Furtado’s Hawaii-Select Girls Working On Individual Skills

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Even with a proven scheme and an array of titles behind him, Chico Furtado would be the last to underestimate pure athleticism.

As he prepares to take his Hawaii-Select girls all-star team to Las Vegas next month, the veteran coach knows that good team play means good individual play.

“We’ve put in a lot already, but the big thing we want to stress to them is that they’ve been selected to play with us because they have some individual skill and we want to make sure they go out and use that skill.

“The big thing is not to think so much. Don’t be tentative, just go play. It’s always been run, shoot and press, and this time around it’s not going to be any different.”

Six key players are back from last summer when Hawaii-Select captured the 32-team Vision Sports National Youth Basketball Championships. This year’s tournament is set for July 27-31.

Highlighting the list are Shanadee Canon (Kalaheo), Chelsie Sato (McKinley), Nicole Fu (Maryknoll), Kylie Sato (McKinley/Washington Intermediate) and Kamehameha’s Ana Viena-Lota and Pualei Furtado.

Canon was the lead scorer in the OIA East in the spring and is regarded as one of the best in the state. She enters her third summer with Hawaii-Select. Fu, Sato and Viena-Lota are also third-year Hawaii Select players, while Furtado is one of ILH’s up-and-coming players, with three years of eligibility remaining at Kamehameha.

Newcomers include Diana Zane (Roosevelt), Ashley Medcalf (Christian Academy), Jamie Smith (Iolani) and sisters Britni and Jamie Ronolo of Moanalua. Smith, who will be a junior in the fall, figures to be one of the top players at her position next spring.

“Jamie is coming around a lot,” Furtado said.“We have a good mix of guards and post players, and we have some kids that can play on the wing or in the post. (Overall) we have good kids. They’re very respectful, although the new kids are a little shy. The kids have always gotten along very well off the court, and that’s important because for seven or eight days they’ll be living together as family.

“It’s hard to be cohesive on the court without being cohesive off of the court. It will be up to the returnees to embrace the new kids and make them comfortable.”

While Hawaii-Select has won its tournament the last two years, individual development remains an overriding priority. Many go on to play college basketball.

“Summer is the time to work on liabilities and make your game more well-rounded. We want to go up there and win and expose our kids to college coaching. But at the same time we want to improve their game.”