[ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ]
Iolani goes for 3-peat
as state’s top seed
Being the best means beating the best. For the teams in this week's 48th Hawaii High School State Association/Hawaiian Airlines Boys State Basketball Tournament, that -- again -- means beating Iolani.
The Raiders, seeking to become only the third to three-peat in the history of the event, were given the top seed yesterday.
The Interscholastic League of Honolulu champions have not lost in the ILH or the state tournament since falling to Kalaheo in the title game of the 2001 state championship, a streak of 46.
Iolani (14-0) is one of four unbeaten teams in the four-day event, which opens Wednesday at the Blaisdell Arena. Maui (12-0) of the Maui Interscholastic League is the third seed, while Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Kealakehe (15-0) is seeded fourth.
Waimea (8-0), the Kauai Interscholastic Federation winner, is unseeded and faces a first-round game against Kaimuki. Oahu Interscholastic Association champ Kalaheo (13-1), which defeated Iolani for the 2001 state title, is seeded second.
The Waimea-Kaimuki winner earns the right to face the Raiders at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Both the Menehunes and the Bulldogs are tall and physical, which could present problems for Iolani.
"Everyone knows our Achilles' heel is that we lack a big man," said Raider coach Mark Mugiishi, seeking his fifth state title. "It's a tough draw for us. That first game is scary. Both teams are big and good. Plus, we haven't played in a couple of weeks (last game was Feb. 14). The hardest thing has been to stay focused during the break.
"I think we'd have to be considered the favorite. We're very deep and have arguably one of the best players ever to play the game here (senior Derrick Low). Both of those things are very valuable going into the tournament."
Low, a 6-foot-1 guard who has signed to play for Washington State, is 59-2 in ILH and state tournament games in four varsity seasons for the Raiders. But he isn't the only player used to success.
Iolani features six players from its state boys volleyball title team, including the Star-Bulletin Player of the Year Todd Blankenship. Jon Yasuda was the ILH cross country champion, leading the Raiders to the state title, and James Street -- the team's height at 6-4 -- was recruited from water polo, where the goalie was the ILH Player of the Year.
The last school to win three consecutive titles was Punahou, which won from 1979 to 1981, each championship coming under a different head coach. Walter Wong led Saint Louis to three titles from 1966 to 1968.
The field includes five past champions who have combined for 22 of the 47 titles: Punahou (eight), Iolani (five), Kamehameha (five), Kalaheo (three) and Kaimuki (one).
The ILH has won 30 titles, the OIA 13 and the BIIF four. There has never been a champion from the MIL or the KIF.
HHSAA boys basketball
At Blaisdell Arena
Seeds: 1. Iolani (14-0). 2. Kalaheo (13-1). 3. Maui (12-0). 4. Kealakehe (15-0).Wednesday
Game 1: Punahou vs. Waiakea, 2:15 p.m.
2: Baldwin vs. Mililani, 4 p.m.
3: Waimea vs. Kaimuki, 5:45 p.m.
4: Kamehameha vs. McKinley, 7:30 p.m.Thursday
5: Game 2 and 3 losers, 12:30 p.m.
6: Game 2 winner vs. Kealakehe, 2:15 p.m.
7: Game 1 winner vs. Maui, 4 p.m.
8: Game 4 winner vs. Kalaheo, 5:45 p.m.
9: Game 3 winner vs. Iolani, 7:30 p.m.Friday
10: Game 1 and 4 losers, 1:45 p.m.
11: Game 6 and 9 losers, 3:30 p.m.
12: Game 7 amd 8 losers, 5:15 p.m.
13: Game 6 and 9 winners, 7 p.m.
14: Game 7 and 8 winners, 8:30 p.m.Saturday
Consolation final: Game 5 and 10 winners, 3 p.m.
Fifth place: Game 11 and 12 winners, 4:30 p.m.
Third place: Game 13 and 14 losers, 6 p.m.
Championship: Game 13 and 14 winners, 8:30 p.m.
