By Paul Honda
Editor
HondaReport.com
Friday, Feb. 20, 2004

HONOLULU—He wasn’t perfect, but all in all, Kalaheo Mustang fans will find it easy to forgive Sam Wilhoite for a couple of missed free throws.

Wilhoite, a 6-foot-7 senior, poured in 31 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and swatted nine shot attempts by Mililani as Kalaheo captured the O’ahu Interscholastic Association boys’ basketball championship, 60-44, Friday night.

It is Kalaheo's fourth OIA title in a row, and its first in boys' basketball under Chico Furtado.

A boisterous crowd of about 1,000 at McKinley High School Student Council Gym endured sultry, humid conditions. Wilhoite, who saw double- and triple-team coverage when Kalaheo won its semifinal game against Kaimuki, was far more comfortable this time.

“We had that extra focus, They hit me with crisp passes, and they stepped it up and hit the outside shots when we needed them,” Wilhoite said of his squad.

Mililani used a 2-3 zone to try and neutralize Wilhoite, but it mattered little. The patient Mustangs used efficient ball movement and found their big man with perfect entry passes—mostly lobs over the top—all night. Mililani, with no starter more than 6-feet tall, had little recourse.

Wilhoite finished 11-of-14 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. He even drained a pair of 3-pointers that set the Trojans back.

“I was surprised that they played zone,” Kalaheo head coach Chico Furtado said. “They’re usually a man team, and this late in the season, you gotta go with what got you there. I don’t think you can go zone and try to double people like you would in preseason. We’re shooting better, distributing the ball better. And we got some good play from kids off the bench, like Chris (Tumaneng) and Daniel (Phair).”

Theo Fujita added 12 points and six assists for third-ranked Kalaheo (13-1 OIA, 22-5 overall). The win also gives the Mustangs a first-round bye in the state championships, which begins Wednesday at Neal Blaisdell Arena.

“This feels very good. We played good defense, and it was tough for us (guards),” Fujita said. “They got in our face and Sam stepped up. When they penetrated, Sam swatted their shots.”

Alex Patykula led No. 4-ranked Mililani with 12 points, and Puna Neumann added 10. Mililani (12-1 OIA, 22-2) sustained its first loss since falling to Kalaheo in preseason. After combining for 14 first-quarter points, the pair had eight points for the rest of the game.

“I’m hoping when people see Kalaheo basketball, they feel that we’re the best defensive team they’ve seen,” Furtado said.

As a team, Mililani turned the ball over just seven times; Kalaheo had 14 turnovers. The Trojans, however, could not overcome a difficult night from the field.

Neumann, who sustained a separated right shoulder two nights ago against McKinley, came out firing. He never quite caught fire, but he managed to get to the line and make four foul shots before hitting a 3-pointer early on. Along with seven points by Patykula, the Trojans were tied with Kalaheo at 17 going into the second quarter.

A full-court press by Mililani helped set a quick tempo from the start. “We were surprised. I was surprised,” Furtado said. The press didn’t have lasting effects, however, as Kalaheo’s press-breaker proved effective for the rest of the game.

Scott Neumann connected on a 16-footer from the left elbow, and reserve forward Jon Santos scored four points in a row as the Trojans went on a 6-0 run to start the second quarter. Mililani led 23-18 with 6:41 left in the half.

From that point on, it was all Kalaheo for the rest of the quarter. Wilhoite swished an open 3-pointer from the top, and Phair drove for a short jump shot in the lane, igniting an 11-0 Kalaheo run.

The run came after Mililani, which had been substituting liberally all half, called off its press. Tumaneng, a reserve guard, drove for a 10-foot bank shot, and Matt Nakashima sank two foul shots to help Kalaheo take a 29-23 lead at intermission.

“That was the big key—our defensive effort during the last four minutes of the second quarter,” Furtado said.

Wilhoite had 13 points by halftime.

The Trojans refrained from pressing full-court to start the second half. Kalaheo opened the lead to 10 after Fujita scored five points, including a 3-pointer from the top, and Wilhoite added a three-point play under the glass.

The Trojans scored five points in a row to pull within 37-32, but they couldn’t keep momentum on their side. Neumann and Patykula were held scoreless for the entire third quarter. Kalaheo led 43-35 entering the final stanza.

The Mustangs continued to work around and through Mililani’s zone. Even after the Trojans went to a man defense, Kalaheo flourished. Wilhoite scored eight points as the Mustangs went on a 10-2 run to put the game out of reach. They led 55-37 with 2:25 to play.

Mililani got no closer than 13 the rest of the way. With 17 seconds left, and the Mustangs up 16, Furtado cleared his bench. Kalaheo’s faithful fans let out a roar, enjoying their second league title in a row.

In their minds, the Mustangs are never content. “We were kind of the underdogs this year because Mililani was undefeated,” guard William Elliott said. “This was a great team effort.”

David Moore, one of Kalaheo’s top defensive stoppers, was frank. “This was the worst game of my life,” he said. “But winning another title feels good, especially for our seniors.”

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