HHSAA Division II BOYS BASKETBALL: IPA advances to semifinals with win over Seabury

Kyle Sakamoto

Island Pacific came through in its first boys basketball state tournament appearance. And it sure was exciting.

Jason Brenner hit the go-ahead free throws with 8.4 seconds remaining as Island Pacific beat Seabury Hall, 55-51, in the first round of the Hawaiian Airlines Division II Boys State Championships at Kalani.

After Brenner’s free throws, the Spartans turned the ball over and Brenner was fouled with 1.4 seconds remaining. He hit both free throws to ice it for the Navigators.

Island Pacific, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion and No. 3 seed, plays the winner of No. 2-seeded Pahoa/McKinley in the semifinals today at 5 p.m. at Kaimuki.

Theo Duplechain had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Island Pacific, and Malik Veazie and Brenner both added 13 points. Veazie hit four of the Navigators’ seven 3-pointers.

Island Pacific (12-3) had trouble dealing with the Spartans’ front line of Dylan King (6 foot 6), Jake Golm (6-3) and David Dunn (6-3). The trio combined for 29 rebounds. Dunn scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half and finished with 15 rebounds for Seabury Hall (8-1).

The Navigators, which started one player taller than 6-1, countered with solid 3-point shooting and by upping the tempo on the defensive end. Brenner had four steals for Island Pacific, including two key ones in the fourth period.
“We said to pick it up on defense,” said Island Pacific coach Joe Payongayong. “We need more flow on offense. If we’re stagnant or hesitate, we’ll be in trouble.”

In the Navigators’ 26-point fourth period, Duplechain and Brenner both scored eight points and Veazie added seven, including a pair of 3-pointers.

“He’s our shooter,” Payongayong said of Veazie. “I keep telling him to shoot it.”

Island Pacific scored the first nine points of the game on 3-pointers by Brenner, Veazie and Jackson Durrett, only to have Seabury Hall come back and take a 28-19 lead with 5:25 left in the third period.

The Spartans' final lead was at 51-49 after a free throw by King with 1:22 remaining. Duplechain tied it with a pair from the line with 1:08 remaining.

Seabury Hall, the Maui Interscholastic League champion, plays the loser of No. 2-seeded Pahoa/McKinley today at 5 p.m. at Kalani.