BIIF D-II POY Nique Pacheco to play at Edmonds College

The dream lives on for Nique Pacheco. 

The Big Island Interscholastic Federation’s Division II player of the year will play at Edmonds College (Lynnwood, Wash.) next season. 

The 5-foot-1 Kamehameha-Hawaii guard led the Warriors (12-7) to the semifinal round of the HHSAA D-II state tourney, losing 32-28 to Mid-Pacific. 

The sting of that loss before a home crowd at Afook-Chinen Hilo Civic Auditorium lingers. 

“It would’ve meant a lot. We’re a young team with new players, not a lot of returnees. It would’ve been great to play in the championship,” said Pacheco, who averaged 18 points per game.

Edmonds is a whole new world for Pacheco. She’s antsy to get back in the rhythm of workouts. 

“They like to push and run the ball, so it’s kind of what I’m used to,” she said on Saturday. 

The Tritons play in the 34-member Northwest Athletic Conference, where many Hawaii players have played in recent years. Edmonds guard and former Campbell standout Gieani Balino was named to the All-NWAC first team and all-defensive team, averaging 18.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Under first-year head coach Nick Amrine, Edmonds shared fourth place in the regular season (6-8) of the North Division. The Tritons lost to Everett in a tiebreaker for a playoff spot. 

“It’s 15 minutes from Seattle. I didn’t get to visit because of the pandemic, but I’ve looked online and watched videos. I went to Seattle before, but I’ve never been to Linwood. It looks fine,” Pacheco said. “I know my teammates now because we’ve had meetings (on Zoom). Some of the freshmen, we text and we’re going to room together.”

The Tritons began to notice her last summer. 

“It was a tournament in Las Vegas. After our first or second game, (Coach Amrine) came over to talk to me and my parents (Dominic and Natalie). I’m looking forward to meeting all my teammates and hopefully winning,” Pacheco said. 

Workouts during this COVID-19 lockdown have been challenging. 

“My friend (Loke Kuamo‘o), she has her own little gym, like a fitness gym. She’s going away to Taft College for volleyball. I like to do squats. I try to just do core,” Pacheco said. “I didn’t get to go in anywhere because the gyms are closed. I’ve been doing dribbling at home.”

The team is expected to be on campus by Sept. 1. 

“I think school starts on Sept. 9. I think we have a game in late September. It might be a trip to Canada,” she said. “My parents are excited about it. My mom and dad are planning to come up.”

Pacheco hopes to major in nursing.  

“I want to be a nurse practitioner. Kind of like a doctor, but you don’t have your own office. You can prescribe and stuff,” she said. “My older sister (Tiare) used to be a nurse in a doctor’s office. She works at the hospital. She kind of like told me some stories.”

The Warriors will flourish, she believes, in the coming season. Her father, Dominic, is the coach. 

“Last season, he wanted us to take our time to make sure we knew all the plays and had everything down. I think Kamehameha is going to do good. They have some good players coming in from the middle school and players coming in for ninth grade,” Pacheco said. 

Lockdown staples

Top 3 shows/movies

1. Grey’s Anatomy. “I’m on season 6. It’s kind of funny. It’s pretty realistic.”

2. Criminal Minds. “I’m in the middle of both of them.”

Top 3 foods/drinks

1. Macaroons. “I love fruity pebbles macaroons. My friend’s auntie made some. I heard it’s kind of hard to make because air bubbles.” 

2. Boba Tea from Cafe Boba. “I get pistachio and the regular bobas.”

3. Korean chicken. “My dad makes it whenever I ask him. I’ll make rice. He makes the sauce. I think there’s garlic with the ingredients. Then he puts it all in the fridge for awhile. I think he uses a frying pan. I don’t know. He leaves the skin on. It’s more on the sweet side because I can’t handle handle spicy food. Sometimes, we’ll have corn. I like the thigh.” 

New skills

Pacheco: “Since quarantine I like to paint. Painting on a canvas. It just kind of clears your mind. Sometimes it takes a couple of hours or days. I only have five right now. 

“I have of a couple of scenery ones. I have one that’s like an album cover. Only my family sees it. I went by myself to the store and got some supplies. The last time I painted was my sophomore year in art class.”

Shout outs

Pacheco: “Definitely, I’ll my parents. I'll miss their cooking and paying for my stuff. Now I’m going to have be on my own."