Coach Glenn Young and the Legacy of the ‘Iolani Prep Classic

The ‘Iolani Prep Classic, one of the nation’s premier high school basketball tournaments, was the brainchild of Glenn Young after his talented 1982-83 ‘Iolani Raiders squad had a humbling tournament experience in Las Vegas. After returning, he began plans to bring top mainland teams to Hawai’i to expose local players and coaches to the kind of competition that ‘Iolani faced in Nevada.

A steady stream of elite high school teams to the ‘Iolani Prep Classic began in 1983 with West Philadelphia. It went on to include well-known programs such as: Oak Hill, St. Anthony’s, Fairfax, Montrose Christian, Flint Hill Prep, Rice (N.Y.), DeMatha, Findlay Prep, Montverde, and many others.

It didn’t take long for Glenn Young’s idea to take shape quickly and become a can’t-miss holiday event that has the attention of avid high school basketball fans throughout the country. The tournament has also gone worldwide with its impact, including teams from China, Germany, Italy, and Japan in `‘Iolani Prep Classic fields through the years.

With the assistance of his family and the ‘Iolani community, Glenn Young shepherded the ‘Iolani Prep Classic, which added the girls tournament in 2007, for over 30 years. From coordinating transportation, food, and staffing, to setting the brackets and publishing the program, he was involved in all aspects of one of the most illustrious tournaments in the United States.

A member of ‘Iolani School’s Class of 1959, Glenn Young also coached football at his alma mater, where he spent 43 years as a teacher and department head. He passed away on Nov. 12, 2015, at the age of 73, but not before becoming a friend and mentor for many at ‘Iolani School, and making a lasting impact in the Hawai‘i basketball community and beyond.

Early Timeline

The seeds for the ‘Iolani Prep Classic, now in its 40th year as one of Hawai‘i’s venerable sporting events, actually were planted almost 3,000 miles away in a Nevada desert. Here is an early timeline of the Classic, from its conception to emergence as the nation’s premier high school basketball tournament:

  • DEC 1982

    ‘Iolani School, which returned four talented starters and later went on to win its first state championship, participates in the Rancho High School Tournament in Las Vegas and loses all three games by over 20 points each. “It wasn’t even close,” Red Raiders coach Glenn Young said years later. “The caliber of play on the Mainland was so much more superior to the caliber of play in Hawai‘i … We needed to expose our local high school players to the kinds of things they were doing on the Mainland.” Young met the head coaches from West Philadelphia and St. Bernard (Marina Del Rey, Calif.) in Las Vegas and invited their teams to play in the inaugural ‘Iolani Prep Classic the following year.

  • Spring 1983

    Glenn Young meets with ‘Iolani athletic director Eddie Hamada to start planning the first annual ‘Iolani Prep Classic. It is acknowledged that the tournament must be self-funded, with no subsidies from the school. Hamada approaches longtime friend and supporter Ray Wong ’49 for help, and Mr. Wong generously pledges to fund anchor support entirely out of his personal account.

  • DEC 21-23, 1983

    INNAUGURAL ‘Iolani Prep Classic tips off, featuring the West Philadelphia “Speedboys,” ranked No. 10 in Street & Smith’s preseason national poll. Other visiting teams include Rancho (Las Vegas), Huntington Beach (Calif.) and St. Bernard (Marina Del Rey, Calif.). West Philadelphia entertains the capacity crowds with its rhythmic clapping and high-flying dunks during warm-ups and fast-paced action during the games. The Speedboys, led by Temple-bound guard Howard Evans, defeats St. Bernard, 60-51, for the championship.

  • DEC 21-23, 1984

    SECOND ANNUAL ‘Iolani Prep Classic sees the return of West Philly, along with crosstown rival Johnstown (Pa.) and Glendale (Calif.). Glendale upsets the Speedboys for the title.

  • DEC 20-23, 1985

    THIRD ANNUAL ‘Iolani Prep Classic represents “the turning point,” according to Glenn Young. McDonald’s of Hawai‘i becomes a title sponsor, and Flint Hill Prep of Oakton, Va., — the No. 1-ranked team in the nation – makes its first appearance in the Classic. Flint Hill junior Dennis Scott – rated as one of top five guards in the country – puts on a spectacular show with his all-around game that features alley-oop dunks, 20-foot jumpers and nifty dribbling and passing. The other Mainland teams are West Philly, Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) and Doss (Louisville, Ky.). Maryknoll, led by future University of Hawai‘i quarterback Garrett Gabriel, upsets Doss in the quarterfinals 64-62, after Gabriel scored 13 points and blocked a shot with one second remaining. Gabriel then scored a tournament-record 32 points as the Spartans fell short against West Philly in the semifinals.

  • DEC 19-23, 1986

    FOURTH ANNUAL ‘Iolani Prep Classic expands to 12 teams and again features No. 2-ranked Flint Hill as Scott returns, this time as the nation’s No. 1-ranked player. Joining the field is Camden, N.J., ranked No. 25, and Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), Simi Valley (Calif.), Msgr. McClancy (New York), and St. Bernard. The stacked field earns national recognition as Street & Smith magazine names the ‘Iolani Prep Classic as the best high school tournament in the country. St. Bernard’s David Whitmore, a 6-foot-4 All-America candidate with a 40-inch vertical leap, wins the slam-dunk contest and ‘Iolani’s 5-foot-10 sophomore, Kanoe Winchester, finishes second. KHNL-13 televises the championship game on live statewide TV.