Preza-Haynes Stepping Into Higher Role For Mustangs

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The magic number for the Kalaheo boys basketball program this summer is six, in head coach Chico Furtado’s view.

“We’re going to have to depend on our nucleus of six,” he said.“We have only about three guys up from the junior varsity, so next year we’ll be depending on most of our guys to change their roles from players off of the bench to starters. If we can do that, we’ll be all right. If we can’t, we’ll struggle.”

The Mustangs’ key returnees - Richard Preza-Haynes, Aaron Fernandez, Christian Kepa, Matt Gasparine, Carlos Craig and Shawn Hipa - are taking part in Kalaheo’s summer league this month. They entered last Saturday’s game with rival Castle still undefeated at 5-0, having logged wins over Le Jardin, Kailua, Moanalua and a pair of teams from Punahou.

On Wednesday, the Mustangs will play two games. They host a Hawaii-Select All-Star team made up of kids from Punahou, Kamehameha and Iolani at 4:30 p.m. before returning to action at 7:30 against The Dawgs, which is also a local traveling all-star team.

“Right now, we’re sort of playing it out,” Furtado said. “Things have been low-key and loose.

We’re trying to get the kids to play hard and play together and evaluate them to see what we can do next year.”

Although six players return from last season, when the Mustangs won the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s Eastern Division title en route to another state tournament appearance, only Preza-Haynes was a regular in the starting lineup, making this summer a time for solidifying his supporting cast. A standout on the baseball field as well, Preza-Haynes missed three summer league games while attending a camp at Grand Valley State in Michigan, but will be back in the lineup Wednesday night. One of the top defensive players from last year’s team, Preza-Haynes is shifting from the off-guard spot to the point guard position this summer.

“Richard plays with confidence and intensity, and he plays bigger than he is,” Furtado said.“He gives us experience where we’re a little weak.With Taylor Jay and Cheynne (Lishman) graduated, Richard is probably the guy to play the point (guard spot). He’s a jet; he can go. Like last year, when Taylor stepped in so well, we’re hoping for the same kind of performance from Richard this year.”

Furtado also is looking for Fernandez, a junior post player, to see his role increase in the coming year.“He’ll have to take on more of a scoring role. As a sophomore, he struggled, but he’s having a good summer. He has the ability to be an inside and outside guy.

“Matt (Gasparine) and Chris (Kepa) are going to have to be full-time post guys. Carlos has looked good in summer so far.”

Among newcomers, Furtado also is high on sophomore-to-be Kona Makaula, a guard who attended Koolau Baptist last year, but is transferring to Kalaheo for fall term.“He’s been playing with us during summer league and adds to our perimeter play,“Furtado said of Makaula, who is the younger brother of Punahou’s Kimo Makaula. “He shoots the ball really well, and he plays with confidence.”