Haskins To Anchor Sabers’ Hoops Team In 2010-11 Season

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As Campbell head basketball coach Wyatt Tau scans his roster in search of the player most likely to have a breakthrough season in 2010-11, forward Fouina Haskins immediately makes the grade.

If anything, Haskins’s breakthrough year was in 2009-10, to hear Tau tell it. It’s just that not everyone noticed.“I thought he should have been a Second Team All-Conference player (in the OIA Red West),” said Tau. “Hopefully, this year he’ll be the Player of the Year.

“This kid can play,” he added. “We’re looking at him as being our X-factor. He’s 6-1 - tall and lanky - and he has a good basketball IQ and good instincts. Play him one-on-one, and he’s as good as anyone on the island. Last year he was overshadowed a little by Kristian Manuel and Christian Storment. He’s a 3.8, 4.0 GPA student, and we want him to get the best out of everything he does.”

Haskins averaged 11 points per game for the Sabers, who finished 11-6 overall and made their sixth straight appearance in the state tournament. His leadership should figure big this summer as the Sabers play in the Radford Summer League. Haskins also is shifting to a new position this summer. After playing with his back to the basket in the post, he now will take the No. 3 spot, or small forward position.

Tau also is building around point guard C.J. Ramos and off-guard Allan Otanes. Both saw plenty of action at the point in 2009-10 and could end up beside each other in the back court this time around.

“This year, we’re looking at C.J. taking it on full time,” Tau said of Ramos. “He’s been with me since the fifth grade (as a player at the Boys & Girls Club of Ewa Beach as well as Campbell High). I looked at him as a big plus when I came here (from Aiea). He hustles every play like it’s his last. He’s very aggressive, and he’s tough. His problem has been with over-thinking. We’ve been telling him not to think so hard and to just play his game.

“Allan is good, fundamentally,” he added. “He can do everything perfect, and he can shoot the ball with confidence.”

The talent pool at guard also includes junior-to-be Carter Kauwenaole, who can play either the No. 2 or 3 spot. “He’s relentless,” Tau said. “He’ll take you to the hole and still come back and play solid defense.”

His other priorities this summer will be to solidify team play in the post with senior-to-be Christopher Crawford and junior-to-be Jarrin Bannister expected to battle for a starting position.

“Christopher is quick, and he can jump. He’s 5-10, and he can dunk. Jarrin progressed very well from the beginning of last season (with the JV team) to the end. Now that he’s on varsity, I’ll have more time to work with him. I believe he can be good for us.”

Campbell, which was to open Summer League play late last week, returns to action at 6:15 p.m. Thursday against Mililani. The Sabers will play Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons at Radford.

Tau is entering his second season at Campbell after a highly successful run at Aiea. With the so-called “transition year” behind him, Tau has settled more into the job and plans to simplify matters for his players this summer.

“I think last year we rushed through things. We sat back after the season and reevaluated things. Last year, we skipped some things we would normally do and learned the hard way. We want to get back to (instilling) the basic fundamentals.”

Tau also will look to bring new additions from the JV team into the fold.

“These are real good, respectful kids, who listen well. Our chemistry is already pretty good, and that makes them easier to coach. They feed off of each other.”

In addition to OIA Red West foes Radford and Mililani, the Sabers also will play Moanalua, Kahuku and a pair of Hawaii-based, traveling all-star teams this summer as part of an eight-game season. A playoff follows.