One way or another, Layden Kauka knew he wasn't coming back.
Whether it was for ‘Iolani or Utah Prep Academy, Kauka was set to play high school basketball for a different team for his junior season, ultimately enrolling at Utah Prep.
At Utah Prep, Kauka was set to team up with fellow Big Island native JJ Mandaquit and Lāʻie native Anthony Felesi, both among the country's top high school basketball players. Utah Prep's roster also features AJ Dybantsa, the nation's consensus No. 1 player and the early projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Kauka decided on Utah Prep after discussing the move with Jason Mandaquit, JJ's father, an assistant coach for the team.
Although he started off with Utah Prep's second team, Kauka joined Mandaquit, Felesi and Dybantsa on the school's national squad over the holiday season, where he returned to ‘Oahu for the ‘Iolani Classic and the Big Island for the Grind Session. Utah Prep did not lose a game the entire time it was in Hawai‘i.
Despite the team's success, head coach Justin Yamzon, a former BYU-Hawai‘i guard, was replaced in January by former NBA player and coach Keith Smart. Utah Prep's practice routines were overhauled, and suddenly Kauka wasn't getting the same reps against players like Mandaquit and Felesi.
Kauka decided to come back home to Kohala earlier this month, a move that weighed heavily on him.
"It was really a special opportunity I had coming out of Hawai‘i," Kauka told Aloha State Daily of attending Utah Prep. "I think the process of moving back home was probably the hardest one, because I had to really think about what I was going to miss out on when I decided to move back and everything that I won't be able to have. Just coming back home...I feel like that was the hardest part of the process."
Kauka moved to Utah because he was serious about his basketball career and wanted more exposure. At Utah Prep, he also had top-notch facilities available to him 24/7, allowing his game to grow further. It was something he didn't have at his disposal back home.
"It was definitely a special opportunity and a great experience because, I mean, who from Hawai‘i gets to go out and play with the No. 1 player in the nation and play with a lot of top prospects? It was just a fun opportunity for me to have," Kauka said. "And then, of course, having me, Anthony Felesi and JJ all on the same team."
When Utah Prep spent extended time in the Islands, Kauka got to play multiple games at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium on Hawai‘i Island in front of countless family and friends. He said the experience did not make him homesick or yearn to return, but circumstances changed at Utah Prep.
Kohala head coach Kihei Kapeliela vowed to to support Kauka regardless of where he suited up. With all the familiarity Kauka had with his teammates and coaches, getting him back in the tail end of the season was seamless.
"We talked to the team first, make sure everybody was was cool with it and stuff like that. Of course, they all grew up playing together since they were four years old, so they were more than happy to to welcome him back," Kapeliela said. "So, that was an easy process for him. They've been playing together for so long."
Kauka's transition back to Kohala was so smooth that he played in a game before he even practiced. The Cowboys wrapped up another BIIF title last week, defeating Hawai‘i Prep 38-29 on Feb. 12.
Because Kauka's return to the team came so late in the season, the move was met with some initial backlash from opponents. However, there are no BIIF or HHSAA rules preventing it.
"There was some talk on social media coming from other teams that weren't too happy about him coming back, but with our community, I mean, everyone's loved having him back, not just because it makes our team better, but just loved having him back home," Kapeliela said. "He is born and raised here. He lives here. It's not like we're trying to recruit someone from another school or nothing like that. He just came back home to play. ... We just made sure everything was legal before before he joined the team."
With a knack to rise to the occasion in the biggest moments of a season, Kauka will certainly be at the forefront of scouting reports for teams looking to unseat the Cowboys.
In the 2023 Division II championship game, Kauka, just a freshman at the time, turned in 13 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes, hitting the game-winning jumper with 19 seconds left in a 40-38 win over University.
In the 2024 semifinals, Kauka made 12 of his 13 free throws to go with a dagger 3-pointer in a 50-45 win at Kaimuki, scoring 24 points. The next night, Kauka scored another 24 points as Kohala downed Seabury Hall 49-45 in overtime to repeat as state champions. After getting fouled on a 3-point attempt as the Cowboys were down three in regulation, Kauka calmly drained a trio of free throws to send the game to overtime.
Kohala's quest for a three-peat begins on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals against Damien at 7 p.m. If the Cowboys advance to the semifinals, they're likely to be paired against Seabury Hall, the top seed in the tournament. Kohala is the No. 4 seed in the tournament.
"We got all the focus on Damien first in the first round," Kapeliela said. "We're not looking past anyone."
Because Kauka is still a junior, he will have another season of high school basketball left after this season. He's not sure where he will play his senior season, since he still has the same aspirations for major college basketball than he did before the year started. The 6-foot-2 guard currently has a scholarship offer from Hawai‘i-Hilo. For now, his focus is on the state tournament, which has already felt like home enough over the years.
"I think I'm just picking up where I left off," Kauka said. "I've been playing with these guys for my whole life. ... They just told me to just do my thing. I don't think anything changed. Our mindset is still the same, which is at the end to win states."
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
