The Seabury Hall boys basketball team poses for a photo after defeating Hawaii Prep 49-33 in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association’s Division II Boys Basketball Championship game on Feb. 21 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. Photo courtesy Bryan Berkowitz

For the Seabury Hall boys basketball team, the journey to a state championship began the moment the previous season ended, and that mindset fueled the Spartans’ drive throughout the year.

Victories over Kohala and Hawai’i Preparatory Academy in the preseason set the tone, establishing the Spartans as one of the favorites for the state tournament.

As the season progressed, capturing the Maui Interscholastic League Division II tournament title on LanaÊ»i brought them one step closer to the state championship they had been working toward. With momentum on their side, Seabury faced a rematch against Kohala in the semifinals — a critical challenge on their path to the title.

“They had just gotten back their best player from last year and had a lot of momentum coming into that matchup,” Seabury coach Scott Prather said. “Once we defeated them, I think the boys knew there was no stopping us in the title game — and they were right.”

Seabury clinched the school’s first-ever state basketball title with a 49-33 victory over Hawai’i Preparatory Academy to close out the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Boys Basketball State Championships at the Stan Sheriff Center on Feb. 21.

According to the team, the support from the Seabury Hall community was a constant source of motivation, driving them to push forward with humility. The players said they felt a deep sense of responsibility to represent not only their school but also the island of Maui, making every win feel like a victory for the entire community.

Prather said representing Seabury Hall in athletics means putting the team first, and the boys basketball team exemplified that mindset when they secured the championship title with senior Bromo Dorn being named MVP of the tournament.

“It felt amazing to be named tournament MVP, but just the win in general felt even better — mostly winning with this group of guys,” Dorn said. “Both the Seabury and the Maui community has shaped me as a player, but more importantly as a person. The whole island is a very tight knit community and seeing people from all over the island supporting was great to see.”

Seabury Hall senior Bromo Dorn controls the ball as the Spartans face Hawaii Prep in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association’s Division II Boys Basketball Championship game on Feb. 21 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. Dorn scored a game-high 20 points with seven rebounds, three steals and two assists in the championship game, and he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Photo courtesy Bryan Berkowitz

According to coach Prather, Dorn’s MVP award was a reflection of not only his individual talent, but the collective effort and spirit that defined the team’s success.

“This is an extremely high honor, and he is very deserving of this recognition,” Prather said. “He has worked incredibly hard to get where he is now, and I can make a strong argument that he is the best player in the state overall, not just in Division 2.”

With an abundance of community support, including everyone from the coaching staff and athletic department to the parents, family, friends, alumni and the island of Maui, Prather said it meant everything to the team bring home the championship.

“Many of my players are well-known throughout the island because of basketball, and winning the state title brings a tremendous sense of pride to the entire island, not just our school,” Prather said.

Junior point guard Sebastian Peterson also shared his excitement and gratitude while reflecting on the significance of the state championship, and what it meant to him and his teammates.

“I was happy that we as a team accomplished this achievement,” Peterson said. “Some of us were still shocked that we actually won, but once we got over the initial shock, the energy was crazy. I was more happy for my coaches and them winning this title for the first time too. It was really awesome.”

Seabury Hall junior Sebastian Peterson drives toward the hoop against Hawaii Prep junior Christian Rhodes in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association’s Division II Boys Basketball Championship game on Feb. 21 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. Peterson scored 17 points with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals for the Spartans and was named to the All-Tournament team. Photo courtesy Bryan Berkowitz

Seabury Hall’s fans are more than just supporters; they act like family.

The players and coach said the fans’ encouragement motivated the team on a whole new level, boosting their confidence and belief in themselves.

“This is such a close-knit community,” Prather said. “Everyone you talk to genuinely cares about how you’re doing and is cheering for you to be successful. This truly was a team effort from start to finish, and our community deserves much of the credit for our success this season.”

Seabury Hall senior Jack Bendon goes up for a shot in the paint during the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Boys Basketball Championship game on Feb. 21 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu. Photo courtesy Bryan Berkowitz

The Spartans were welcomed back to the Valley Isle with a water lei over the airplane entering the airport and an abundance of leis from friends and family as they exited the airport. They made history in boys basketball for Seabury Hall and could not be more grateful.

Seniors on the team included Dorn, Miles Rappenecker, Keahi Sjostrand and Jack Bendon. Other players included Peterson, Dylan Maier, Carson Rosenthal, Carson Hollifield, Cian O’Dwyer, Elijah Gurley, Nobu Shing, Soren Moog, Aidan Childers, Cash Driftmier, Bryson Tasaki, Reagan Aguas and Duke Dodge. Assistant coaches include John Dudley, Kaleb Palmer, Neil Yashiro, Justin Farmer and Gerrit Peterson.