Sienna Lamblack and the Hawaii Baptist girls basketball team are playing with heavy hearts this season. 

Jimmy Mageo, a longtime coach at the school, passed away on Dec. 18 at the age of 50 after complications stemming from a massive stroke he suffered late last month. Lamblack, as well as the vast majority of the Eagles' roster, played for Mageo at either the intermediate level or with the closely-affiliated Hoops 4 Christ (H4C) club team over the years. 

"He was really impactful for so many of our players," HBA coach Robin Yamaguchi said of Mageo, a 1993 graduate of Moanalua High School. 

In addition to his time coaching at HBA, Mageo was a prominent member of the H4C staff, where he was instrumental in the development of hundreds of players during his time with the club.

"He was always there. He never raised his voice, he always talked to them real constructively and he was always able to motivate them to play. When we lost he was there to comfort them, whenever we won he was there in the celebration, so he was always a big part of their basketball career — all of it. Pretty much the whole team used to play for him at one point," Yamaguchi said. 

Just this winter Mageo coached HBA to an Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship at the intermediate III level. The Eagles completed an undefeated run to finish the season at 9-0, capped off with a 54-22 win over St. Andrew's on Nov. 28. 

The very next day — while he was picking up boba for the varsity team — Mageo suffered a stroke. He never regained consciousness and ultimately passed 19 days later. 

When Mageo was hospitalized, the HBA players went to visit him. A scheduled game against Sacred Hearts that Monday was too much to bear; the concept of playing basketball while "Coach Jimmy" was fighting for his life was hard to stomach for the Eagles. Ultimately, the game was postponed. 

"When they found out what happened, they all went to visit him in the hospital. We couldn't play. It was really a tough one for them," Yamaguchi said. 

A few weeks later — unbeknownst to Yamaguchi's squad — Mageo passed on Dec. 18 at roughly 4:20 p.m. At 5 p.m. that evening, HBA took the court at Hanalani and came away with a 43-20 win over the Royals.

The victory — the Eagles' first against the Royals since Dec. 12, 2023 — was a bittersweet one, as the news of Mageo's passing was delivered to the players shortly after the final buzzer. 

"The girls really felt it after we let them know; it was tough to have to give them the news," Yamaguchi expressed. 

Lamblack, who played for Mageo on both the HBA intermediate team and with H4C, was instrumental in the lopsided victory against the defending Division II state champions. She drained three 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 17 points. 

Yamaguchi noted that the Royals were without several players and limited to just a five-girl rotation. 

"They were kind of tired because we kept on pressing and we kept substituting, so Sienna was able to get her shots off and had a couple of layups so it was good. Defensively, everybody was able to play as a unit," Yamaguchi said. 

Lamblack, a 5-foot-4 senior point guard, is a second-year starter and in her fourth season with the Eagles' varsity squad. 

"She's a good shooter and she has the ability to create her own shot as well. She's getting better at calling up, asking for screens and she's able to pass and cut and her defense has gotten better," Yamaguchi said. 

HBA almost exclusively plays man-to-man defense and often utilizes full-court pressure most, if not all game long. Lamblack is a key piece of the Eagles' defensive construct. 

"She knows the game and this year she's just had a little bit more awareness of what's happening and she sees it before it happens. She puts everybody in the right places on the press and in the huddle she's calling out the plays and making sure everybody's got their man," Yamaguchi said. 

Lamblack is a team captain this season and typically plays all but a few minutes every game. 

"She'll play a good 30 minutes a game — almost the whole game. I rarely take her out, not because I don't have people, but because she can handle playing the whole game, so that's what she's been doing for us," Yamaguchi said. 

Given that the Eagles' starting five includes two freshmen in guard Taylor Shinagawa and forward Kayla Wainwright, along with sophomore forward Hallie Chock, Lamblack's leadership — along with that provided by fellow senior guard Lauren Okuda — has been crucial to their success this year. 

"Sienna's been able to lead really without having to yell at people and I think she's a good motivator to the younger ones. She's a real good example for them and is always pushing herself," Yamaguchi said. 

Lamblack's role has grown with each season. She had very limited playing time as a freshman, but went from scoring an average of 1.2 points that season to 7.5 ppg the following year and was one of the team's leading scorers. Lamblack made a big leap as a junior, when she averaged 12.2 points per game and was named an ILH Second Team all-star. She also received All-Hawaii Second Team recognition. 

In nine preseason games earlier this year, Lamblack averaged 13.1 points per game, including back-to-back 20-point games in wins over Kalani and Granite Bay (Calif.) in a 24-hour span. 

Yamaguchi said Lamblack performed well in summer leagues in the lead up to her senior season. 

"We knew we had somebody who could shoot very well. She kind of lit it up in the McKinley summer league so going into season we thought we had a pretty good shooter in Sienna and she does practice shooting a lot, so she's put in the work and it's been showing," Yamaguchi said. 

Lamblack has also shown improvement in other areas of her game and Yamaguchi feels that much of that can be traced to her self confidence. 

"She goes in hard for the drive, she always tries to go after the ball, she's really, really competitive and once she sees a good defender on her, she really tries to take it to that person. Before she would back away and kind of drift off to the side, but now she knows she's gotta step up and she's been doing a good job for it," Yamaguchi said.  

Lamblack has scored in double digits in each of HBA's six league contests this season, including 12 and 10 points in wins over University Lab and Damien on Saturday and Monday, respectively. 

HBA departs for Southern California on Christmas Day to participate in the Surf City Tournament at Marina High School from Dec. 26-31.

Lamblack and the Eagles (15-2 overall, 6-0 league) will open tournament play against host Jordan High School (Long Beach, Calif.) on Friday. They return to ILH action on Jan. 5, when they take on UH Lab at Sacred Hearts. 

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Breyanna Alfonso, Island School — Scored 24 points in a win over Kauai 

Daisy Atay, Kekaulike — Scored 18 points in a loss to Baldwin 

Jordin Baker, Kalani — Scored 17 points in a win over Kailua 

Brooklyn Barrett, Le Jardin — Scored 21 points with 13 rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks in a win over La Pietra 

Shaman Benevides, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 17 points in a win over Pahoa 

Angeline Briand, Waipahu — Scored 20 points in a win over Kaimuki 

Gianna Burks, Le Jardin — Scored 17 points in a win over Island Pacific 

Juliette Conklin, La Pietra — Scored 19 points with 12 rebounds, six steals and five assists in a loss to Le Jardin and scored 15 points in a win over Island Pacific 

Scarlett Dadulla, Waipahu — Scored 19 points in a win over McKinley 

Nihoa Dunn, Kamehameha — Scored 22 points in a win over Punahou 

Hailey Fernandez, Iolani — Scored 18 points in a win over Maryknoll 

Madysin Galima, Hilo — Scored 15 points in a win over Honokaa 

Cristina Harrison, Hanalani — Scored 18 points with 14 rebounds, five blocks and two steals in a win over Sacred Hearts 

Pua Herrington, Maryknoll — Scored 24 points in a loss to Iolani 

Makana Kamakeeaina, Campbell — Scored 20 points in a win over Mililani and scored 17 points in a win over Radford 

Honor Kaniho, Lahainaluna — Scored 19 points in a win over Kekaulike and scored 21 points in a win over Kamehameha-Maui 

Justice Kekauoha, Iolani — Scored 19 points in a win over Maryknoll 

Jacquel Liana, Nanakuli — Scored 18 points in a win over Kapolei

Rayne Mershon, Leilehua — Scored 16 points in a win over Nanakuli 

Matea Nua, Kauai — Scored 26 points in a loss to Island School 

Kailea Sakau Masulit, Island School — Scored 24 points in a win over Kapaa 

Rayah Soriano, Iolani — Scored 17 points in a win over Maryknoll 

Jaynalyn Sotelo, Campbell — Scored 18 points in a win over Mililani and scored 15 points in a win over Radford 

Serenity Tacgere, Moanalua — Scored 20 points in a win over Kahuku and scored 16 points in a win over Farrington 

Darlene Tailing, Kaimuki — Scored 17 points in a loss to Waipahu 

Jolie Taura, Mid-Pacific — Scored 15 points in a loss to Hawaii Baptist and scored 15 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission 

Destiny Tautofi, Sacred Hearts — Scored 12 points with 10 rebounds in a loss to Hanalani 

Riya Tobosa, Pearl City — Scored 32 points in a win over Kalaheo 

Keilana Yandall, McKinley — Scored 14 points with 14 rebounds in a loss to Waipahu 

BOYS BASKETBALL

Declan Beckette, Iolani — Scored 19 points in a loss to Millennium and scored 19 points in a win over Kohala 

Terrance Buckhalter, Radford — Scored 18 points in a loss to Saint Louis 

Kyran Canete, Pahoa — Scored 21 points in a win over Keaau 

Ethan Chung, Punahou — Scored 23 points in a loss to Brentwood 

Levi Damo-Agcaoili, Damien — Scored 22 points in a win over Nanakuli, scored 18 points in a win over Konawaena and scored 20 points in a win over Kaiser 

Braxton Daquioag, Farrington — Scored 21 points in a loss to Le Jardin 

Ezekiel Donnell, Nanakuli — Scored 20 points in a loss to Damien and scored 30 points in a win over Konawaena 

Talon Ea, Waipahu — Scored 20 points in a win over Roosevelt 

Vainuupo Fanuaea, Nanakuli — Scored 19 points in a loss to Damien 

Iverson Hayes, Castle — Scored 21 points in a win over Aiea 

Nainoa Hirasuma-Kenny, Kailua — Scored 20 points in a loss to Punahou 

Kawohi Huihui, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 22 points in a win over Hilo 

Laakea Kamahele, Le Jardin — Scored 23 points in a win over Farrington 

Layden Kauka, Kohala — Scored 25 points in a win over De La Salle and scored 25 points in a loss to Owyhee, scored 25 points with nine assists in a loss to Lexington Catholic and scored 22 points in a loss to Iolani 

Sebastian Ledda, Kailua — Scored 27 points in a loss to Bolingbrook, scored 18 points in a win over De La Salle and scored 17 points in a loss to Brentwood

Diego Mariano, Waimea — Scored 20 points in a win over Kauai 

Beckson Pierce, Le Jardin — Scored 19 points in a loss to Saint Louis II 

Maddox Pung, Kailua — Scored 23 points in a loss to Bolingbrook, scored 21 points in a win over De La Salle and scored 16 points in a loss to Brentwood 

Anoi Salangsang, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored 17 points in a win over Maui 

Shyne Salvador, Kamehameha — Scored 21 points in a win over Kahuku 

Tanoa Scanlan, Punahou — Scored 19 points in a win over De La Salle

Kellen Sells, Maui — Scored 18 points in a loss to Kamehameha-Maui

Zion Soli, Hawaiian Mission — Scored 23 points in a win over Island Pacific and scored 19 points in a loss to Hanalani 

Kukia Tagabi, Honokaa — Scored 27 points in a win over Kealakehe 

Yoshua Vernes, Hanalani — Scored 21 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission 

James Wong, Kohala — Scored 27 points in a win over De La Salle

GIRLS SOCCER

Madie Buczyna, Hawaii Prep — Scored three goals in a win over Keaau 

Tae Detwiler, Hawaii Prep — Scored two goals in a win over Honokaa 

Kaitlyn Ferreira, Moanalua — Scored two goals in a win over Kahuku 

Makayla Garibaldi, Nanakuli — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley 

Maikaela Hargis, Baldwin — Scored two goals in a win over Maui 

Sierra Kalani, Roosevelt — Scored the lone goal in a win over Waialua and scored three goals in a win over Aiea 

K. Kalauokaaea-Kahele, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored the lone goal in a win over Konawaena 

Faith Kawamura, Iolani — Scored two goals in a win over Mid-Pacific 

Vaiana Lussiaa, Hawaii Prep — Scored two goals in a win over Honokaa and scored three goals in a win over Keaau 

Kerys Palmer, Iolani — Scored two goals in a win over Mid-Pacific 

Sabre Telles-Kuwahara, Radford — Scored three goals in a win over Aiea 

Myla Tuitele, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored two goals in a win over Kekaulike 

Aleah Villatora, Kauai — Scored two goals in a win over Island School 

Mia Waki, Mililani — Scored two goals in a win over Waipahu 

Tehya Williams, Castle — Scored a goal and assisted on another in a win over Kalaheo 

Madison Yoshimura, Pearl City — Scored three goals in a win over Waipahu 

BOYS SOCCER

Arawi De La Cuba, Kalani — Scored the lone goal in a win over Roosevelt 

Louis Faustino, Kahuku — Scored two goals in a win over Waianae 

Dane Ferreira, PAC-5 — Scored two goals in a loss to Kamehameha 

Gregory Givens, McKinley — Scored three goals in a win over Kaimuki 

 Elijah Hernandez, Castle —Scored the lone goal in a win over Moanalua 

Paul Horacajo, Kahuku — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley 

Josiah Ishizaka, Mililani — Scored two goals in a win over Radford

Devin Lee, Iolani — Scored two goals in a win over Punahou 

Bear Miller, Kapaa — Scored two goals in a win over Island School 

T. Muskat, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored the lone goal in a win over Konawaena 

Luke Perozo, Island School — Scored four goals in a win over Kauai 

Max Spheeris, Kalaheo — Scored two goals in a win over Leilehua 

Tsubasa Thompson, Baldwin — Scored two goals in a win over Maui 

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