Leilehua Girls End 2009-10 Season With Winning Record
By Jack Danilewicz
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For the Leilehua High School girls basketball team, the road to a successful 2009-10 season began last summer in Las Vegas, where the Mules took part in the “Main Event” national prep basketball tournament.
“That helped build us as a team,” said coach Elroy Dumlao. “They stuck together and believed they could play (against first-rate competition). They’ve carried that over into this year. The girls are more confident and less hesitant now.”
Above all, progress has shown up in the won-lost column for the Mules, who went 8-2 in the recently-completed OIA White West Division to claim the top seed out of the West for the overall conference tournament. Losses to Kahuku and Kaiser ended Leilehua’s season at 8-4, but it was still a year to remember for the program.
Three of the seniors - Vanessa Bocobo, Patricia Lindo and Alondra Hooks - were moved up to the varsity as sophomores and have logged a lot of mileage through the last three years. They were also mainstays during an ambitious off-season that saw Leilehua play 30 games including summer and fall league contests and their trip to Las Vegas.
“Just being together has helped them,” said Dumlao. “This is a really close team. When we play together, we’re pretty excited. These girls play for each other.”
The Mules’ only losses in the regular season were to East powers Kaimuki and Kahuku, which is the defending DII OIA champion. They defeated East foes Kaiser and Kalaheo and went 6-0 against their fellow West counterparts to account for their 8-2 mark.
Dumlao credited the leadership of Bocobo, the Mules’ point guard, as critical to his team’s success. “She’s our coach on the floor - everything we do goes through her. She helps our cohesiveness. She keeps the girls together. When the girls voted on their team captains, it was unanimous with her (as a selection).”
Lindo was Bocobo’s back court mate, and was an All-Conference selection a year ago in the OIA White West. “She’s our best shooter. She’s also marked (by opposing teams). Everyone knows who she is, but she’s still pretty consistent. She has a high basketball I.Q. She’s a good all-around basketball player.”
At 6-foot-1, Hooks provided the inside game.“She’s a battler and a gamer. Her passion is basketball, and she’s one of our leaders.”
Sophomore Toe Motu, 6-foot-1, also enjoyed a solid season and was a matchup nightmare for most opposing teams on the wing with her size. She joined freshman Karissa McBride in solidifying the starting lineup, while senior Carline Wilson was been the first player off of the bench all season.
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