Low repeats as Player of Year

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Photos by Eugene Tanner, The Honolulu Advertiser. Illustration by Martha Hernandez, The Honolulu Advertiser.

Low, a 6-foot-1 point guard, was the Interscholastic League of Honolulu scoring champion and Player of the Year as a freshman and Advertiser State Player of the Year as a sophomore. From that perspective, his 13.9 points-per-game average in the regular and postseason, including a four-point outing against Kamehameha, may not be eye-popping.

But from the perspective of Iolani coach Mark Mugiishi, Low's recent season easily met the highest of standards.

"The single stat that best defines the effectiveness of a point guard is a team's win/loss record," Mugiishi said. "For this Derrick has no peer. All he does is win."

The Raiders finished the year with a 17-0 record to prove it. After leading Iolani to its second straight state championship, Low again was a unanimous choice as The Advertiser's State Player of the Year in a vote of 10 coaches and members of the media from around Hawai'i.

Low is believed to be the first player to win the top honor as a sophomore and junior. University's Leroy Lutu was The Advertiser's State Player of the Year as a sophomore, but was edged out by Punahou's Darryl Gabriel as a junior.

With the honors come expectations, and with expectations come attention. Especially from opposing defenses.

On Jan. 7, Punahou focused on stopping Low's penetration and held him to two points in the second period. Low then drained three 22-foot 3-pointers in the second half and finished the game with 28 points.

Three days later, Kamehameha used an effective 3-2 matchup zone to hold Low to four points, and the same approach held Low to two points in the first half of the rematch on Feb. 1. But Low scored 13 in the second half of that game to help the Raiders win 57-47.

"I think that when an opposing coach tries to construct a game plan for Iolani, the major consideration is how to deal with Derrick," Mugiishi said. "If a team is trying to decide whether to play man or zone, whether to press or not press, whether to play fast or slow ... the factor which decides that for them is Derrick. Very few players have that kind of impact on a game."

Low averaged 12.9 ppg in the regular season, but in the state tournament his average went up to 16.7 ppg. And Mugiishi added that scoring is only one part of Low's multi-faceted game.

"I can't remember who this quote is attributable to, but it was about (former Boston Celtic) K.C. Jones, and it defines Derrick perfectly," Mugiishi said. " 'When we win by 20, he scores two. When we win by two, he scores 20.' "

Low is the only underclassman to be named to The Advertiser's All-State first team. He is joined by teammate Bobby Nash, Maui's Ma'afu Finau, Saint Louis' Jason Rivers and Kaimuki's Daniel Tautofi.

Nash improved his scoring average from 12.6 ppg last year to 14.5 ppg. But Mugiishi said that like Low, Nash should not be judged by points alone.

"We have an award that measures hustle points — it accounts for things like rebounding, steals, charges, loose balls, etc.," Mugiishi said. "Bobby won that award this year by quite a margin. Anyone who knows the game knows the value of this stat."

Nash has signed with the University of Hawai'i.

Rivers, a 6-2 wing, also signed with Hawai'i, but as a football wide receiver. He showed his tremendous athleticism throughout the season, averaging 10.2 ppg and serving as a premier defensive stopper. His best performance may have come in the first round of the state tournament, when he scored just six points but held Tautofi to just two points on one field goal.

"Trying to work around him and their whole defense, just touching the ball was a challenge," Tautofi said after the game. "And by the time I got it, I was exhausted."

Guarding Tautofi, a 6-2 forward, proved to be a monumental task for everyone else. He averaged 12.9 ppg in the regular season, then scored 37 points in a quadruple-overtime playoff victory over Moanalua. Tautofi was as much a threat to shoot a 3-pointer as he was to score tough inside baskets, and he also provided rebounding and ball-handling skills against pressure.

Finau, a 6-4 forward, gave Maui a similar presence and helped the Sabers to a 28-1 overall record and third-place finish in the state. He scored a game-high 26 points in a quarterfinal victory over Leilehua and 18 points in a semifinal loss to Saint Louis.

Mugiishi was named Co-Coach of the Year along with Kalaheo's Pete Smith, who is retiring after 17 hugely successful seasons. Despite losing four starters from last season's state runner-up team, Smith guided the Mustangs to their third straight O'ahu Interscholastic Association championship.