Cummings A Driving Force In Kahuku Girls Hoops

Wednesday - February 03, 2010
By Jack Danilewicz
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Great players save their biggest efforts for their biggest games.

No one will ever question Hi’ilei Cummings’effort - be it a pre-season game or an OIA post-season tournament game - but her reputation around the Kahuku program is that of one who is plainly at the center of action when it counts the most.

“As a player, she embraces making big plays on both the offensive and defensive end,” said Kahuku coach Junior Avei. “If there is a big shot to be taken, or we’re in a drought, offensively, she is that person. She expects that of herself,and we expect that of her also.”


 

With each game lately, the stakes have increased for the defending OIA DII champion Red Raiders. Cummings and Kahuku were to meet Leilehua last Friday night in the semifinals of the 2010 OIA Tournament. The title game was to be played on Tuesday. The Red Raiders have already clinched a berth in the Hawaiian Airlines DII State Basketball Tournament,which will be held Feb. 16-19.

Cummings brings another quality to the Kahuku program. She’s a natural-born leader by example. Indeed, asked what aspect of her game she sought to improve during the so-called off-season, she offered up an answer that would make her coach proud.

“Defense,“she said.“Defense is very important - and a key for me.Whatever you get from defense helps you on offense.”

Cummings is known as a “lock-down defender"to use the phrasing of our times.

“She moves so well that we put her in a position to make steals,“Avei said.“She’s ready and willing to make the big plays.”

Cummings’ offense has hardly suffered in her renewed commitment to excel on the defensive end. She’s averaging 17 points per game at present. She cites the atmosphere that exists within the Kahuku community itself as having been a driving force behind her play behind the scenes. The middle child of five in her family, Cummings began playing basketball at the age of 6.

“I liked it right away, but it took a lot of hard work for me to become better,” she said. “I also run track, and that has helped me with my speed (on the basketball court).


“(I’m competitive) just by nature,“she added.“All of the kids in Kahuku are very competitive.”

Cummings and teammate Joshlyn Noga each scored 16 points to lead the Red Raiders to a 75-28 rout of Nanakuli in last Thursday night’s OIA quarterfinal. That left Kahuku at 10-1 heading into the semifinal game with Leilehua and a favorite to meet White East rival Kaimuki in the championship game on Tuesday. Even so, last year’s four-point setback to Kapaa in Kahuku’s first-round state tournament game remains a rallying point, although the Red Raiders regrouped with wins over University High and Maryknoll to take fifth place.

“We take one game at a time,“Cummings said.“We try to focus on the upcoming game and not look down the road, but this is my last year and we really want to win states.”

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