Claire Kaneshiro
Claire Kaneshiro
Sport: basketball
Last season as a freshman, Kaneshiro searched to find her footing at point guard. After an offseason of hard work, she’s found it and turned into one of Waiakea’s top threats on offense and defense.
On Friday she scored a game-high 18 points in a surprising 63-46 BIIF win over Kamehameha, last season’s HHSAA Division II state runner-up, to help her Warriors to a 4-0 record (earlier in the week Kaneshiro had eight in a win against Honokaa).
One play, in particular Friday, showed her vast improvement. Kaneshiro was fed the ball under the right side of the basket. She got bumped and drew the foul but protected the ball with her body and launched a right-handed bank shot off the glass for a bucket.
It was a shot she didn’t have a year ago. Kaneshiro missed the free throw, but that only gives her something else to work on for her expanding game.
5 questions
Favorite song: “Side to side” by Ariana Grande
Favorite food: Tacos
Favorite sports role model: Stephen Curry
What makes you happy: Sleep
Favorite cartoon character: Tweety Bird