By Paul Honda
paul@hondareport.com
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007

Kamehameha is 8-14. In ILH play, the Warriors are 3-6. Those aren't exactly the best numbers the boys basketball program has ever had.

They are No. 10 on my Top 10 ballot.

No, I have not lost my mind. They have lopsided wins over a host of quality teams like Moanalua (69-42), Kahuku (58-25) and Mililani (57-38). Mililani, of course, is ranked No. 5 in the Star-Bulletin Top 10 this week, unbeaten at 10-0 in the OIA Red West.

The Warriors are getting the most of what they have on the hill. Coach Jesse Nakanishi has a roster that has no player taller than 6-foot-2. The time has come for hardcore and casual Warrior fans to realize that Kamehameha-Oahu is no longer drawing the kind of physical height and talent pool in basketball that it once did. In fact, the school's enrollment at the high school level is not much different from other mid-sized programs.

Factor in the expansion of Maui and Big Island campuses, and it's no real surprise that KS-Oahu is struggling against programs with physical size (Iolani, Punahou, Saint Louis). In years past, some of KS-Oahu's talent and height came from the Neighbor Islands ... but this season, they've lost their tallest players for various reasons. One is at Kapaa. Another is at Kailua (temporarily).

Kamehameha-Hawaii was a Top 5 team most of last season and is currently No. 8. Kamehameha-Maui is leading the MIL.

And yet, I wouldn't be shocked if KS-Oahu makes the state tourney. Stay tuned.

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