Posted on: Tuesday, May 21, 2002
HIGH SCHOOLS
Courage on the court
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Iolani basketball standout Trisha Nishimoto was hoping for a big senior season. But an ankle injury short-circuited most of her regular season. And once the injury healed, a concussion and stomach flu put her season in further jeopardy. But she persevered until the end.
Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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Last week's Hawaiian Airlines State Basketball Championship Tournament was supposed to be the best week of Trisha Nishimoto's life. It turned out to be one of her worst.
But Nishimoto, a senior guard for Iolani School, still had a three-day performance that impressed at least one interested observer.
"Put it this way," University of Hawai'i women's coach Vince Goo said Friday. "If we hadn't signed her last November and were thinking about it, we would have signed her after watching her this week."
His comments came one night after a flu-stricken Nishimoto scored four points against Punahou on 2-of-13 shooting.
"I can't think of anyone who showed more mental and physical toughness," Goo said. "You don't measure that in stats."
Long road back
After missing seven weeks of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu season with a high ankle sprain, Nishimoto returned to action May 8 and helped the Raiders rally for two playoff victories and earn a state tournament berth.
Iolani, which finished third in the ILH, was the tournament dark horse with Nishimoto in the lineup. She was, after all, one of the state's top outside shooters and one of only two Hawai'i players to sign with a Division I college this year.
With the ankle at about "83 percent," Nishimoto played on May 8 and scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, to help the Raiders edge Sacred Hearts, 54-51. Two days later, she scored 16 points as Iolani defeated Maryknoll, 60-44, to earn the league's third and final state berth.
It was what Nishimoto had waited for all year, especially after hurting the ankle in the season opener and spending 10 days in a cast and several more on crutches.
The Raiders were to play Lahainaluna in a first-round game. But shortly after arriving at school that morning, something went terribly wrong.
"I threw up," Nishimoto said. "I didn't know if it was something I ate, but I wasn't feeling good. And usually you feel better after throwing up, but I didn't — I kept throwing up. My friends told me, 'Drink water,' but the water didn't make me feel better.
"I was bummed, but I thought, 'I'm gonna be OK, I can play.' I tried to rest. And I didn't tell my parents, because I didn't want to bring attention to it."
Despite the illness, Nishimoto was having a strong first half, scoring six points in the first 13 minutes. But midway through the second period, she passed the ball into the high post, faked left and cut right to get the ball back. She ran smack into Lahainaluna's Monique Blando, and the collision sent both players sprawling to the floor.
The 5-foot-5 Blando got up quickly, and the 5-foot-3 Nishimoto tried.
"I thought I was OK, but I couldn't stand," Nishimoto said. "I was confused, but I wanted to play so bad."
Iolani led 26-13 at the time, but with Nishimoto out the Lunas rallied and closed to 34-31 by late in the third quarter. That's when Nishimoto returned, and though still dazed and sporting a big welt above her right eye, she scored four more points to help the Raiders pull away and win, 60-35.
"Just by looking at them, you know she's their go-to person," Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard said after the game. "They lose a lot when she's not in there."
Meanwhile, in the Stan Sheriff Center tunnel, Nishimoto was informally examined by Iolani boys coach Mark Mugiishi. Mugiishi, who is a surgeon, said Nishimoto suffered a "grade 1" concussion, with some dizziness but no memory loss.
"There was no medical reason for her not to play, and we wouldn't have let her play if it was dangerous," Mugiishi said. "But she did show courage."
Tuesday's victory advanced the Raiders into Wednesday's quarterfinals against No. 2 seed and O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion Kalaheo. For Nishimoto, sitting out was not an option.
"My season just started," she said.
Nishimoto woke up feeling dizzy that morning, but felt well enough that night to score a game-high 19 points and grab five rebounds as the Raiders scored a 50-29 upset.
"But in the fourth quarter, I got sick in my stomach again," Nishimoto said. "I was feeling really junk."
She didn't feel better until Mugiishi took her to a hospital after the game and had her hooked up to intravenous tubes.
Physically drained
Nishimoto went to bed that night hoping to be recovered for Thursday's semifinal against Punahou.
She woke up sicker than ever.
"It was the worst feeling," Nishimoto said. "This was the game I wanted all season, and I finally had a chance. I thought, 'I can't be sick.'"
She felt OK during pregame warmups, but struggled miserably once the game started and had zero points at halftime.
"I had to throw up again," Nishimoto said. "I said, 'No, I can't be sick,' and I tried to tough it out. But as soon as I got on the court, my stomach was all funny. I felt horrible. Punahou plays a fast pace, and I didn't perform well."
She did make a steal and layup at the end of the third period that helped Iolani cut the Buffanblu's lead to 35-28 after the Raiders had trailed 35-23.
"I just shook my head when I saw that," Punahou coach Mike Taylor said. "She still had that burst. It was past adrenaline — it was just sheer heart and determination."
When Nishimoto finally exited the game with about two minutes remaining, she went straight for the tunnel, where she began "dry heaving." She spent the next hour lying on a training room table, covered in a blanket.
Among the visitors stopping by to check on her were Goo and Taylor, who once coached Nishimoto at the Kalakaua Foundation clinic.
"She was extra tired, worn out and fatigued," Taylor said. "She didn't have much color. Just to see her out there competing with desire and trying so hard ... I've known her since she was in the sixth or seventh grade, and I know she turned herself into a great shooter by staying late and practicing. That night, she just willed herself to get on the court. It was amazing."
Lessons learned
The physical demands of playing sick finally caught up to Nishimoto, who did not make it to school Friday and could only cheer from the bench that night as Iolani defeated Kahuku for third place.
There was no storybook ending, but there were lessons learned.
"Getting hurt or sick never really crossed my mind before," Nishimoto said. "It was a tough season, and it was frustrating, but I think it'll make me stronger individually. And I'm grateful because a lot of people — (Iolani trainer Charlie) Gima, my parents — were so supportive. All this will help me."
Her father, John, agrees.
"This is the kind of season she'll always remember," he said. "There are going to be other times when she needs to be stronger in tougher situations, and she'll have to dig down deep. But Trisha has always loved this game, and she has heart. She'll always give 100 percent no matter what condition she's in."
If Goo didn't know that before, he knows it now.
"It's nice to think we made a good choice," he said.
