Basilio Talks Trojan Basketball
By Jack Danilewicz
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As the girls prep basketball season tips off with preseason action, Mililani figures to be among the more interesting teams to track.
Entering their second season under head coach Patrick Basilio, the Trojans are hoping for a return to the state tournament in February after falling short last year. Mililani is coming off a 7-7 season in 2007-08, and there is much optimism centering around the current team.
Senior guard Chelsea Basilio (no relation to the coach), a Second Team All OIA Western Conference selection, recently took some time to visit with MidWeek and answer questions on the upcoming season.
What is your earliest basketball-related memory? It probably happened when I was about 7 years old. Basketball wasn’t my sport when I was younger, but my dad was a basketball coach for my little brother, and so he would teach both my brother and me. We had a mini basket, and he would teach us how to shoot, dribble and lay up.
What makes basketball your sport of choice? It’s a fast-paced sport - always having to think on your feet, not knowing what is about to happen makes it enjoyable. Sometimes the pressure and tension of the close games give excitement to the game as well. Every game is never the same.
Who has had the biggest impact on you in your life? I’d have to say both my parents, because without having them forcing me to do things like schoolwork and basketball, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do well in life.
Who is your basketball mentor? Is there a player whose game you have tried to emulate? I think all my coaches from last season - because they not only helped me with playing basketball, they also helped me with school or anything else I’m having trouble with.
Coach Pat Basilio has talked in the past of having a “defense-first” mentality. Do you see defense as one of the Trojans’ strengths again this year? Our mentality should always be defense first, because defense always wins games. It is one of the many qualities we have, but we can always improve on it.
Who plays the toughest defense among your teammates? Glenelle Nitta, because she is quick on her feet. Last year, she would always guard the fastest and (most) well-rounded player on the team. Her defense was top notch because she held her player down to scoring single digits when their average was in double digits. She is quick on her feet and able to change direction in an instant.
What part of your individual game did you try to work on this off-season? How would you assess your progress in that area? Iwork on my shooting and dribbling skills because that usually gets rusty. I’d say the progress I’ve made so far isn’t rusty, but yet it’s also not how it is during season. So I still need to work on the shooting and dribbling.
Who on the Mililani roster will surprise people in 2008-09? In my opinion Pomai Grube-Hose will show and prove to people that she has worked on her basketball game a lot during the off-season. Not saying that she had a lot to work on, but if you see how much she has progressed from where she was last season to how she is this season, you’ll see how much she has improved on her game.
What is your favorite pre-game meal? Spam musubi with an Icee float. It’s not a full-course meal, but to me it’s delicious.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I’m not sure how my future will pan out, but I’m hoping that it’s successful and that I’m still playing basketball.
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