Unheralded Dolphins crash state basketball party

By Fred Guzman

For decades, the hierarchy of prep basketball in Hawaii has been clearly and firmly entrenched.

The private-school, Oahu-based ILH rules, and the usual suspects from the powerful league – Iolani, Punahou, Kamehameha-Kapalama invariably lead the way, with St. Louis School occasionally qualifying for the state tournament.

But there’s been a dramatic change in the ILH this season.

Yes, Iolani (18-4) took the league title and earned the top overall seed in the Division-I tournament that tips off tomorrow on Oahu.

And, yes, Kamehameha (19-7) finished a close second and will open tomorrow against MIL runnerup Baldwin (18-7) in a 5 p.m. game at Farrington High.

But Punahou is nowhere to be found.

That’s because the Buffanblu were ousted from state tournament consideration over the weekend by suffering a 37-36 loss on their home court to unheralded gate-crasher Academy of the Pacific. The Dolphins (20-8) will open their Cinderella bid against Roosevelt (15-7) in the 7 p.m. game at Farrington.

The MIL’s two other qualifiers – D-I Lahainaluna and D-II Seabury Hall – will begin play in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

The fourth-seeded Lunas (23-4) will face the winner of Kahuku versus Hilo in a 5 p.m. game at McKinley High.

Seabury (16-4) will meet third-seeded Island Pacific of the ILH in a 5 p.m. game at Kalani High.

The other D-I seeds are: Moanalua No. 2 and Kamehameha-Hawaii No. 3. The other D-II seeds: No. 1 Farrington, No. 2 Pahoa of the Big Island and No. 4 Kapaa of Kauai.