Boys basketball

The enormous spike in COVID-19 cases in Hawaii is making a big impact on prep basketball. The Punahou Invitational has cancelled opening-round games scheduled for Monday. Buffanblu coach Darren Matsuda said he will meet with school administrators to consider options for the remainder of the tournament. Several teams have players in health and safety protocols. Two teams, Matsuda said, have withdrawn from the tournament. The recently-completed James Alegre Invitational and ‘Iolani Classic tournaments had numerous game cancellations due to health […]

Dug McDaniel swallowed his pride. Moments after he missed two contested 3-point tries in the final seconds of a 52-49 loss to national powerhouse Sierra Canyon, the St. Paul VI guard felt the sting. When Sierra Canyon let him know that the win was theirs, waving goodbye, he fired back verbally at mid-court. As they headed back to their bench, Mike Price, Dylan Metoyer, Justin Pippen and Addison Reid wore their white Sierra Canyon uniforms proudly and continued to wave […]

When Kaimuki fell behind 36-15 at Radford on Saturday night, coach Greydon Espinda didn’t have a lot of words for his team at the break. His team was playing fairly good defense. Shots weren’t falling. There was still 16 minutes to play. “It got worse. (The lead) was in the mid-20s,” Espinda said of the point margin. “I just told them play as a team, not as individuals, and they did that in the whole second half. It’s about playing […]

Another day, another cancellation. West Linn (Ore.) had rocked out during the first two rounds of the ‘Iolani Prep Classic with a 102-36 win over Damien on Saturday and a 100-39 victory over Baldwin on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, the Northwest powerhouse was scheduled to play St. Paul VI (Va.) in the semifinal round at 4:30 p.m. Instead, West Linn dropped out, which means a shift for Central Catholic, another Oregon school. Central Catholic lost to Pembroke Pines (Fla.), […]

There will be games when Andre Chevalier can relax just a smidge and empty his bench during a game. Monday was not one of those times. With Bronny James on the bench in foul trouble, No. 1-ranked Sierra Canyon trailed 33-29 early in the second half before exploding for a 66-49 win over host ‘Iolani in the quarterfinal round of the ‘Iolani Prep Classic. “It’s effort, focus and toughness. Execution. Making free throws,” Chevalier said. “We have the next man […]

4:45 p.m. We’re underway with Central Catholic (Ore.) and Pembroke Pines (Fla.). It almost feels like the old Classic again. Finally. Pembroke Pines leads 8-3, 4:55 left, first quarter. Halleliujah. 2:25 p.m. Things are changing here by the hour. The rest of Monday’s games are expected to be played, pending test results. Sadly, for the Hawaii teams in the tournament, after Baldwin plays West Linn (Ore.) tonight in the 7:30 p.m. game, that will be it for nearly all the […]

At 5 feet, 9 inches, Peyton Macapulay has always defied the odds on a basketball court. The guy is, always was, always will be a blur. Sierra Canyon left the premises with a 65-39 win over Hawaii powerhouse Punahou on Saturday night, but fans on both sides of the gym, whether from Punahou, Waialua or otherwise, brought their biggest roars for Macapulay’s deft thread-the-needle passes and impeccable reverse layups in transition. For 32 minutes it felt like the ‘Iolani Classic […]