KALAHEO — The Pu‘uloa Bandits are returning, and Ken Tangjian is coming home. The Bandits from Ewa Beach, O‘ahu will be joined by Ikaika Basketball coached by Clay Tang out of Kaimuki, O‘ahu, and the Maui Lani Boyz coached by
KALAHEO — The Pu‘uloa Bandits are returning, and Ken Tangjian is coming home.
The Bandits from Ewa Beach, O‘ahu will be joined by Ikaika Basketball coached by Clay Tang out of Kaimuki, O‘ahu, and the Maui Lani Boyz coached by Craig Takushi and Nelson Guzman as they take the floor in the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association’s 12th annual 17 and Under basketball tournament starting June 11 at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
The three off-island teams will match up against five Kaua‘i teams in the tournament that wraps up with the championship game, June 13 starting at 11:30 a.m.
Kaua‘i teams participating in the tournament include the G-Unit coached by Cecil Gee and William Aki, the Kalepa Hillsiders coached by Peter Rayno, Kaua‘i Basketball coached by Tab Matsumoto, a former Kaua‘i High School guard, Team Central with Clarence Sales in the coaching slot, and Waimea.
Tangjian and Tang are no strangers to Kaua‘i courts, returning each year with teams that raise the bar for Kaua‘i players.
Tang also visits the island with Ikaika Basketball girl players, this year, opting to participate in the 17 and Under boys tournament rather than in the 14 and Under girls tourney that wrapped up last weekend.
Games on June 11 open at 5:30 p.m. when Kaua‘i Basketball takes on the Kalepa Hillsiders. That will be followed by the G-Unit tangling with the Maui Lani Boyz starting at 6:30 p.m.
Ikaika Basketball goes up against Waimea in the 7:30 p.m. game and Pu‘uloa Bandits match up against Team Central starting at 8:30 p.m.
That schedule sets up the playoff series that starts with four games on June 12 at 5:30 p.m. and the championship series that opens at 8:30 a.m. June 13.
The public is invited to view the competition at no admission charge at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.