2001 all-stars settling in at colleges

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Ten of the 11 seniors and one junior on the 2001 Hawai'i All-State girls basketball team were offered athletic scholarships to college — an unprecedented recognition of the caliber of high-school girls hoops in the islands.

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Aritta Lane of 'Aiea, playing for Fresno State, leads the Western Athletic Conference in rebounding.

Monica Tokoro of Iolani, playing for Cal State-Los Angeles, is second in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and 10th in NCAA Division II in assists.

Three-time state Player of the Year Brandy Richardson of Kalaheo, playing for the University of California-Santa Barbara, is finding the adjustment difficult, but her coach says she is holding her own.

Lane's accomplishments are reported in an adjoining story. Here is a capsule look at how the other 2001 all-state seniors are doing:

• Monica Tokoro (Iolani) of 'Aiea: Tokoro is averaging 5.7 assists per game, which both delights and concerns Cal State-Los Angeles coach Marcia Murota.

"Sometimes she's a little too unselfish," Murota said. Tokoro, who was the Interscholastic League of Honolulu scoring champion in 1999 and 2001, is averaging 11.2 points per game, fourth on the team.

Murota says Tokoro's typical assist comes off penetration. "She drives the lane, hangs there a second, looks like she's going to take a shot, then takes it back and passes to our post player," the coach said.

Tokoro's biggest game so far was against Southern Colorado on Nov. 21. She scored 22 points and had 12 assists, eighth most in school history, in an 86-85 overtime loss.

"She just turned 18 last weekend," Murota said Friday. "To step up as young as she is ... she has no fear, doesn't back down, and sees the court really well,"

Tokoro is playing 34.5 minutes per game, second on the team.

• Brandy Richardson, Kalaheo: "Brandy was a woman among girls in Hawai'i basketball," UC-Santa Barbara coach Mark French said. "If she missed a shot, she got the rebound and put it back in.

"It's a lot different now. When she takes the ball to the rack, there are 6-4, 6-5 and 6-6 kids all over the place."

"She is not as good with her right hand, but in high school, she was so dominant nobody made her go right. Now the scouting reports say make her go right."

Richardson has started two of seven games and averaged 15 minutes, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 points per game. Her best game was 6 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists against Stephen F. Austin State.

"We have played multiple top 25 teams — Stanford, Penn State, Purdue. You see weaknesses a lot more playing top teams," French said.

"Brandy came to us with a great work ethic and mind set. That work ethic is a great life skill. She knows what she needs to work on, and she will work on them. ... The payoff will come down the road," French said.

"She is an impressive young woman, such a warrior on the court, such a great kid off the court. ... We are certainly not disappointed ... she's a very solid defender and a great rebounder.

"She's holding her own."

• Milia Macfarlane, Punahou, University of Hawai'i: The first of the 2001 graduates to sign, Macfarlane has played 15 minutes and scored five points in five games for the Wahine.

• Kylee Nakamura, 'Aiea, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is redshirting.

• Nicole Garbin, Baldwin, Oregon, accepted a soccer scholarship and had an outstanding freshman season with the Ducks. She tied the school record for game-winning goals. She is not playing basketball.

• Jodi Nakashima, Roosevelt, Boise State, "is our biggest sparkplug coming off the bench," coach Trisha Stevens said. "She leads our team in hustle points (which measure deflections, steals, offensive rebounds, taking charges and hustle). She is getting more playing time every game."

Nakashima is averaging 9 minutes and 1.9 points per game. A noted 3-point shooter in high school, she is 2 of 10 behind the arc.

The Broncos open the WAC season against Hawai'i in Boise on Dec. 28 and play in Honolulu in the regular-season finale March 2.

• Keesha Aldridge, 'Aiea, Cal State-Dominguez Hills. Aldridge was recruited for volleyball and led the team in blocks. After the basketball coach saw her athleticism in volleyball, she invited Aldridge to join her team late. She has played 17 minutes in four games.

• Tai Soo, Kamehameha, California Lutheran, has started all seven games, averaging 29.9 minutes, 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds. She had made 48.9 percent of her field goal attempts (22 of 45) and 21 of 29 free throws (72.4 percent).

Cal Lutheran is in NCAA Division III, which does not permit athletic scholarships.

• Myrna Ordonez, Honoka'a, was offered a scholarship by Dominican College in California, but did not take her SAT so she could not enroll, Honoka'a coach Daphne Honma said.

• Trisha Nishimoto, a current senior at Iolani, has signed with the University of Hawai'i.

TIP-INS: Aritta Lane leads the WAC in offensive rebounds (4.33 per game) and defensive rebounds (6.22 per game). Hawai'i's April Atuaia, a 2000 Kahuku High graduate, is second on the defensive boards (5.86 per game). ... Lane's first sport in high school was volleyball; she was All-OIA West her senior year. She took up basketball in her sophomore year. Lane says she might play volleyball at Fresno after her basketball eligibility is completed. ... Lane says that the Bulldogs' mandatory study hall helps add structure to her life. "Otherwise, I would go back to my room after practice and go to sleep." ... Fresno State plays Hawai'i at Stan Sheriff Center on Jan. 26.