It's subtraction by addition for OIA hoops

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The fallout from the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's inaugural Division II tournament is being felt mostly in Division I, where three teams that would have made last year's playoffs have packed away their uniforms for the summer.

Most notably, Farrington — a team that reached the 2003 state semifinals and returned first-team Advertiser All-State forward Sunshine Misa-Uli — is done for the year despite a 7-4 record and strong finish.

"I think Farrington right now is playing as good as anybody else," said Roosevelt coach Bobby Keanini, whose Rough Riders (7-4) are heavily favored to win the Division II tournament. "Nothing against the West (division), but the East is so tough to play in. And Farrington finished fifth."

Which means the Governors are out. In the past, the top six teams from each division advanced to the playoffs, but with the addition of a four-team Division II tournament this year, the Division I field was reduced to eight teams.

Both tournaments begin tomorrow at school sites.

Ironically, Roosevelt will be playing in the Division II tournament despite being the only team to defeat Kahuku — the East's No. 1 seed in Division I. The teams were placed in Division I or II based on last year's records, and the Rough Riders went 3-7 with no seniors in 2003.

"It's kind of a funny situation," Keanini said. "That's how they drew it up and Division II is a great opportunity for some smaller schools, but to be honest, it's not really what we're looking for as a program. We want to play at the highest level. If we won our last game against Kaiser, we would have finished third, but we lost and finished sixth, so it was heart-breaking."

Leilehua (7-3) and Campbell (5-5) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the West and did not qualify.

"We all knew from the beginning what the situation was (with only eight playoff teams), but I think now the reality is setting in that some outstanding teams are not going to be there," Radford coach David Lane said.

In the past two years, seven of the eight OIA semifinalists came from the East.

West champion Radford (10-0) will try to break through tomorrow, but it must defeat a hot-shooting team from McKinley (8-3).

"We have a veteran team and they all know the challenge, that the East is where it's been at the past few years," Lane said. "What's also been forgotten is that with only eight teams in the tournament, nobody gets a bye in the first round, so McKinley will be rested and ready."

Lane said that despite Roosevelt's upset of Kahuku two weeks ago, the Red Raiders still are the team to beat.

"The road through the OIA still runs through Kahuku," Lane said. "For whatever reason, they lost to Roosevelt, but I think that just woke up a sleeping giant."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.

OIA basketball playoffs

DIVISION I

Tomorrow

Quarterfinals

at 'Aiea

• West No. 3 Mililani (7-3) vs East No. 2 Kalaheo (9-2), 5 p.m.
• East No. 4 McKinley (8-3) vs. West No. 1 Radford (10-0), 6:30 p.m.

at Kahuku

• East No. 3 Kaiser (9-2) vs. West No. 2 Pearl City (8-2), 5 p.m.
• West No. 4 Kapolei (7-3) vs. East No. 1 Kahuku (10-1), 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Semifinals

at McKinley

• Kalaheo-Mililani winner vs. McKinley-Radford winner, 5 p.m.
• Kaiser-Pearl City winner vs. Kahuku-Kapolei winner, 6:30 p.m.

May 14

at McKinley

• 4:30 p.m. — Third place game
• 8 p.m. — Championship game

DIVISION II

Tomorrow

Semifinals

at Nanakuli

• West No. 2 Waipahu (3-7) vs. East No. 1 Roosevelt (7-4), 5 p.m.
• East No. 2 Kalani (3-8) vs. West No. 1 Nanakuli (3-7), 6:30 p.m.

May 14

Championship

at McKinley

• 6 p.m. — Roosevelt-Waipahu winner vs. Kalani-Nanakuli winner

Admission: $6 general (high school and above), $4 students (with activity book, or 8th grade and under)