The 'Iolani Prep Classic began in 1983 and quickly developed into a nationally renowned local tradition here, opening a window into big-time high school boys basketball for Hawai'i players and fans.

Classic founder Glenn Young is hoping the inaugural 'Iolani Girls Prep Classic, which begins today with three Mainland programs among the eight-team field, can find similar success.

"With the experience we've had in the boys tournament, it raised the level of play here," said Young, a former 'Iolani head coach and current assistant. "But the girls have never had that opportunity. With the change in seasons, we felt this was something we really needed to do. It was a no-brainer."

Until this school year, the girls basketball season in Hawai'i was held in the spring. But the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association voted in May to switch it to the winter, in alignment with the other 49 states.

That makes the 'Iolani Girls Classic a groundbreaking event locally, because like the boys tournament, it already features traditional Mainland powers and top college recruits.

Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.) was a Los Angeles City Section champion in 2003, 2005 and 2006. The Gauchos went 26-3 last season, but were ineligible for the LA City Section playoffs as a sanction for using an ineligible player in 2006, Young said.

Four Narbonne graduates are playing in the WNBA.

The Gauchos return three key players from last season, including 6-foot-2 senior center/forward Gabrielle Clark, a first team all-LA City Section selection who has committed to play for San Diego State next year.

Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) is coming off a 21-9 season in which the Sea Hawks advanced to the fourth round of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section playoffs.

They are led by 6-foot senior forward Atonye Nyingifa, who averaged 16.8 points, 11 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game last season. She is a preseason McDonald's and EA Sports All-American and has signed a national letter of intent with UCLA.

Redondo Beach also returns Joylyn Ichiyama, a four-year starter at point guard who averaged 8 points and 3.2 assists per game last season.

Sea Hawks coach Marcelo Enriquez has compiled a record of 260-103 in 12 seasons.

The third Mainland school in the field, Granada (Livermore, Calif.), returns four starters from a team that finished 14-14 last season. Two of them — junior point guard Katie Thralls (5-6) and senior guard/forward Shelby Clay (5-11) — earned second-team all-conference honors.

Thralls averaged 10 points and 4 assists per game; Clay averaged 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Granada's head coach, Corrie Mizusawa, has strong Hawai'i ties. Her parents are from here, and she spent her eighth grade year at Moanalua Intermediate.

Mizusawa also spent her summers in Hawai'i training at Dennis Agena's Kalakaua Foundation Clinic and went on to become an all-county player at Acalanes (Lafayette, Calif.) High School. She then was named West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year at St. Mary's (Calif.) before transferring to Oregon, where she led the Pac-10 in assists in 2004 and 2005.

In today's action, 'Iolani plays Moanalua at 3:30 p.m., followed by Kamehameha vs. Redondo Union at 5, Granada vs. Punahou at 6:30 and Narbonne vs. Roosevelt at 8.

"It's a great opportunity, especially for a public school like us because we probably won't get to travel to a national tournament," said Roosevelt coach Bobby Keanini. "Playing big Mainland teams like these will show our girls how much more work we have to do to play at that level. We'll be trying to compete as hard as we can; I want our girls to really compete and not give up."

Punahou features one of the nation's top recruits in senior forward Shawna-Lei Kuehu, who has signed with California. Her twin sister, Shaena-Lyn, also is receiving NCAA Division I offers.

'Iolani, ranked No. 10 in the West Region by USA Today, has a Division I prospect in center Jamie Smith.

Read Wes Nakama's blog on prep sports at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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