauai 52-41
This week: vs. Kapaa, tonight; at Kauai, Fri.
9Baldwin7-18--
Last week: def. Kaahumanu Hou 52-47
This week: vs. St. Anthony, Tues.; MIL tourney, vs. Lanai, Molokai or Hana, Thurs.
10Waiakea11-26--
Last week: def. Pahoa 74-36; lost to Kealakehe 63-48
This week: BIIF tourney semifinals, opponent TBA, Sat.
Also receiving votes: Kahuku 5, Kamehameha 5, Kaimuki 5, Moanalua 4, Damien 3.