By Paul Honda
paul@hondareport.com
Monday, Feb. 5, 2007

[new: Sun AM] I once disowned this ramen place known as Sanoya. The service was at an ultimate low one night when I walked in, and I vowed never to return. Well, I have, at least three times now. The waitress these days is very good, the food is quick, and for someone with flu-like symptoms, dinner at midnight doesn't usually get better than beef curry on rice, udon with roast pork and kim chi. They call this (sans kim chi) the Udon Set. It's timely and warming. I still prefer Taiyo Ramen, but this place is closer to home and that's more important right now. That and getting this ballot done before another busy day ahead. Did I get this right? Maryknoll almost beat Iolani? Woah . . .

[new: Fri AM] With Iolani's convincing win over Saint Louis, there just is not a team in the islands that the Raiders don't know how to beat. Saint Louis was the only local team, aside from Moanalua early in nonconference play when two Iolani starters were unavailable (football), to beat the Raiders. Last night, Iolani put the defensive clamps on, upped the pressure, and solidified its place at No. 1. ... Kaimuki and Kailua move into my Top 10, while Moanalua and Kamehameha slip below the border.

[new: Wed AM] Parity? Yes, parity, more than last year, and very much like two, three years ago when we had 20 to 22 quality teams. It goes beyond that, though. With the birth of Division II state championships, there is no real divisible line between D-I and D-II in the OIA, and in the ILH, even former frontrunner University High has a loss to Kamehameha II, which in turn lost to Lutheran last night. What does it all mean? Maybe this: Kohala is my pick to take the state title in D-II.

[generic] I'll be updating my ballot for the week each day for everyone's viewing pleasure (and/or displeasure). Ballots for the Star-Bulletin Top 10 are due Sunday, 3 p.m.

1. Iolani (19-6, 9-1 ILH)
The skinny: The Machine barely gets by Maryknoll. Doc Mugiishi's concerns were valid.
Wins:
Senior Tawanawis (Canada)
Kamehameha-Hawaii (53-47)
Keaau (50-30)
Konawaena (56-35)
McKinley (66-30)
White Station (Memphis, Tenn.) (61-46)
Vincent (Milwaukee, Wis.) (46-45)
Thompson (68-47)
Keaau (51-46)
Kamehameha (44-38 2 OT)
Damien (56-40)
Maryknoll (61-45)
@ Mid-Pacific (59-43)
@ Punahou (72-63)
@ Kamehameha (42-41)
Losses:
Moanalua (56-55)
Box Hill Secondary (Australia)*
LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.) (58-27)
El Toro, Calif. (55-52)
Timpview, Utah (57-55 OT)
at Saint Louis (51-48)
Note: Timpview was ranked No. 3 in Utah.
* This game included international rule adjustments.
This week: won at Damien (62-52); def. Saint Louis (59-49); def. Maryknoll (58-55)

2. Punahou (20-3, 9-1 ILH)
The skinny: Two blowout wins for the Buffanblu in a short week.
Wins:
Pearl City (60-30)
Kamehameha (55-50)
Leilehua (70-32)
Radford (66-56)
Kalaheo (58-54)
Thompson (90-39)
St. Mary's, N.Y. (81-75)
Villa Park, Calif. (61-58)
Timpview, Utah (65-64)
Baldwin (68-59)
Kalaheo (56-51)
Saint Louis (65-47)
at Kamehameha (51-45)
def. Mid-Pacific (81-63)
def. Damien (85-51)
Maryknoll (72-58)
@ Saint Louis (67-53)
Kamehameha (61-52)
Losses:
at Kalaheo (46-41)
Montrose Christian, Md. (69-57)
Iolani (72-63)
This week: won at Mid-Pacific 76-47; def. Damien (85-49)

3. Saint Louis (17-5, 7-3 ILH)
The skinny: Crusaders return to where they began the week, at the 3 spot.
Wins:
Roosevelt (64-35)
Waipahu (67-49)
Radford (n/a)
Radford (57-47)
Moanalua (77-58)
Kaimuki (59-51)
Listowel (Canada) (77-24)
North Torrance (Calif.) (93-82)
Arlington, Calif. (72-70) > Note: Arlington was ranked No. 13 in California
Maryknoll (54-48)
Kamehameha (49-39)
Iolani (51-48)
Damien (61-55)
@ Mid-Pacific (55-47)
Maryknoll (54-37)
Losses:
Kaimuki (52-47)
LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.) (81-46)
@ Punahou (65-47)
Damien (61-55)
@ Mid-Pacific (55-47)
Punahou (67-53)
This week: won at Kamehameha (51-36); lost at Iolani (59-49); won at Damien (85-39)

4. Keaau (20-5, 13-1 BIIF)
The skinny: Nondescript wins on the road for the Cougars. This 4 spot will last only as long as they roll nice.
Wins:
Waiakea (61-44)
Hilo (58-49)
Kamehameha-Hawaii (55-43)
Christian Liberty
Kohala
Ka‘u (79-47)
Hawaii Prep (76-39)
Konawaena (39-32)
Kealakehe (56-47)
@ Laupahoehoe (67-38)
Losses:
Honokaa (50-46)
This week: won at Pahoa (68-47); won at St. Joseph (54-33); won at Parker (112-32)

5. Mililani (21-5, 12-0 OIA Red West)
The skinny: Narrow win over Leilehua confirms what I've said since the beginning of the season. The Trojans are overachieving beautifully at times, overachieving in ugly fashion at other times. Likely to face Kaimuki in the OIA quarterfinals. Not to worry, Trojan fans. Quarterfinal losers still have a shot at the state tourney since the OIA has five state berths.
Wins:
Damien (61-51)
@ Kahuku
@ Waialua
Campbell (65-64)
Nanakuli (62-38)
Thompson (57-53)
@ Kapolei (42-25)
@ Waianae (70-58)
Radford (77-74, 2 OT)
Campbell (62-61, OT)
Leilehua (59-16)
@ Pearl City (50-34)
Kapolei (54-37)
Waianae (68-63)
@ Radford (70-52)
Losses:
Fairfax, Los Angeles (96-24)
Kamehameha (57-38)
Radford (53-45)
Montrose Christian, Md. (72-41)
Leilehua (43-40)
This week: def. Campbell (62-46) at McKinley Gym; won at Leilehua (52-51)

6. Honokaa (21-2, 13-1 BIIF)
The skinny: Dragons on a roll again.
Wins:
Kahuku (65-27)
Moanalua (58-50)
@ Parker
@ Konawaena
Christian Liberty
Kamehameha-Hawaii (47-46)
@ Hilo (57-55)
St. Joseph (51-39)
@ Ka‘u (76-44)
Pahoa (67-46)
Losses:
lost to Kohala (57-56, OT)
This week: def. Kealakehe (69-63); def. Laupahoehoe (72-40); won at Waiakea (62-49)

7. Kalaheo (20-8, 10-2 OIA Red East)
The skinny: Sure, the Mustangs had the top seed in the Red East sewn up long before they lost to Kahuku, but this is no way to roll into the playoffs. And especially with a loss to a team that, frankly, had not been as consistent as Kalaheo in league play. Cliche or not, this wake-up call will serve them well. My pick to win the OIA crown.
Wins:
Maryknoll (69-56)
Strathcona (Canada) (75-33)
Moanalua (68-59)
Punahou (46-41)
Honokaa (65-27)
Kamehameha (69-59)
Farrington (56-44)
Elko, Nev. (46-43)
Keaau (44-36)
Castle (58-41)
Kaimuki (58-41)
Kailua (54-40)
Castle (78-51)
@ Kahuku (80-55)
@ Kaimuki (69-61)
@ Roosevelt (45-36)
Moanalua (57-39)
@ Kailua (55-49)
Losses:
Punahou (58-54)
Mojave (Las Vegas, Nev.) (80-71)
Marshall (Portland, Ore.) (71-69)
Las Vegas Valley, Nev. (85-69)
El Toro, Calif. (53-45)
Punahou (56-51)
@ Moanalua (54-48)
This week: def. Castle (55-28); lost to Kahuku (43-42)

8. Kamehameha-Hawaii (22-6, 12-2 BIIF)
The skinny: Warriors lock down, allow just 35 points per game this week.
Wins:
Parker (86-12)
St. Joseph (64-42)
Kohala (54-45)
Campbell (63-50)
Kaimuki (42-40)
Hilo (65-40)
Waiakea (58-31)
Keaau 'A' (54-43)
Leilehua (42-25)
Baldwin (59-45)
Ka‘u (79-31)
Waiakea
@ Hawaii Prep
@ Christian Liberty (83-25)
Laupahoehoe (63-23)
Kohala (49-41)
@ Kealakehe (42-38)
Losses:
Iolani (53-47)
Temecula (Calif.)
Montrose Christian (80-33)
Castle (58-56)
@ Keaau (55-43)
@ Honokaa (47-46 2 OT)
This week: def. Hilo (55-34); def. Pahoa (56-36); def. Konawaena (43-36)

9. Kailua (14-9, 8-4 OIA Red East)
The skinny: Surfriders end regular-season play with close, clutch wins.
Wins:
Roosevelt (53-35)
Castle (62-39)
@ Kahuku (61-43)
Losses:
Kaimuki (47-42)
Kalaheo (55-49) @ McKinley Gym
This week: def. Moanalua (45-42); won at Roosevelt (48-43)

10. Moanalua (15-13, 8-4 OIA Red East)
The skinny: Unpredictable, yes. But the drama never ceases.
Wins:
@ Iolani (56-55)
Maryknoll (69-53)
Leilehua (46-35)
McKinley (55-48)
Kamehameha (58-42)
Hawaii Baptist (60-47)
Campbell (53-47)
Kalaheo (54-48)
@ Roosevelt (64-45)
Kahuku (58-42)
Kailua (42-41)
@ Kaimuki (64-62)
Roosevelt (46-37)
Kahuku (57-53) @ McKinley Gym
Losses:
@ Kalaheo (68-59)
Kamehameha (69-42)
@ Radford (53-51)
Honokaa (57-50)
University (47-46)
White Station (Memphis, Tenn.) (64-44)
Saint Louis (77-58)
McKinley (45-39)
@ Castle (58-56)
@ Kalaheo (57-39)
This week: lost at Kailua (45-42); def. Kaimuki (65-56)

ON THE CUSP

11. Kaimuki (19-8, 7-5 OIA Red East)
The skinny: Bench has not progressed the way the Bulldogs wanted, but there still isn't a team in the league that wants to face them in the playoffs.
Wins:
Maryknoll (64-52)
at McKinley (57-44)
at Radford (56-52)
Hilo (56-42)
Farrington (60-29)
Saint Louis (52-47) (Scott Smith DNP)
University (49-44)
Hilltop (Calif.) (70-62)
Campbell (65-47)
Kamehameha (60-51)
Hamamatsu (82-38)
Pearl City (n/a)
Roosevelt (66-43)
@ Castle (70-41)
Kahuku (59-56)
@ Kailua (47-42)
Castle (70-46)
Losses:
Kamehameha-Hawaii (42-40)
Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) (68-59)
Saint Louis (59-51)
@ Kalaheo (58-41)
Moanalua (64-62)
@ Roosevelt (46-43)
Kalaheo (69-61)
This week: def. Kahuku (77-55) at McKinley Gym; lost at Moanalua (65-56)

12. Kamehameha (9-14, 4-6 ILH)
The skinny: Don't be fooled by the win-loss record; the Warriors have yet to lose to an average team, and they've wiped out a handful of very good teams.
Wins:
Roosevelt (49-35)
Moanalua (69-42)
Kahuku (58-25)
Mililani (57-38)
@ Mariner (Wash.) (46-33).
Mid-Pacific (53-45)
@ Damien (54-52)
Maryknoll (54-40)
Losses:
Punahou (55-50)
Kalaheo (69-59)
Radford (47-42)
Vincent (Milwaukee, Wisc.) (73-45)
Kaimuki (60-51)
Moanalua (58-42)
@ Snohomish, Wash. (66-49)
@ Roosevelt (Wash.)
@ Iolani (44-38 2 OT)
@ Saint Louis (49-39)
Iolani (42-41)
@ Punahou (61-52)
This week: lost to Saint Louis (51-36); won at Mid-Pacific (49-31)

13. Kaiser (17-3, 11-1 OIA White)
The skinny: Cougars close out the regular season with a flourish.
Wins: Leilehua, Damien (55-49), Word of Life (47-38), Kamehameha II (64-52), Saint Louis II (score n/a), Lick-Wilmerding (Calif.) (60-37), Waipahu (64-51), @ Farrington (56-50), @ Aiea (69-64), @ Kalani (69-43), Thompson (60-55), Nanakuli (58-33), @ Waialua (78-53); @ Kalani (63-46); Farrington (61-60).
Losses: Arlington, Calif. (73-59), North Torrance, Calif. (85-75), at McKinley (43-37). Note: Kaiser had just seven players suited up against Arlington.
This week: def. McKinley (64-61 OT); def. Thompson (83-53)

14. Konawaena (22-5, 11-3 BIIF)
The skinny: In the rugged, most difficult travel league in the state (OK, the MIL is tough, too), the Wildcats are winning close at home, losing close on the road in the big ones.
Wins: Hilo, Kealakehe (64-50), Christian Liberty (93-26), at Pahoa (47-26), Waiakea (53-51), @ St. Joseph (36-31).
Losses: Iolani (56-35), Honokaa (50-46), @ Keaau (39-32).
This week: won at Hawaii Prep (71-34); def. Kohala (51-49); lost at Kamehameha-Hawaii (43-36)

15. Kohala (18-6, 11-3 BIIF)
The skinny: Cowboys lose close one at Konawaena.
Wins:
Honokaa (57-56, OT)
@ Hilo (75-66)
Waiakea (73-56)
Christian Liberty (61-27)
Ka‘u (59-39) @ Konawaena/Onizuka Gym
Losses:
@ Kamehameha-Hawaii (49-41)
This week: won at Parker (75-50); lost at Konawaena (51-49); won at St. Joseph (35-25)

16. Campbell (16-10, 9-3 OIA Red West)
The skinny: Another close loss on the road.
Wins: @ Kapolei, at Kapolei (38-26), Leilehua (56-40), Waianae (59-53); Pearl City (51-45).
Losses: @ Mililani (62-61, OT), Radford (50-47), lost at Radford (50-47)
This week: lost to Mililani (62-46) @ McKinley Gym; def. Radford (62-46)

17. Radford (14-9, 8-4 OIA Red West)
The skinny: Rams turn away upset-minded Waianae.
Wins: at McKinley (56-49), Moanalua (53-51), Kamehameha (47-42), McKinley (67-39), Mililani (53-45), @ Kalani (60-48), @ Kapolei (59-39), Waianae, Campbell (50-47); at Leilehua (77-61); @tPearl City (59-35); Kapolei (58-33).
Losses: Kaimuki (56-52), Punahou (66-56), at Saint Louis (n/a), St. Dominic (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) (55-41), Saint Louis (57-47), Leilehua (44-43 OT); Mililani (70-52).
This week: def. Waianae (62-48); lost at Campbell (62-46)

18. Baldwin (10-10, 5-1 MIL)
The skinny: Chase Nakamura bounces back with 17 points in a key win over KS-Maui.
Wins: Nanakuli (64-19), @ King Kekaulike (58-53), at Lahainaluna (51-48).
Losses: Elsinore (Calif.) (55-41), Punahou (68-59), Kamehameha-Hawaii (59-45), Hilo (56-49), Kamehameha-Maui (44-26).
This week: def. Kamehameha-Maui (61-48); at Maui, Saturday

19. Aiea (18-4, 10-1 OIA White)
The skinny: Na Alii are rolling.
Wins: Kapolei (50-38), Punahou II (65-61), Nanakuli (61-42), Tamawanis (Canada) (69-41), Iolani II (62-45), Leilehua, Waipahu (80-67), Thompson (73-62), Leilehua (58-48), Kahuku (77-60), Kailua (56-49), @ Farrington (65-63 OT), McKinley (69-64). Nanakuli (58-30), @ Kalani, Waialua, @ Nanakuli (84-45), @ Waialua (51-42).
Losses: Campbell (64-61), Maryknoll (73-51), Farrington (56-55), Kaiser (69-64).
This week: won at Waipahu (78-60)

20. Kahuku (3-9 OIA Red East)
The skinny: Playing with more consistency, the Red Raiders finally put together a big win on the road. The sleeper of the OIA playoffs.
This week: lost to Kaimuki (77-55) at McKinley Gym; won at Kalaheo (43-42)

21. Punahou II (13-3, 7-0 ILH Division II)
The skinny: What was the score with Iolani II?
Wins: Roosevelt (47-37), Kailua (55-52), Le Jardin (47-18), Le Jardin (47-18), Hanalani (72-52). def. Redemption, @ Iolani II (54-42), University (54-51), Kamehameha II (54-37).
Losses: Maryknoll (58-45).
This week: def. Word of Life (66-46); at Iolani II, Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

22. Kamehameha-Maui (6-1 MIL)
The skinny: Warriors falter in big showdown at Baldwin, miss a chance to clinch a state berth outright.
Wins: Baldwin (44-26), Maui (65-52), @ Lahainaluna (55-41).
This week: lost at Baldwin (61-48)

23. McKinley (15-11, 7-5 OIA White)
The skinny: Tough team, but the loss to Farrington stings.
Wins: Kapolei (52-26), Roosevelt (49-48), Pearl City (42-30), Mid-Pacific (39-37), Campbell (53-43), Damien (41-34), @ Moanalua (45-39), Farrington (48-34), Kaiser (43-37), at Kalani (58-36), Thompson (54-46), Kalani (68-51).
Losses: Kaimuki (57-44), Radford (56-49), University (47-41), Iolani (66-30), Moanalua (55-48), Radford (67-39), Thompson (59-54).
This week: lost at Kaiser (64-61 OT); lost to Farrington (60-55)

24. Mid-Pacific (13-9, 4-5 ILH)
The skinny: Lopsided home loss to Kamehameha puts a sour note on the week. Young Owls still a threat in the third-place tourney, though.
Wins: @ Farrington (65-40), @ Kailua (77-48), Kalani (74-49), Kalani (64-42), Waipahu (44-38), Word of Life (65-46), Iolani II (58-40), Maryknoll (49-35), Damien (69-40).
Losses: @ McKinley (39-37), Benson Tech (Ore.) (58-52), Punahou II (59-44), Campbell (52-49), at Kamehameha (53-45), Iolani (59-43), Saint Louis (55-47).
This week: lost to Punahou (76-47); def. Maryknoll (46-37); lost to Kamehameha (49-31)

25. University (16-3, 7-2 ILH Division II)
The skinny: Junior 'Bows fall at Punahou II and lose ground in the ILH D-II race.
Wins: @ Waipahu (46-39), @ McKinley (47-41), Waipahu (40-38), @ Waialua (53-37), @ Moanalua (47-46), Hana (59-21), Lanai (49-33), Seabury Hall (50-38), Lanakila Baptist (65-48), @ Hanalani (42-30), Redemption (86-30), Word of Life (53-36), Iolani II (41-29), Le Jardin (61-17), Saint Louis II (54-30) @ MPI Gym.
Losses: Kaimuki (49-44), at Kamehameha II (53-50), @ Punahou II (54-51).
This week: won at Hawaii Baptist (41-38); vs. Christian Academy (76-43) at Aiea Rec. Gym; vs. AOP, Saturday (MPI Gym), 8 p.m.

BEST OF THE REST

Maryknoll (13-13, 2-8 ILH)
The skinny: Inspired effort at No. 1 Iolani makes up (sort of) for a loss at Mid-Pac.
Wins: @ Damien (44-41).
Losses: @ Saint Louis (54-48), @ Mid-Pacific (49-35), at Iolani (61-45), at Punahou (72-58), at Kamehameha (54-40), Saint Louis (54-37) @ Iolani Gym.
This week: won at Damien (68-51); lost at Mid-Pacific (46-37); lost at Iolani (58-55)

Waianae
Waiakea
Farrington
Waimea
Waialua
Thompson
Damien
Roosevelt
Kauai
Castle
Hilo
Waipahu

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