Hawaii-Select Readies For Las Vegas Basketball Tourney

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Kailua’s Hailey Maeda. Photo by Nathalie Walker, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

If Hawaii-Select’s defense is its best offense this week in Las Vegas at the inaugural Adidas Super 64 National Basketball Tournament, it’s just fine with head coach Chico Furtado. His current team, which includes invite-only all-stars from around Oahu, is cut from more conservative cloth.

“We have to play good defense and be able to board (rebound),” Furtado said. “Defensively, we have to lace it up and be solid. Other than Brydgette (Tatupu-Leopoldo of Farrington), we haven’t had a lot of (consistent offense). Scoring will be a little rough.”

The annual Las Vegas trip has reaped great benefits in past years. In 2004 and 2005, they won the Main Event, while finishing as runner-up in 2006 and a quarter-final-ist in 2007. This time, Furtado has built his team around returnees Hailey Maeda (Punahou/Kailua) and Kristin Liana ( Roosevelt) in addition to Tatupu-Leopoldo. The team was dealt an early blow when another returnee, Dejah Faasoa (Kaimuki), injured her ACL and was lost for the season. Her sister, Letisha, who will be a senior at Kaimuki, has stepped in, but finding the right cohesiveness is ongoing, according to the coach, who hasn’t had a full roster in their seven Kalaheo Summer League games.

“Obviously, we’re not sure how it will work up there,” he said. “We’ve been playing with mostly six or seven, as a lot of our kids are involved in other activities. It’s been kind of sporadic in that we haven’t had them together for every game.”

The roster also has Kaui Alexander (Kamehameha, Kailua), Lahela Usui (Iolani), Ashley Agcaoili (Maryknoll, Kaneohe), Alex Masaquell (Iolani), Kyllie Maeda (Iolani), Shaina Kawakami (Roosevelt) and Quynne Eharis (University High). Kyllie Maeda is recovering from ACL surgery and won’t play, but will be with the team and should compete in 2011.

With his whole roster available now, Furtado expects to go with Kawakami, Agcaoili, Tatupu-Leopoldo, Liana and Maeda as starters. These five can provide the balance needed against an ultra-competitive 21-team field.

“Hailey has been steady - she does all the little things well,” Furtado said of Maeda. “It’s the same with Kristen. Shaina is a jet in the back court. She’s like the Energizer Bunny.”

The Windward side also will be well-represented with both Agcaoili and Alexander.

“Ashley has done a good job for us, and Kaui has played hard. She’s pretty aggressive in terms of her work ethic.”

While man-to-man defense has been Furtado’s forte as Kalaheo head boys coach, and before that as its head girls’ coach, he expects to play more zone this time.

“We’ll mix it up,” he said. “We didn’t played a lot of it in the past, but we are now.”

Hawaii-Select went 7-0 in summer league. The team was to leave Tuesday, giving them a day of preparation before Thursday’s opening round game. The tournament runs through Sunday.