If there is a college in Oregon, than Daphne Honma wants the Big Island All-Stars to see it.
If there is a college in Oregon, than Daphne Honma wants the Big Island All-Stars to see it.
Before they come home, the girls basketball team will have visited big schools and small schools, from the hustling Division I campuses of Oregon and Oregon State, to cozy George Fox of Division III and even a community college college or two.
“We want to get them exposure,” Honma said. “We want to make sure to show them what’s available and what the different levels are.”
In between visits, the All-Stars also have had a time for a little basketball. They finished 1-3 at an End of the Trail tournament in Oregon City and are set to begin another one for high schoolers Sunday in Oregon City.
While Honma, a former coach at UH-Hilo, can be patient off the court – the All-Stars already have been to nine colleges – that ends when her team takes the court.
“I struggle with (patience),” said Honma, who has guided Honokaa to consecutive HHSAA Division II titles in her first two years back at the helm of the Dragons. “Sometimes I have to take a step back and laugh. It’s too frustrating.”
Headlined by Honokaa point guard Kizzah Maltezo, who shared BIIF Player of the Year honors last season and is the only senior on the trip, the All-Stars are perimeter-oriented and only seven deep.
Honokaa guard Kaweni Kaohimaunu saw major minutes off the bench during last season’s state run as a freshman.
“I’ve taken over young teams before, but usually there are about 10,” Honma said. “It’s just getting harder to find kids to commit the time.”
The All-Stars lack a true post presence, but Kamehameha’s Taylor Sullivan Honokaa’s Jaycie Carvalho, each can each play inside and are 5 feet, 7 inches. Also on the team are Honokaa’s Sharissa Bird and Aimee Seo, and Keighsha Wakler, an eighth-grader at Waimea Middle School.
“We’ve played well at times, but we’ve missed open shots,” Honma said. “We’ve lost by one, but if we would have made half of our layups or free throws, we would have been fine.
“There is one game where they gave better effort, and I asked them, ‘Don’t you feel better about that?’ The following day we ended up winning, so I think they are starting to understand the difference.”
Volleyball
The hitting of Addie Enriques and Avery Enriques on Wednesday carried the Southside Boys 16s to the Silver division championship at the USA Volleyball boys junior national championships in Columbus, Ohio.
In the final, Southside edged a club from Puerto Rico 25-16, 22-25, 15-12. In the semifinals, Southside swept a team from California 25-16, 26-24 behind the blocking of Nalu Kahapea and Kamahao Kawelu.
Coached by Guy Enriques, Sam Thomas and Kainoa Downing, Southside finished 8-3 at the tournament. Also on the team are Nai’a Makuakane, Kameron Moses, Daylan Kalai, Logan Thomas, Jarvis Benito, and Kainoa Downing II.