Konawaena and Donny and Bobbie Awa’s Stingrays club, the blue-chip feeder program, will perennially produce players who have a disciplined defensive approach.
Konawaena and Donny and Bobbie Awa’s Stingrays club, the blue-chip feeder program, will perennially produce players who have a disciplined defensive approach.
What does that mean?
The Wildcats or former Stingrays just don’t like giving away easy points: free throws, transition layups, or putbacks.
Players have been trained to pressure the ball and create turnovers without fouling. They hustle back on defense to prevent layups. Even if they’re smaller, they block out.
Oh, their ball-sharing is pure gold stuff, too.
That’s been the blueprint for both Konawaena programs until last season for the boys, who entered as the BIIF favorite and finished as the runner-up.
Donny Awa’s ballclub was looking to reel off four consecutive BIIF championships and maybe challenge the last dynasty: the late Larry Manliguis’ Hilo powerhouse won eight straight from 1990 to ’97.
But on the way to a fourth BIIF crown, Konawaena got sidetracked and lost to Waiakea 60-40, often failing to play proper transition defense.
The Wildcats had no such issue against Hawaii Prep with a 61-40 win in the first round of the Keaau/Waiakea preseason basketball tournament on Wednesday.
Konawaena got in the grill of ball-handlers, forced 24 turnovers and scored 16 easy points in transition. The Wildcats had 14 giveaways but surrendered zero points in transition because somebody always raced back on defense.
The ’Cats lost just one starter in physical forward Ryan Malone and their two most dangerous 6-foot-1 weapons have improved in junior point guard Austin Ewing, who doubles as a scoring threat, and junior forward Hauoli Akau, the best shooter and rim attacker.
During the track and field season, Akau seized BIIF gold in the long and triple jump. As a freshman, he won the 400 meters and triple jump.
Akau, who wants to compete in track and field in college, believes his offseason sport has helped his stamina. But the biggest benefit has been to his athleticism, especially on hoop drives where he displays his exceptional body control.
“It helps with the running and quickness on the court, especially when we’re playing man defense,” Akau said. “With me, Austin Ewing, and Austin Aukai, we have the quickest and fastest team.”
Against HPA, Akau scored 11 of his 13 points in the first quarter, grabbing three steals and sinking layups, hitting a floater in the lane, and draining a 3-pointer.
He’s a hip shooter, catching the ball at his waist before firing. The next time Akau gets blocked will be the first; it’s next to impossible to roof him because of his quick release.
“I’ve never been blocked,” said Akau, who enjoys the team chemistry. “I’d say 10 of the 13 guys on the team are Stingrays. It’s the first year where we have guys who have all played together. We’ve got good chemistry, and our goal is the BIIF championship. We’re looking forward to that.”
Unlike Ewing, Aukai, Kamakana Ching (sidelined with an ankle injury), Kaiya Leleiwi, Kaanoi Rivera-Kelekolio and Viliami Kaea, Akau didn’t play football for Konawaena. Instead, he trained and got faster.
Akau is the leader of the speed demon lineup, where Ewing, Aukai, Leleiwi, Rivera-Kelekolio, Makoa Yoshida, and Aina Alip can all get out, run and turn the court into a track meet.
“Hauoli is shooting with confidence. We changed his release point a little, to get him to shoot higher,” Awa said. “But we almost have to remind him not to fall in love with his jump shot because he’s good at attacking the basket, too.”
Though Ewing wants to play football in college, he was born as a Stingray. He grew up playing hoops for his Uncle Donnie, a reason choosing Konawaena over Hawaii Prep, where sister Gabbie ( 2015 graduate) went, was a slam-dunk decision.
Ewing has an instinct for extending plays, his personal trademark, on the gridiron. It’s the same thing on the court, where Konawaena is stacked with interchangeable guards.
The depth is a nice luxury for Awa, who wants to play an uptempo game and has the convenience of holding playing time as a carrot on a stick.
“We want to play man defense and pick up the ball higher and have defensive intensity,” Awa said. “That’s where depth helps, and the guys know if they’re not getting the job done we have others who are coming in.”
Unlike last season, Konawaena will have an anchor post game with Kaea, a 6-4, 270-pound senior center. He played on the offensive line and will complement Ching, a 6-3 senior forward, who owns an explosive, high-jumping turnaround shot.
“Viliami is a big, strong guy. He can play with his back to the basket,” Awa said. “Kamakana is very athletic. He can pop out and hit his fadeaway, and nobody can block that shot.”
The offense can play two distinct styles: uptempo with the speed demons in BIIF typical tradition, or half-court with Kaea and Ching on the blocks at the state tourney, where Oahu teams put a premium on possessions.
The Wildcats, both the boys and girls, have that part covered, especially on the defensive end, where they’ve been trained to give away nothing for free.
Still, last February holds a bittersweet memory. The Wildcats advanced to states for the fourth straight year but not as the BIIF champion.
Last season, Akau scored 18 points in the BIIF title game defeat to Waiakea. His high-scoring counterpart, Calvin Mattos, pumped in 24 points but lost a lot of his supporting cast.
Akau has more reinforcements and only one thing on his mind.
“Last year, we lost. We want that BIIF championship back,” he said.