Two-thirds of Kahuku's 12-player boys' basketball team were spectators for the opening-round game of the Punahou Invitational Saturday and the undermanned Red Raiders paid the price with a 79-37 loss to Maryknoll.

Brian Washington led the Spartans with 18 points. Keanu Akina led Kahuku with 20 points, including three 3-pointers.

With the eight players not suited, Kahuku was left with four varsity players. One player was brought up from the JV to give the Red Raiders the opportunity to start the game. The five played 32 minutes.

"We can make a stand and stand up for what we feel is right and represent the school," Kahuku coach Alan Akina said. "We did that today with the five kids…A couple of them never played (or) hardly (played) at all. I'm proud of them and a lot of other people watching were proud, but these five boys decided to suit up and represent their school."

One of the players who sat out, senior Hirk Latu, said the eight players sat out in protest because of differences with Akina. Latu said players discussed the issue with the school administrators since last season and apparently did not get the response they wanted.

"Our team has had issues with Coach Alan (Akina) from last year," Latu said. "We tried talking to the principal last year, but nothing really happened…We talked to the (athletic director Gillian Yamagata), but nothing was heard.

"We just felt the whole system we've been running has revolved around (Coach Akina's) son (Keanu). It got to the point where all the guards on the team don't want to shoot; they're scared to do anything or make mistakes and it's just hurting the team and no one wants to play."

Yamagata did not immediately return a phone message left by ScoringLive.

Coach Akina acknowledges that the issue involves his youngest son on the team, Kawika, a freshman guard.

"I knew that was going to be an issue, but no matter whoever the coach is and the son, you're always going to get that," Coach Akina said. "But at the end of the day, I'm the coach and I'm going to play the best kids that give us a chance to win. People that come to the games can see it. I think the biggest problem of all was that Kawika, who is a freshman, he made the varsity team. Decisions were made above me made him go down to JV. I never cut anybody. Everybody had a chance to try out for varsity, JV kids included. I only had 12 that showed up for tryouts so I didn't cut anybody. He was one (of those) on the team; he didn't get cut. People that watch him play know obviously that he's actually pretty decent. He's not the best, but a pretty decent player, skilled enough to be a contributor on the varsity team. He could play at just about any high school in the state, but it's an issue and that's what sparked a lot of the deeper issues on the team."

The players who sat out were in the stands watching the Kahuku-Maryknoll game "to let it be known that we're not playing and we're trying to make a stand in what we believe in," Latu said.

The eight players will continue to sit out until the administration makes a decision on whether Akina will continue to be the coach, Latu said.

Coach Akina said he does not believe all of the players who sat out necessarily wanted to do so.

"Real teammates stand up for each other," Coach Akina said. "The unfortunate thing that these kids have to go through is that they have to deal with an adult world. Adult things going on affect the kids. I feel horrible for these kids (the ones who sat out) because they don't know what's going on. They don't know what adults think and act and they're paying the price for it.

I'm sure some of the kids who came today to watch didn't want to be involved with it, but they, too, are caught in an adult world and adult situations. I know every kid wants to play no matter what's going on. They'll play injured. All these football kids played injured the whole year. Now, with adult issues, it's hard for them to play. A lot of it is out of their hands."

The Red Raiders open the OIA season Jan. 5, when they host Kaimuki.