Big Island All-Hawaii basketball honors go to HPA and Kohala teams
Rewritten Article:
After a cracking season, a handful of Big Island's best basketball players earned some well-deserved recognition. ScoringLive unleashed the 2024-25 All-Hawaii First and Second Teams for boys Hoops, and the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) reigned supreme in the Division II rankings.
The talented folks from Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) grabbed two spots on the DII teams – sophomore forward Vander Eberhard on the first team and senior forward Cam Root on the second team. These two towering titans provided the much-needed size factor that only a few teams in the state boasted, helping HPA to reach its first state-title game since 2014. With a glorious 21-8 overall record and a 12-2 BIIF record, they ended second in BIIF Division II. The team stormed past Kauai in the DII state quarterfinals and Aiea in the semifinals to secure a spot in the state title game. However, they fell short to Seabury Hall.
The dynamic duo – HPA's top scorers all year – combined for a whopping 26 points per game. Eberhard scored double figures in an impressive 20 games, notching a season-best 26 points against Honoka'a on Jan. 13 and against KSH on Dec. 28, 2024. Meanwhile, Root targeted double digits in 12 games, and scored a season-high 16 points against Saint Louis on Dec. 30, 2024.
HPA's coach Fred Wawner couldn't help but heap praise on the duo, acknowledging their importance to the team all season long. "They were both a blast to coach in many ways," he said. "They allowed us to be both versatile and score with size and pace. When they were on point, they'd really play well off each other. It was a treat to work with them and have them lead us. When we were at our best, it was because those two were getting a lot of attention."
As Root graduates from HPA later this month, Eberhard still has two years left of high school basketball ahead of him, and Wawner is optimistic about the sky-high potential the youngster holds. "He's got all the potential in the world," he said of Eberhard. "He's got so much ability and so many ways that he can help teams win, on and off the basketball court. There's a ton of potential with him."
Kohala, another BIIF powerhouse, also earned recognition, with senior forward Jayden Hook making the first team and junior guard Layden Kauka securing a spot on the second team. Hook ended the season averaging 14 points per game, driving the Cowboys to an 19-8 record and securing the island title over HPA on Feb. 12. Although Kohala fell to Seabury in the state semi-finals after beating Damien in the quarter-finals, they triumphed over Aiea in the state third-place game.
Hook scored double digits in 17 games this season, achieving a season-best 23 points against Hawaii Baptist on Dec. 5, 2024. Kauka mainly played his junior season at Utah Prep but came back to Kohala near the end of the season. Despite participating in only seven games, he scored in double digits every time – including a jaw-dropping 34-point burst in his Cowboys' season debut on Feb. 5. He averaged 20.7 points per game and a remarkable 75% from the free-throw line.
Honorable mentions:
The following Big Island athletes were under consideration for the All-Hawaii teams:
Division I
- Kealakehe: DeMarion Olloway
- Konawaena: Alex Martinez, Dylan Nonaka, Joven Young
- KSH: Kawohi Huihui, Kaikuakea Kahana-Rowe, Kiai Yasso
Division II
- HPA: Kingdon Simmons, Micah Yamasaki
- Honoka'a: David Aiona, Kukia Tagabi
- Ka'u: Excel Bonoan, Daeten Castillo
- Kohala: Isaac Salvador-Libron
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- The Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) excelled in interscholastic basketball, with sophomore forward Vander Eberhard and senior forward Cam Root demonstrating their importance on the First and Second Teams of the All-Hawaii Division II rankings.
- Eberhard and Root displayed impressive scoring abilities, combining for 26 points per game, with Eberhard notching season-best scores of 26 points against Honoka'a and KSH.
- Kohala, another BIIF powerhouse, also achieved recognition, with senior forward Jayden Hook making the First Team and junior guard Layden Kauka securing a spot on the Second Team.
- Although Hook and Kohala fell short against Seabury Hall in the state semi-finals, Hook ended the season averaging 14 points per game and Kauka, despite playing in only seven games, scored a remarkable 20.7 points per game.
