Don’t Be Fooled By Their Youth; These Girls Can Play

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The Pearl City girls’ basketball team will still be among the younger teams in the Oahu Interscholastic Association next season, but the Chargers will hardly be the most inexperienced of the league’s teams.

That was assured last year when seventh-year head coach Mike Morton went with a lineup that included three sophomores.

“It was a big-time learning experience for them as sophomores,” he said. “They were put under fire. They understand more playing at that level now.”

As area basketball teams began practicing for their respective summer seasons last week, the Chargers remain one of the more interesting teams to track. They struggled to a 4-9 season in 2007-08 following an 8-4 campaign the year before, but hopes are high within the program - especially with the bulk of Pearl City’s roster expected to be in the fold for the next two seasons. The Chargers would like nothing less than to regain their form of 2002 and 2003 when they won back-to-back OIA Red West regular-season titles. Pearl City last made the state tournament in 2002.

“Hopefully, they share that dream,” Morton said of the Chargers returning to the state tournament.

A solid summer will aid the Chargers in their quest. After a three-year hiatus, Pearl City will again host a summer league. The league, which was to begin play on Monday, features an all-star lineup that includes Aiea, Waipahu, Mililani, Kapolei, Leilehua and University High of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

“There should be great competition,” Morton said of the summer league. “We’re all rivals, so we’re looking at a fun summer of basketball.”

Pearl City will build around juniors Jordan Ahakuelo, Markeshia Manning, Glacen Florita and sophomore Char-magne Monis, who moved up to the varsity in time for the OIA playoffs last February after having enjoyed a stellar season with the junior varsity. Ahakuelo, Manning and Florita all started as sophomores and figure to be in the lineup along with Monis Wednesday night when the Chargers meet Aiea (8:15 p.m. at Pearl City).

Among the returnees, Ahakuelo leads the way, having quickly established herself as one of the West’s top most capable, offensively, last season.

“Her tenacity and her desire to score are unbelievable, and her work ethic is unreal,” Morton said of Ahakuelo, a 4.0 student in the classroom. “She’s been playing since she was 5, and she plays all year. Hopefully, this is the breakout year for all of them.

“Markeshia’s strength is her ability to play physical,” he continued. “She’s very strong and she works hard. She only began playing in the ninth grade, and she’s improved so much. She wants to do really well in basketball. Glacen is very quick - she’ll be our distributor at point guard.”

Monis, who led the Chargers’ JV team to a 9-3 record last winter, will settle into the off-guard spot alongside Florita.

“She’s really improved,” Morton said. “She’s another 4.0(GPA)-type with a great work ethic.”

Like Ahukuelo a year ago, Morton is hoping for “instant offense” from sophomore-to-be Keani Passi, a 5-foot-10 forward who played on the JV at Pearl City last season.

“She could have moved up, but she really helped the JV last year,” he said. “She’s one of those diamonds in the rough. She has a chance to break into the starting lineup. She can run the floor, and she averaged 18 points and four blocks a game last season.”

Morton is also high on junior Shanise Gabriel-Yomes, who also competed with the Chargers JV team this year.

“She’s lanky and very athletic with a good mid-range jump shot,” Morton said of Gabriel-Yomes.

Staying healthy is among the Chargers’ priorities this summer after losing three players to season-ending ACL injuries during the winter. Another area of emphasis will be developing cohesiveness, according to Morton.

“Summer is always important - the girls start playing with each other again,” he said.

Pearl City’s summer league runs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening through July 2.