Maybe that old running joke about states is true: that the Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up usually gets a better draw than the league champion.
Maybe that old running joke about states is true: that the Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up usually gets a better draw than the league champion.
Kohala, five days after losing in the BIIF final, is the only one of the league’s four teams to advance to the semifinals at the HHSAA basketball tournaments on Oahu.
It looks like the Cowboys had the best draw. That’s because they were the only one not to face a powerful Oahu Interscholastic Association school, whether it was Division I or II.
Kohala took Seabury Hall to the woodshed and pounded the No. 3 seed and unbeaten Maui Interscholastic League champion 76-51 in the Division II quarterfinals Thursday at Kalani High Gym.
The Cowboys (14-1) will play the No. 2 and OIA champion Kaiser (8-4) in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday at Farrington High gym.
The rest of the BIIF teams all lost their first-round games.
OIA runner-up Kalani, with a sub .500 record, beat BIIF champion Pahoa 57-52 in the Division II quarterfinals at Farrington.
Senior guard Tolby Saito scored 20 points but shot just 6 of 20 for the Daggers (13-2). Keinan Agonias added 12.
Alexander Tungpalan scored 16 points for the Falcons (4-8), who move on to the semifinals against the ILH champion Hawaii Baptist, the fourth seed.
The top-seeded Daggers will face KIF champion Kauai (8-1) in a consolation game at 5 p.m. at Kalani.
The BIIF’s Division I teams struggled against the rugged OIA squads.
OIA runner-up Kahuku defeated No. 4 and BIIF champion Konawaena 67-45 in the quarterfinals at Moanalua High Gym.
The Red Raiders (13-2), annually one of the state’s most physical teams, advance to the semifinals against OIA rival Kalaheo, which pulled an upset in defeating top-seeded Punahou 64-48.
The young Wildcats (8-7), who don’t have anyone on their roster to match Kahuku’s football-sized players, play the Buffanblu (11-2), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion, in a consolation game at 1 p.m. Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Kahuku 67,
Konawaena 45
Cameron Howes scored a game-high 21 points, but got it on 5-of-15 shooting and 9 of 10 free throws for the Wildcats, who were outrebounded, 36-26.
Freshman point guard Austin Ewing had a solid game with nine points on 4 of 8 shooting in 22 minutes for Konawaena, which shot 29 percent (15 of 52) on field goals.
Denhym Brooke scored 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Red Raiders, who buried 53 percent (21 of 40) from the floor.
Kahuku pounded the ball inside and made 24 of 38 free throws, and went just 1 of 5 on 3-pointers. Kona was 13 of 17 from the line, and drilled just 2 of 18 from long distance.
Kahuku 14 11 15 27 — 67
Kona 9 10 9 17 — 45
Leilehua 39, Kamehameha 35
It was a two-game exit at states for the Warriors (9-7), the BIIF runner-up.
The Mules (12-3), the OIA’s No. 4 team, scored more points off turnovers, 18-10, and in the paint, 28-16, in the consolation game at McKinley.
Pukana Vincent scored 14 points on 5 of 13 shooting, and Kaeo Batacan had six points for Kamehameha, which shot just 31percent (13 of 42) from the field.
Koa Kauhi scored 10 points, David Tibayan nine off the bench, and Joe Gouty had eight points for Leilehua, which converted 40 percent (16 of 40) from the floor.
On Wednesday, Campbell, the OIA No. 5 team, knocked off Kamehameha 42-34 in the first round.
Leilehua 11 6 14 8 — 39
Kamehameha 7 8 7 13 — 35