Former Kalaheo coach in hospital

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Former Kalaheo High School boys basketball coach Pete Smith had yet to regain consciousness at Straub Clinic and Hospital's intensive care unit last night, but two family friends said "he has looked better every day" since suffering cardiac arrest following colon cancer surgery last Friday.

SMITH

The operation stretched into seven hours, but according to longtime family friend Ed Nishioka, doctors said Smith was "talking for about 20 minutes" afterward as they prepared to move him out of the operating room.

Nishioka said doctors then noticed "all of (Smith's) levels started dropping," and he went into cardiac arrest, which Nishioka said might have been caused by "enzyme buildup." Smith was revived, but had yet to regain consciousness as of last night.

"He's looking good; he's moving around and stretching his legs out," Nishioka said. "He has color, and the doctors ran tests to check the electrical waves in his brain. They said everything was normal, so we're all pretty hopeful. We talk to him, and his eyes will open just a little bit and he'll react to some stuff."

Chico Furtado, who was Smith's top assistant from 1990 through this past season, visited Smith last night and said the situation looked to be improved.

"He's moving his legs, and he actually lifted his head off the pillow," Furtado said. "He follows voices when we talk and will turn that way, and he even grinned a couple times. I don't know what that means medically, but to me it's part of the gradual process (toward improvement). He's a lot better than he was two days ago."

Nishioka, who has known Smith since 1988 and helps him run a summer basketball program at Kalaheo, said Smith's family has had several visitors but is trying to "limit calls" for the time being.

"The doctors have done all their tests, so now we just have to wait," Nishioka said. "The family is very upbeat, and he has looked better every day."

Smith, the father of former Kalaheo and University of Hawai'i standout Alika Smith, is one of the most successful basketball coaches in Hawai'i high school history. He stepped down as Kalaheo's coach in March after guiding the Mustangs to 11 of the past 13 O'ahu Interscholastic Association championships (14 overall) and state titles in 1985, 1995 and 2001.

All 18 of Smith's teams at Kalaheo (1984-87, 1990-03) qualified for the 12-team state tournament. He also was Chaminade University's head coach for two seasons (1988-89 and 1989-90) and was an assistant to Silverswords coach Merv Lopes when they upset No. 1-ranked Virginia in 1982.

As an athlete, Smith was the State Player of the Year in 1972 after leading Kailua to the state basketball championship.

Smith and his wife, Stacey, have three sons: Josh, Alika and Kea. Josh was an all-star basketball player at Kalaheo in 1991 and Kea attends Kamehameha Schools.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.