BOYS BASKETBALL: Loaded field here for 'Iolani Prep Classic

By Wes Nakama
HHSAA

The 'Iolani Prep Classic -- long regarded as one of the nation's premier boys basketball tournaments -- will feature one of its best fields this week with three of the country's top 12 teams, according to USA Today.

First-round action begins Tuesday with four games: 'Iolani vs. McKinley at 3:30 p.m., Kalaheo vs. Yates (Houston) at 5, Tsinghua (China) vs. La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) at 6:30 and Kamehameha vs. Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) at 8.

In Wednesday's first round, it will be Hilo vs. John Carroll (Bel Air, Md.) at 3:30 p.m., Kahuku vs. Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) at 5, Kapolei vs. Coolidge (Washington, D.C.) at 6:30 and Moanalua vs. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) at 8.

The tournament will continue through Saturday's 8 p.m. championship game, with the popular annual slam dunk contest scheduled for about 9:30 p.m. Friday night.

Findlay Prep is currently ranked No. 1 in USA Today's latest Super 25. The Pilots finished last season at 32-1 and ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Point guard Nigel Williams-Goss is a three-year starter who has committed to play for the University of Washington next season, and also returning is forward Christian Wood, who is headed to UNLV. Another returnee, 7-foot center Benas Griciunas, will play for Auburn, and newcomers Allerik Freeman, Stanford Robinson and Fallou Ndoye have committed to UCLA, Indiana and Mississippi, respectively.

Oak Hill, ranked No. 6, went 44-0 last seasoned and won the mythical national championship. The Warriors feature forward Troy Williams, who has committed to Indiana, guard Nate Britt (North Carolina) and Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina).

Defending Classic champion Montrose Christian finished last season at 22-3 and ranked seventh. The Mustangs return senior forward/guard Ishmail Wainwright, who is headed to Baylor next season.

La Lumiere, the first team from Indiana to participate in the Classic, went 27-3 last season and finished the year ranked No. 1 in the state. Yates, the 2009 Classic champion, went 35-5 last season.

Coolidge went 29-7 and won its conference last season, while John Carroll is coming off back-to-back 30-win seasons.

The local teams include perennial powers 'Iolani, Moanalua, Kamehameha, Kapolei, Hilo and Kahuku, plus defending Division II state runner-up McKinley.