Tasini, Ross Help Bears Clinch MIL Div. I Boys Basketball Title

Pasoni Tasini. Maui Football Combine photo.

By Rodney S. Yap

The Baldwin High School boys basketball team did everything but cut down the nets Tuesday night at King Kekaulike.

The Bears rode the steady play of its senior captains Gabe Ross and Pasoni Tasini en route to a convincing 53-37 win over host Na Ali’i. Baldwin posted its ninth straight win, clinching the Maui Interscholastic League Division I regular-season title and an automatic berth to the state tournament.

Ross had a game-high 22 points and Tasini added seven and nine rebounds.

Baldwin (9-0, 19-3 overall) also got 14 points from sophomore Teva Eldridge.

Kekaulike, which fell to 5-4, was led by Jansen Agapay’s nine points.

Baldwin will be without the services of Tasini when it hosts Lahainaluna (5-3) on Saturday. Tasini, the MIL two-time defensive player of the year, is making his official visit to Utah University this weekend. According to Maui News sports writer Robert Collias, Utah’s defensive end coach Chad Kauhaahaa was at Tasini’s game Upcountry on Tuesday.

Tasini missed last weekend’s win over Maui High because he was on an official recruiting visit to Oregon State.

The earliest a recruit can sign is Feb. 1, National Letter of Intent day. Tasini remains undecided between Oregon State and Utah University, both from the Pac-12. He has also received offers from Hawaii and UNLV.