Kaimuki’s Stietzel Hungry For Success This Hoops Season
By Jack Danilewicz
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The waiting, as Tom Petty sings, is the hardest part. Kaimuki High School’s Gabriel Stietzel can relate.
For the last six weeks, he and his Bulldog teammates have been counting down the days to the start of the prep basketball season, which officially began Monday with their first practice.
“It’s been six long weeks of conditioning, and finally the season is here,” said Stietzel. “I’ve been kind of anxious. I can’t wait, even though I know it will go by fast.”
The Bulldogs finished 15-7 overall last season. As in past years, they played their best basketball when it counted most, finishing fourth at the state tournament in February. Only a triple-overtime loss to Punahou in the semifinals kept Kaimuki from playing in its third state title game in four years.
With preseason ready to kick off Saturday at Roosevelt, Stietzel took some time away from the hard-wood to answer some questions from the MidWeek East Oahu Islander.
Who’s had the biggest impact on you in your life? My mom Yvette. She does anything for me and my sister to make us happy. She takes good care of us.
What area of your game did you focus on in the off-season? My drives to the basket. I’d rather shoot first before, but I don’t mind driving. I wanted to refine myself.
What are your thoughts on Kaimuki’s upcoming season? What can the Bulldog Nation expect this year? I’m excited. Right now, we still have to get the plays down, so we’ll start slow, but we’ll pick it up by the middle of the season. We all have to have a passion for playing.
Who’s your most competitive teammate in practice? Tevin Nishiyama. We like to talk stink to each other in practice. It keeps us both motivated.
What do you plan to major in when you get to college? I’d like to be a pharmacist someday.
What is your least favorite household chore? Taking
out the garbage. I live high up in an apartment building, and I don’t like walking down the stairs.
What Internet site do you frequent the most? You Tube to watch basketball highlight tapes. I like to watch Michael Jordan replays.
What movie could you watch over and over again? Stepbrothers with Will Ferrell.
What’s currently in your iPod? Mine is broken. I left it in my shorts, and it went through the wash. My mom was mad.
Do you play video games? What are your favorites? I have an Xbox360. My favorite games are NBA 2K10 and Guitar Hero. I like to play When We Were Young by the Killers.
Are you a clean freak or messy? I’m right in the middle. Some days I’m clean, and some days I don’t care.
You’re stuck on the Island of Kahoolawe. You have an endless supply of one food. What would it be? Cake noodles from home.
If you could have your pick, what celebrity would you choose as your prom date? Oh, hold on. Can I put my girlfriend (Kawehilani Wills) in? She’s beautiful, and I don’t want her to get mad.
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