Defenses will adapt.
The question is, when your leading returnee transforms into a scoring machine, when will he evolve into something more?
Sebastian Peterson was a key playmaker last season as Seabury Hall won the MIL Division II title, then eliminated Kaiser, Kohala and Hawaii Prep to capture the state championship. Peterson was adaptable. Some nights he was a distributor, finding his open teammates, keeping the flow going, and doing all the little things as a defender and rebounder. Other nights, when Bromo Dorn was double-teamed, he would find Peterson cutting for easy layups, spotting up for open 3s.
Peterson averaged 15 points per game as a junior, with a season-high 32 in a state-tournament battle with Kaiser. He and Dorn were a 1-2 combo made for the hoop heavens.
Dorn (27.6 ppg) is gone now, a freshman at Rogers State (Okla.). This winter, without a notable second scorer (yet), the weight falls on Peterson, a 6-foot-1 lefty.
As a little boy, Peterson never stopped with the everyday shooting reps, climbing over 100,000, 200,000, 300,000 shots, from his Kihei driveway to the Makawao campus gym at Seabury Hall. He set a record just seven days into preseason. Peterson poured in 45 points in the Spartans’ victory over King Kekaulike on Nov. 22. That broke the school mark of 44 points set by Dorn a year ago in a similar setting: a home game against the same neighboring rival.
Don’t miss out on what’s happening!
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It’s FREE!
“From the very beginning of the game, he pulled up on the wing, first shot, a good 6, 7 feet behind the (3-point) line. Butter. Where is this going tonight? He had a great rhythm, a great bounce,” Seabury Hall coach Scott Prather said. “He was aggressive and set the tone. When a shooter is hot, all he needs is 1 inch of space, and he’s also good at drawing contact.”
Peterson shot 17-for-28 from the field, including 4-for-10 from the arc. He was also 7-for-8 at the free-throw line, adding seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in Seabury Hall’s 71-51 win.
“From early, before the game started, Sebastian told us that he wanted that game to be over by the first half, to make sure they had no fighting chance,” teammate Aidan Childers said.
The gym, a classically designed cathedral to roundball, would not allow Peterson to ignore the accomplishment. With a fairly young team and plenty of chemistry to develop in their lab, Peterson was focused on coach Prather’s game plan. If they’re going to win another MIL title, another state crown, it’ll take more than one man. And yet, Spartans fans knew they were watching school history. Again. Peterson didn’t notice, but his mother, Yvienne, did.
“He didn’t even know he had that much points,” she said. “It was the crowd yelling, ‘Forty-three!’”
Then it was 45.
Peterson is now averaging 33.3 points per game. Seabury Hall is unbeaten. Yet, they might just get better as his average drops. A team with average height across the board finds a way to succeed when shots don’t fall. A championship team always has leadership.
“He’s really developed as a scorer, but if you boil it down, he’s improved his court vision,” Prather said. “He’s very unselfish and he can see the floor really well. That’s special. Initially, he wasn’t a strong defender. Fundamentally, he would close out, but he wasn’t as strong and aggressive. As his body has grown, his confidence has grown. Now, he’s very capable as a defender.”
Peterson’s father, Gerrit, grew up playing hoops and suited up for Baldwin as a 6-foot-3 center during the Jon Garcia era. Structured. High screens. Constant weak-side cuts. Five passes. Ten passes. Always waiting for that weak, unfocused defender to lose a man.
Gerrit Peterson didn’t bring the 10-pass mentality to Sebastian. He just provided the tools. A basket in the driveway. A homemade gym for working out.
Unlike the football schedule, in the MIL, basketball is split between D-I and D-II. Even if the schedule had been blended, the league is like the BIIF and KIF — there just aren’t a lot of strong programs top to bottom. Seabury Hall does what it can, scheduling as many MIL D-I opponents as possible in preseason. The Spartans are 4-0 so far, with three of the wins against D-I foes. Peterson scored 28 on 10-for-16 field-goal shooting (4-for-7 from 3-point range) in the opener against Lahainaluna, adding 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals in a 64-50 victory.
Against Lanai, he scored 29 points in a 76-19 win, and a day later came the masterful performance against King Kekaulike. When Na Alii dropped into a matchup zone, there wasn’t a lot more they could do as Peterson splashed shots from 5 feet beyond the arc.
On Nov. 25, he pumped in 31 points as Seabury Hall swamped Maui 67-29.
He is shooting 59% from the field, including 45% from 3, and 71% at the foul line. Add 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, three steals and a one block, and his efficiency and usage rates are almost off the charts.
“Playing D-I teams, it’s pretty intense. The games are good. We don’t play Baldwin, but they’re going to be the team that could win the MIL (D-I),” Peterson said.
He grew up playing in Menehune league, busy with club basketball year-round. Then COVID-19 wrecked the youth sports scene across the island. The predominant teams — Lokelani (Kihei), Kalama (Makawao), Lahaina and Iao suffered the consequences as parks were closed off for what seemed like an eternity. Peterson had regularly practiced with older age-group teams, but the pandemic restricted him to the family’s driveway.
Then came a chance to play with coach Nate Donnell’s We Rise club. Then it was a chance to travel with Maui Basketball Academy — and former MPA coach Cheyne Dela Garza. He and his parents once went to Houston with the team, spending more than three weeks there, playing 30 games the summer before sophomore year.
“My turning point where I knew I was a high-level player was in Florida. I played on our JV and varsity teams. On the JV, someone had to step up. One game, it was up and up. Something clicked and I turned into, ‘I need to take over (mentality),’ ” Peterson recalled.
MBA outscored that team 18-3 down the stretch.
“It popped in my head, I can change a game. I knew I could take my game higher. That game boosted my confidence and that helped us,” he said.
“He was playing on the mainland every summer from sixth grade on. In sixth grade, he traveled to Houston with the kids who (later) won the state title with Maui Prep,” Gerrit Peterson said. “It was such a good trip to gain his confidence that he can play with anybody.”
Seabury Hall isn’t a roster of giants this season, but Peterson could stay ahead of the curve as defenses prepare to throw the kitchen sink at him.
“I can see that I’ve got to trust my teammates more,” Peterson said.
The questions and suggestions were always there. For Dorn. For Peterson. The temptation to leave the solitude of Upcountry Maui for the bustling lights (and traffic) of Honolulu.
“He missed his eighth grade season because of the pandemic. He didn’t have the looks,” Gerrit Peterson said. “But at least three, four (Oahu) schools asked. We thought about it when he was a freshman.”
Prather is grateful that Peterson followed suit by staying.
“We went through this last year with Bromo. Sebastian had offers out there for him, but he wanted to stay. He’s really established a legacy here. The opportunities he’s going to have with the reputation he has, and the schedule we have, people are going to be following him,” Prather said. “As a coach, I just want the guys that have put in the work to get their opportunities to shine. Sebastian is the kind of guy who’s not a self-promoter, hitting his chest. He’s very modest, humble, very appreciative. I want him to shine the way Bromo did. We don’t win (a state title) last year without Sebastian. He’s a good kid, very respective, a good teammate and great to his coaches.”
The schedule will keep the Spartans busy enough. On Wednesday, they host Kohala, the 2024 D-II state champion. Layden Kauka, who returned to the Cowboys after a stint with Utah Prep, is healthy. The dynamic 6-1 guard sprained his ankle at the state tourney, and wobbled as Kohala fell to the Spartans in the quarterfinals.
On Thursday, Seabury Hall plays Konawaena in the first round of the Ka‘apuni Invitational. On Saturday, a showdown with D-I title contender Saint Louis tips off at 9:30 a.m. The Spartans also have a 1:15 p.m. matchup with ILH D-II title contender Damien. The Monarchs are coming off a wild 89-80 win over Kalani at the Big Kahuna’s Pizza Black & Gold Classic.
The following week, Seabury Hall plays in the Kapaa Invitational. Then the grind of MIL D-II hoops ensues, a series of drives to Hana, flights to Molokai and Lanai. Few leagues across the nation are like it. Then, there is hope for a college basketball career.
“I’ve gotten (interest) from some schools in Oregon. Portland Community College, UH Hilo, Lewis & Clark, Puget Sound,” said Peterson, who plans to study business, real estate or marketing. “I’ve talked to the Chaminade coach.”
Prather was a standout point guard at Seabury Hall. His presence has given the program stability over the years.
“I first saw him back in sixth grade. He was in middle school here. I remember he was small. This little guy who had a lot of skill,” Prather recalled. “Nice jump shot. A lot of ballhandling skill. He was 85 pounds. You didn’t know how tall he would be. His dad is tall and his mom is not so tall.”
Gerrit Peterson isn’t surprised by his son’s progress on the court. It’s the other stuff that blows his mind.
“After the King Kekaulike game, Sebastian and three or four of the boys went to the school play, supporting their friends,” he said “When parents and teachers tell me that about his kindness, being a good influence, that’s what I like.”
SEBASTIAN PETERSON
Seabury Hall basketball • 6-1, 165 • Senior
What is something you are passionate about?
“I am very passionate about chorus. We have a fall concert at the school where we sing a couple of songs, and a holiday event coming up Friday. We’ll sing and carol to some schools before our tree lighting. I’m a bass/baritone. Back in middle school I played trumpet. Also piano and drums.”
What is your favorite hobby?
“I have an ukulele and I’ll look up songs on YouTube.”
Top 3 movies
1. “Jurassic Park”
2. “Pacific Rim”
3. “The Lego Batman Movie”
“I’ve watched ‘Jurassic Park’ and all the movies. I’ve watched (the original) over 100 times.”
Top 3 homemade food
1. Dad’s pork chops
2. Dad’s steak
3. Dad’s fried rice
Top 3 foods/drinks (eating out)
1. Beef broccoli (Wailuku)
2. Hamburger (My uncle’s bar in Wailuku)
3. Mexican food truck (Kihei)
Top 3 music artists
1. Drake
2. Eminem
3. Jay-Z
Favorite athlete/team: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
“I’m a small guard, so I’ve learned how to get my shot off quicker against bigger players. If I’m playing in college, I’ll have to adjust to that.”
Funniest teammate: Aidan Childers
“He’s a goofy guy. I’ve known him since sixth grade. He’ll laugh about anything, make jokes about anything.”
Smartest teammate: Nash Best
“He’s a freshman. We played over the summer. He knew how to run the plays, where to pass. One of the brightest kids on the team. He knows when to make the pass at the right time.”
GPA (cumulative): 3.4
“I have two study halls, so I take advantage of that.”
Favorite teacher (all time): Mr. (Scott) Prather
“He teaches geometry and Algebra II. He makes learning fun. Geometry is really easy, but Algebra II, it was easy to focus in his class. He encourages the kids in my class in a different way.”
Favorite class: Chorus
Favorite motto/scripture: On the road to achieving your dream, you must apply discipline. commitment and consistency. Because without discipline and commitment you’ll never start, and without consistency you’ll never finish.
“I found it scrolling on IG reels and now it’s my wallpaper on my phone.”
Hidden talent: “Making water noises with my mouth. Like drops from a faucet.”
New life skill: Cooking
“I didn’t really get into cooking until the last year. I’ve been following my dad and mom in the kitchen.”
Bucket list: Travel around the world. Probably Japan. I’ve always wanted to visit there for the atmosphere. I’d like to try some food out there.”
Time machine
“I would go back in 2008 and tell my family to buy bitcoin.”
What would you say to your younger self?
“Listen to what your parents say and don’t be afraid to take risks.”
Shoutouts
“Shout out to my parents for pushing me to be my best. My friends, thank you for supporting me through the tough times and supporting me. The team, let’s do this and run it back again this year. My coaches, thank you for teaching me everything I know.”