When Hilo High girls basketball gained a new No. 1 fan last spring, the boys team also got a coach.
Ben Pana still mixes it up with his players at practice — he swats at balls, fights through screens and contests jumpers as he builds up a healthy sweat Tuesday night — just not with the girls anymore.
He gave up that job after six seasons, bypassing a final chance to coach his daughter Lexi, to be, of all things, a dad.
“We’ve never had that father-daughter relationship that most people had with their kids,” he said. “She only knew me as coach. If I don’t get this relationship now, I don’t think I’ll ever get it again.”
Old habits die hard, however. Pana found himself fighting the urge to yell out instructions as he watched the Lady Vikings’ season-opener last week at Kealakehe. Those were his girls, many of whom he’s coached for years with his club team, building them into an HHSAA tournament contender.
He’s still getting to know his boys team, and Job No. 1 is a culture change for a program that has its fourth coach in the past four seasons. In one of its worst seasons in recent memory, Hilo went 2-9 last year. The Vikings last earned a state berth in 2012, and their last BIIF Division I title came in 2010.
“I know we have a lot of talent, but our team goal is always to be better than the year before,” Pana said. “Build young men first, and basketball will come later.
“Hopefully, we can get them some college opportunities. Some of them have never traveled outside of Hilo High.”
Like everybody else in the state, Pana could have spent endless nights last season banging his head against a wall trying to find a way to catch up to Konawaena. Still, the Lady Vikings raced far ahead of everyone else in the BIIF.
While there is no BIIF Division I boys juggernaut, Hilo begins the season firmly entrenched behind, at least, Konawaena, Kamehameha, and Waiakea.
The Vikings may lack height, but their speed and quickness makes them ready-made to fit Pana’s uptempo, attacking style.
“Because of our lack of size, it’s better that we try to get ahead of teams,” Pana said. “We’ll play full-court man and put everyone on their own island. We’re finding out right now about depth.
“They like to get up and down the court, but at their own pace. We’re trying to change that.”
The starting five consists of four slashers, including senior EJ Narido and junior Lawrence Padasdao, and a single post presence, but Pana also likes see his team’s shooting potential.
Narido and Padasdao carried much of the scoring load last season, and sophomore Isaac Liu also made honorable mention all-BIIF .
Pana thinks enough of senior Kaimana Kawaha’s basketball IQ enough that Narido is moving to shooting guard so Kawaha can play the point.
“EJ can penetrate, and he’s been working on his 3-pointer during the summer,” Pana said. “He’s got the green light.
“I’ve noticed Lawrence has a nice mid-range game. The one-dribble pull-up is pretty on point right now. Isaac has expanded his shooting range in the last three weeks.”
Senior Josh Breitbarth is the Vikings’ inside player and Pana likes his work ethic and toughness — he’s already drawn six charges through three preseason tournaments — and junior Jax Uyemura can bring similar energy off the bench.
While Pana’s plan during the regular season is to coach the Hilo boys one night and then root on the Hilo girls the next, he won’t have that option Thursday at the Hilo Holiday Prep Classic. The boys open against St. Joseph at 7:30 at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, and at the same time the girls play Sacred Hearts at 7:30 p.m. at Hilo gym.
The matchup will pit Hilo’s uptempo attack against St. Joseph’s deliberate Princeton offense.
“We need to work on our communication,” Pana said. “They talk a lot in classroom, but not a lot on the court.”
