NCAA BASKETBALL
Year: Conferences: Teams:
Civic Auditorium
323 Manono St
Hilo, HI 96720
Opened: January 1, 1957
Originally known as the Civic Auditorium, now called the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium is a multi-purpose arena in Hilo, Hawaii. Completed as the Hilo Civic Auditorium in 1957, this venue was renamed on October 19, 1983 to honor both Ung Soy "Beans" Afook (1901-1991), the former basketball coach at Hilo High, and Richard Kiyoshi "Pablo" Chinen (1919-1991) an amateur boxer and sports promoter; this avoided a potential conflict between the two families.

Afook-Chinen is the home of the Vulcans basketball team (UH-Hilo). The Big Island Invitational, a small early season college basketball tournament, was held here from 1992 through 2001. The National Basketball Association held two exhibition games at the Hilo Civic Auditorium in 1963, featuring the San Francisco Warriors taking on the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers as part of the "Hawaii Series". In addition, the Hawaii Volcanos, an expansion franchise of the Continental Basketball Association, played two games at the Civic Auditorium during their inaugural season (1979-80) before moving to Billings, Montana. Afook-Chinen has a capacity of 2,868 using the bleachers only, expanding to 3,568 when main floor seating is used.
Last 10 Games
Date Opponents Result
Nov 26, 1983Georgetown @ Hawai'i Hilo 97 - 35
Nov 25, 1983Georgetown @ Hawai'i Hilo 71 - 42