Kaua‘i Teams Participate in Youth Basketball Tournament on Big Island

Teams from Kaua‘i faced off against other youth from throughout the state who played in a recent basketball tournament hosted by the Hawai‘i Police Department on the Big Island.

The Hawai‘i Isle Police Activities League Endless Summers basketball tournament was played Aug. 27-28 in Hilo. It featured four divisions: varsity girls, intermediate girls, elementary girls and intermediate boys.

The results of the tournament are:

Varsity girls

• Champions: Kona Stingrays
• Second place: Honolulu Lightning
• Third place: Hoopstars
• Championship game final score: Kona Stingrays, 57; Honolulu Lightning, 41

Intermediate girls

• Champions: Maui Sparks
• Second place: West Side Kaua‘i
• Third place: Kaua‘i Ballers
• Championship game final score: Maui Sparks, 48; West Side Kaua’i, 37

Elementary girls

• Champions: Swish (winner via forfeit)
• Second place: West Side Kaua‘i
• Third place: Kona Stingrays

Intermediate boys

• Champions: Ikehu
• Second place: Lights Out Maui
• Third place: Hokulele
• Championship game final score: Ikehu, 70; Lights Out Maui, 49

The tournament was organized by Officer Darren Abalos with the police department’s Hilo Community Policing Section. Abalos was assisted by retired Big Island police major Randy Apele to coordinate the event.

“Due to the past COVID restrictions prohibiting children and families from participating in sporting events, I was happy to assist in coordinating this event with Mr. Apele to get the children back into sports.” Abalos said in media release.

“The participants were eager to play in the tournament and enjoyed being able to get back into playing basketball against other teams in friendly competition,” Apele added in the release.

The Hawai‘i Isle Police Activities League was created by the Hawai‘i Police Department. It gives officers the chance to interact with youth in various activities and act as mentors, helping build trust and encouraging teamwork, citizenship and responsibility.