honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Lancers concerned about long layoff

Video: Prep basketball coach talks state basketball

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

Sacred Hearts players Raecha-Ann Kauahikaua, left, and Noel Soma double team Bryanna Batts of St. Francis. The Lancers are 13-0.

ADVERTISER FILE PHOTO | April 5, 2007

spacer spacer

Sacred Hearts girls basketball coach Alan Matsui has had a lot on his mind recently.

But, first things first. His Lancers will be making their first state tournament appearance.

Sacred Hearts went 13-0 in the Interscholastic League of Hono-lulu and is the No. 1 seed in the Hawaiian Airlines/ Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division II Girls State Championships.

Sacred Hearts has a first-round bye and will open play tomorrow against the winner of tonight's Lana'i-Kailua game.

"I'm happy we got the No. 1 seed and we got a favorable draw," Matsui said.

No. 2 McKinley (14-1), No. 3 Seabury Hall (12-0) and No. 4 Hawai'i Prep (9-5) also have first-round byes for the 12-team tournament, which will be played at Farrington and McKinley the first three days. The final day will be held at the Stan Stan Sheriff Center.

Matsui says O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion McKinley and Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up Kamehameha-Hawai'i (11-3) are among the favorites. The Warriors won the 2005 tournament and finished second last season. McKinley and Kamehameha-Hawai'i are in the opposite bracket of Sacred Hearts, which last played May 1 against La Pietra.

"We haven't had a good practice in 2 1/2 weeks and that scares the hell out of me," Matsui said. "Without games you lose that edge."

After the season, Matsui can ponder Sacred Hearts' move back to Division I after a one-year stay in DII, and whether he'll return to the Lancers or coach the Hawai'i Baptist boys JV team.

"It's not something I'm looking forward to," Matsui said of next year's move to DI.

He added the Lancers won a lot of close games in DII this season, and said previously his team was beaten up physically last season in DI.

Next year, the girls basketball season will be moved to the winter and played concurrently with the boys season.

"It has to be a family decision," Matsui said on whether he'll coach Sacred Hearts DII girls or HBA JV boys. "Everyday, I go home and I write pluses and minuses on both sides."

The Lancers, who run a flex-motion offense, are led by junior forward Nalani Bayne and sophomore guard Raecha-Ann Kauahikaua.

Bayne averages 10.2 points per game and is the vocal leader on the court, according to Matsui.

Kauahikaua is the floor general and second-leading scorer at 7.2 ppg.

McKinley's Bob Morikuni also must make the tough decision on whom to coach next year. He led the McKinley boys to the DII state title in late February.

"Honestly, I'm split right down the middle," Morikuni said. "I'll think about it after the state tournament."

McKinley, which played in DI last season, will rely on 3-point shooting and an aggressive man-to-man defense. Senior guard Chelsie Sato, a four-year varsity member, leads the team with 15.5 points per game.

"I always expect her to have a good game, but not necessarily scoring; just being a ball-handler and leader," Morikuni said.

In addition to Sacred Hearts, Lana'i (7-5) will be making its first state tournament appearance.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.

• • •