Falcons Small But Rebounding Well In Pre-season Play
By Jack Danilewicz
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Kalani Falcons Chris Pieper and Daniel
Morisato practice their game. Photo by
Byron Lee, staff photographer.
Kalani High head basketball coach Richard Miyasaka never hesitates to remind his upper-classmen that their collective eligibility clock is ticking.
As the Falcons prepare for the Pearl City Pre-Season Tournament this weekend - not to mention the 2006-07 regular season - he’s quick to promote a workmanlike approach.
“With a lot of seniors, I remind them every day (that this is their final year to perform),” said Miyasaka, who is in his second year at the helm for the Falcons after serving as an assistant for six years at his alma mater, Kaimuki.
“We’re a little more focused. There’s a sense of urgency to achieve every practice,” Miyasaka said.
“Not that we don’t have great practices every day,” he added with a laugh, “but a lot of these kids played on the volleyball team that made the state tournament, and so they know what it takes to be successful.”
The so-called transition year that goes with any coaching change has long since faded into the rear-view mirror, to hear Miyasaka tell it.
“We didn’t have to begin anew this year,” he said. “They remember from last year how we do things, and that’s going to help us to put in some variations with our offense and defense since we don’t have to start from scratch. We pretty much have everything in right now.”
Four seniors - forward Holu Kaaihue, guard Jeff Khautakoun, forward Chris Pieper and forward Daniel Morisato - have already settled into starting roles and figure to lead the way early on for the Falcons.
Khautakoun was the Falcons’ leading scorer last season, averaging 11 points per game, followed by Morisato at 9.5.
“Jeff can shoot the long ball, and he’s quick,” Miyasaka said, “and this will be Daniel’s fourth year on the varsity. He’s athletic and pretty physical. He brings a lot to us, and he knows what it takes to be successful.
“Chris and Holu will get a lot more playing time this year,” he said.“Chris is one of our big guys. He’s a strong guy who can rebound well. Holu is a good defender, and he can score.”
As a group, the foursome are cut from similar cloth. The Falcons will be short on height with only two players at 6-foot-2 on the front line, but speed can be found throughout the lineup. Max Fujio, AC Asuncion, Troy Kashiwabara, Tanner Takata, Chuck Ogawa, Sean Yamamoto, Pat Akau and Justin Ogata round out the team.
“We’re pretty quick overall, and we’d better be because we’re not a huge team,” Miyasaka laughed. “They have the stamina to last. We can pressure the whole game. I’ve been impressed with their athleticism. Some of them have made a quantum leap (since last season), and they’re pretty smart kids, too.”
Kalani will play the host Chargers in the aforementioned Pearl City Tournament on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The Falcons will meet Kamehameha II at 6:30 and Mid-Pacific at 1:30 on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Kalani dropped its pre-season opener 63-47 to Castle Nov. 24, but they were within striking distance for much of the game before falling off the pace in the fourth quarter. With a small lineup, rebounding has been an ongoing concern for Miyasaka this pre-season, but the Falcons were up to the challenge against the Knights, out-rebounding them in the end.
“We actually did well there (rebounding-wise) so we have to build on that,” the coach said.“We were happy about that, but our offensive execution is something we have to work on. We turned the ball over way too much.”
Kalani’s hopes of improving on last year’s 1-10 mark could be bolstered by the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s separation of its members in the off-season into Division I and II. Having been designated Division II, the Falcons won’t meet traditional powers Kalaheo and Kahuku. Instead, Kalani will play new DII East foes Kaiser, McKinley, Farrington and Myron Thompson Academy twice, with one game against West DII schools Nanakuli, Waialua, Waipahu and Aiea.
Kalani opens regular-season play on Jan. 3 at home against Waialua.
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