Expectations are high for Leiah Naeata and Maya Claytor next season when they will be seniors.
Closing the Book: No. 5 Kahuku (18-9, 11-0 OIA)
vs. Top 10: 3-9 (.250)
Top 10 wins: MPI, HIL, MS
Top 10 losses: IOL, PUN, MS, WAIK, KON, South Medford, KON, WAIK
Non-Top 10 losses: None
Post-season: 3-0
HHSAA: 1-2
A perfect run through the OIA.
A huge upset win over Maryknoll in the state tourney.
A lopsided loss to perennial powerhouse Konawaena in the semifinals.
Kahuku is on the precipice of greatness every season, but the wall remains at the end. The Lady Raiders followed the loss to Konawaena, which later lost to ‘Iolani in the state final, with a 12-point loss to Waiakea — a team that played its final game without its leading player.
Coach Latoya Wily has the machinery set in motion, from the youth program run by sister Artevia, to the possibility of offseason workouts if turnout is solid. But the Lady Raiders will only go as far as those reps and miles between March and November, and the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown doesn’t help.
Wily is patient. Next season, All-State selection Leiah Naeata will return. So will point guard/wing Maya Claytor.
“I see big things from Leilah, from Maya. They’ll be playing club basketball. Kalamela (Liua) and I’m excited to see Kaila (Kaahu) in a bigger role. I’m excited for everything. I expect that we’ll step up another level and get better. I just hope we can get enough of our girls to be dedicated in the offseason,” said Wily, a former All-State center.
Wily chatted about her team on Monday.
This season was ________.
Wily: “Amazing. Just being able to progress. Our goal is always to have a better season every single season, so overall, the chemistry, the girls that returned did better than the last season. We’re moving in the right direction.”
This season was the movie ________.
Wily: “Coach Carter.”
Review: Starters and key rotation/role players:
Leiah Naeata, 5-7, Jr., voted No. 6 in All-State Fab 15
Wily: “She improved on her all-around game. She’s always had the ability to incorporate her teammates, but we always talked about a point guard can make assists and do other things. She did it better than the season before. Rebounding, assists, of course she scores for us. More well-rounded in all areas.
“Just want to see her continue to improve. I would like to see her also dominate defensively. She does gets steals, but I would like to see more of that, in all areas. I want to see her next level.”
Maya Claytor, 5-7, Jr., voted All-State honorable mention
Wily: “She improved in a lot of areas. Coming from last season, she came out of her shell, definitely, had more confidence. People got to see the Maya that we know. A lot more aggressive this season and she played hard from the beginning to the end of the season. She did a good job. Her leadership role, she did a great job. She’s not someone who can be easily influenced. She knows how to make sure everybody’s doing what they should be doing when coaches aren’t there.
“Kind of like Leiah, I want to see Maya be more consistent and I want to see her next-level game. I want to see her attack more, be more aggressive in the paint. She’s also a good free-throw shooter.”
Tati Kamae, 5-7, Sr.
Wily: “Tati, of course, I liked her all-around game this year. She’s strong, an overall athlete. Whatever sport that girl plays, she would do well. She’d do better if she focused on one sport year-round. She golfs and she does cross-fit. Cross-fit is her main thing. She was big on defense for us, can get up and down the floor.”
Serina Aumua-Tuisavura, 5-4, Sr., voted No. 9 All-Defense
Wily: “Aw man, same thing with Serina. Her main sport was soccer. The only two girls who play year-round are Leiah and Maya, but Serina coming from soccer, I think she showed she has a shot. I wish she was coming back one more year. She was definitely one of the sparks for us. We always call her our lockdown defender, but she’s actually one of our main people we have on offense, as well. She can take it in and shoot from the perimeter. She’ll move the ball around, very disciplined and looks for her teammates. She played (club) soccer. This was her second year of varsity basketball.”
Trisha Faumuina, 5-8, Sr.
Wily: “Trisha’s one of those natural leaders. She’s a family-oriented person and brings that mentality to the team. She looks at her teammates as her sisters. I feel bad for Trisha because she was working her butt off through a really bad back injury. She’s a hard worker. She played on the perimeter at her other school. When she got here, she played in the post. I enjoyed having her on the team. She’s a hard worker and whatever you ask her to do, she’ll do 100 percent. I wish we had more time with her.”
Mary Fonoimoana, 6-1, Jr.
Wily: “I know that basketball is not her thing. She’s made that clear. She loves volleyball more than basketball. If she does come back and continues to progress with the experience she got at states, she’ll be more mentally ready for that. She did good for someone who doesn’t play basketball year-round. If she does come back, we’ll be happy for that.”
Kalamela Liua, 5-10, Jr.
Wily: “Kalamela plays big. She’s very aggressive in the paint. I know for sure she’s going to come back next season and she’ll be even stronger. I think experience is the biggest thing for them, what they experienced at states, especially, and that’s going to help her big-time. She was just getting into it during the playoffs, starting to peak. I think next season she’ll start off stronger than she did this season. The good thing, she has speed on her and she can run the floor. Just getting the deflections, rebounds, all those little things, she did a lot of great things for us.”
Did the rotation change?
Wily: “We tried, especially going into states, experience is what really helps our girls because they don’t play year round like a lot of the teams we play against. It’s tough for us going into a state tournament and we’re the only team that has just two or three year-round players. So we kept rotating different girls in to see if we could get a spark. Throughout the season, a lot of our girls played every single game and we made minor adjustment.”
What or who surprised you most?
Wily: “We expect them to get better every year, but who surprised me Kaila Kaahu. She’s a sophomore, but there’s a lot of times we threw her in there, sometimes in a big game, and she fit right in against these elite players. I’m excited for her. It was a little surprised that she took on the role. Kalamela, for sure, toward the end of the season, starting to love the sport. You could see that she became a little more passionate in the middle of the season, in the OIA playoffs. She had that competitive drive.”
What were the most adverse challenges?
Wily: “Our biggest challenge at Kahuku High School and it’s something we tell our girls as well is at the end of our season, take a week or two off, and you should be right back into it, getting into basketball shape. Playing the game, touching the ball. That’s always something that’s our biggest challenge. Most of the time, well, some coaches are surprised that our girls don’t show up until tryouts. While other teams are in shape and running plays, but for a lot of our players, basketball is a second sport to them.”
What was the peak? What was the low?
Wily: “I would say we peaked around that time, midseason to around the Maryknoll game. That game was a peak for us. The other games were just a little bit too big for us. Coming off that game, it was a great teacher for us. The low point was definitely playing Konawaena, we were there, and once Caiyle (Kaupu) started dominating inside, we could feel the confidence of our players, ‘Dang, we’re playing against Konawaena.’ I couldn’t even be that upset with our team. They never really played a Top 4 (team). I felt it.”
What will you miss about this group?
Wily: “Everything. Every year, I miss that group. This season, our seniors had camaraderie, hard work and effort putting this together. Them being at practice. Watching them grow and get better, not just in basketball, but in life. We’re very strict during practice, but we always ask them about their day and things like that. We have fun together outside of basketball. All their personalities are different and you’re never going to get that team back.”
What are you anticipating for offseason and next season?
Wily: “My sister (Artevia) has a club team for our younger players before they get to high school. OIA coaches are not allowed to be club coaches. I tried that my first year and I got in trouble. I didn’t know. We’re just doing it for our younger age girls, so by the time they come up, they should be ready. Even with summer league.
“We’ll see who can come out to offseason workouts. I see big things from Leilah, from Maya. They’ll be playing club basketball. Kalamela and I’m excited to see Kaila in a bigger role. I’m excited for everything. I expect that we’ll step up another level and get better. I just hope we can get enough of our girls to be dedicated in the offseason.”
More about Coach Carter:
Wily: “One, the principles, disciplined atmosphere, and how Coach Carter sets high expectations on the court, off the court, and in the classroom for his young men.
“Two, he had to rebuild a program from the ground up despite challenges and opinions from anyone which includes players, parents, administration and more. It had nothing to do with him being recognized, it was genuinely because he just wanted to give back in some way to the kids at his alma mater and wants the best for his student-athletes.
“Three, also how his team came together as ONE and did what they had to do to succeed together not just in the sport but in the classroom, and more.
“Four, also how the student-athletes realized their coach wasn't just hard on them to just be hard on them, he truly cared about them beyond the court, and was once before in their shoes. Showing his players that it's always been more than basketball, it's about life.
“Lastly, how although they didn't win a ‘state’ championship in the movie, there were many other victories they obtained.”
Comments