Hall pass: BJ Hosaka

BJ Hosaka has outgrown his fish bowl.

Hosaka was the big fish at tiny Hawaii Baptist as a four year starter in both basketball and volleyball and will be rewarded for it on June 7 at the Dole Cannery Square’s Pomaikai Ballroom when he is inducted into the Enterprise / HHSAA Hall of Honor.

He is the fifth athlete from the school to be so honored, joining former teammate Michael Fisher, Sarah Palmer, Lauren Ho and Matt Stevens.

Hosaka owned the Division II level throughout his career, earning his first state title in volleyball as a freshman and being named to the HHSAA’s all-tournament team. The accolades just kept coming.

His Eagles swept all four state Division II volleyball titles in Hosaka’s career, and his setting helped Fisher get into the Hall of Honor. Hosaka kept the team at an elite level after Fisher’s graduation, taking his place on the Star-Advertiser’s Fab 15 list as a junior and he is expected to make the team again when it is published on June 7.

Like Fisher before him, Hosaka is widely regarded as one of the best players in the state regardless of division. He led the Eagles to wins over Division I powers Kamehameha, Kamehameha-Hawaii, Iolani Moanalua and Kalaheo in his four years as well as a bronze finish in the Best of the West Invitational in Poway, Calif.

But volleyball excellence is just part of Hosaka’s game. He blossomed as one of the state’s elite basketball players as a senior, winning the 3-point contest at Geremy Robinson‘s All-Star Classic and taking the Eagles to the state tournament for the first time since 2009, when he was in middle school.

He was only awarded honorable mention by the Star-Advertiser, which does not differentiate between divisions, but beat each of those 15 boys ahead of him to take the Wendy’s High School Heisman for his efforts on the court and in the classroom.

He graduated with a grade point average of 4.06.

Despite being HBA’s go-to scorer at shooting guard, Hosaka averaged 24.3 points per game in the tough ILH and put up 29 against Castle and 27 against eventual state champion Kaiser.

His biggest night came against Hanalani, when he scored all of his 31 points in the latter three quarters in a 61-55 win.

Hosaka hopes to continue his basketball career at George Fox University. If the list of recent Hall of Honor awardees who played strictly basketball and volleyball is any indication he has a bright future ahead of him. That list?

Micah Christenson, Kamehameha
Taylor Crabb, Punahou
Spencer McLachlin, Punahou
Junior Ale, Kahuku

Hall of Honor Members