Ma'ila Aluli

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Mid-Pacific's Justin Daise scored 11 points with 12 rebounds in a 42-41 win over Radford Thursday and followed that up with 10 points in a 57-40 loss to eventual tourney-champion Punahou Friday before finishing with 12 points in Saturday's 54-51 win over Leilehua. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Male Athlete of the Week: Justin Daise, Mid-Pacific boys basketball
According to his coach, Justin Daise has all the tools to become a stud. The Mid-Pacific sophomore forward is what Dwight Holiday calls a "diamond in the rough," and the first-year Owls' coach knows that Daise's development will be a pivotal part of any success they hope to have this season.

Daise took another step toward realizing his potential over the weekend, scoring double digits in each of Mid-Pacific's three games at the 15th Annual Jim Alegre Invitational at Radford. The 6-foot-3 Daise scored a total of 38 points to help the Owls go 2-1 and claim third place in the prestigious eight-team preseason tournament.

"I thought he did a good job," said Holiday, who was part of the famed Fabulous Five men's basketball teams at the University of Hawaii in the early 1970s. "He can still do better and there's still some things that we need to work on. For only having been working together for a couple of weeks now, it actually was pretty marvelous how he and the team have come together in a short time."

Daise scored 11 points with 12 rebounds in a 42-41 win over Radford Thursday and followed that up with 10 points in a 57-40 loss to eventual tourney-champion Punahou Friday before finishing with 12 points in Saturday's 54-51 win over Leilehua.

"He's a good leaper, he's a great physical specimen, but he's very young and he's still learning," Holiday said of Daise. "Justin still has a lot to learn on how to use his skills and as he grows, our team will grow."

Holiday is banking on the tutelage of former Chaminade-great Tony Randolph — who was part of what many consider the greatest upset in college basketball history when the Silverswords upset then-No. 1 Virginia in 1982 — to help bring along Daise.

"He'll definitely benefit from Tony's knowledge," Holiday said. "He can help Justin inside and I can help him outside. We're both working to try and infuse our knowledge into Justin."

Holiday and Randolph have their hands full in attempting to turn around a team that went 0-14 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I standings last year.

"We have to be solid in the fundamentals — how to pass, how to receive a pass, how to pivot, which passes to throw to get it inside — true, solid fundamentals," Holiday said. "We don't want to be concerned so much with other teams, but more what we can control. Even when I was on the Fab Five, we approached the game the same way and that's the way I coach. Now, I didn't say that we shouldn't be aware of other teams, but we want to focus on how we execute and how we communicate — which are the most important things — and everything else will take care of itself."

While the current Owls never got the opportunity to see their famed coaches play in their own heyday, they can relate in another way.

"When I played it was a very long time ago, but they know about that and they know about coach (Randolph) by going on Google and their parents have told them about it, but I have a nephew that plays in the NBA, (New Orleans Pelicans' guard) Jrue Holiday, who I've helped in his own development, and they watch him and follow him."

Some of the other players that the Owls will be counting on are Kyle Husslein, Kyrie McRaven, Den Suehiro, Ken Colmbe and Burson Wang.

"We're at the point where we're still assessing the talent and I've got to figure out how I can put them in the best position to be successful with their physical attributes that they have," Holiday said.

Despite the hot start, Holiday knows there is still much work to be done.

"I'm not that emotional so I don't get too high and I don't get too low because I think that throws off the focus of what you're trying to do, but I'm really excited for the kids," Holiday said. "I think to be 3-1 at this point after going 0-14 last year shows the pride in these kids and also shows with the right directions what they can achieve."

It's been hard work, but also a lot of fun for Holiday.

"I'm having fun, but it's not easy — I'm losing my voice," Holiday joked. "I'm happy with our progression, but it's only the beginning. The kids are really smart. I appreciate being around them and having the opportunity to teach them and I think we'll put a good product on the court. We'll play a good brand of ball. They're scrappy kids with enough ability to compete and that's what I ask of them."

Female Athlete of the Week: Ma'ila Aluli, Kahuku girls soccer
On the North Shore, football is king. Futbol? Not so much. However, Glenn Fujita and Ma'ila Aluli are hoping to change that.

With a 2-0 record, the Kahuku girls' soccer team is off to a hot start and leading the way is Aluli. The junior forward scored four goals in Wedneday to lead the Red Raiders to a 9-0 win over Kaimuki in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division game.

"She did an excellent job of getting herself open and she took very good shots on goal for us," said Fujita, the Kahuku third-year coach. "She worked and teamed with the rest of our midfield and she finished a lot of her shots."

Aluli, who stands at 5-feet, 7-inches, is in her second varsity season on the team.

"She's been doing an excellent job as our single forward in the front," Fujita said. "The thing that makes her very special is she has very good quickness, but she's also a very active shooter."

Off the field, Fujita said Aluli is a great role model for the rest of his team.

"She's a good student and a very nice girl," Fujita said. "She's very personable and she's just a good student-athlete."

Ma'ila Aluli's younger sister, freshman Ka'maile, also scored two goals in the win over Kaimuki and followed that up by netting the lone goal in Kahuku's 1-0 win at Kalaheo Saturday.

"Morale-wise, the 2-0 start has given our kids a good boost for the upcoming season, but we still know that we haven't hit the meat of our season yet," Fujita said. "We still have to play Moanalua, Kaiser and Castle and if we want to win the East, we have to beat those teams."

The Red Raiders posted a 9-5-3 record last season and finished fifth in the OIA Red Tournament to earn a spot in the Division I state championships. Kahuku reached the quarterfinal round but lost its next two games and failed to reach the tournament's final day. Fujita said this year's squad is looking to improve upon that finish.

"Last year we were able to make it states and that's always a goal for us, but this year our goal really is to try and win the East," Fujita said. "It's a really big goal that we set for the girls and it's going to be a big challenge."

Aluli and the Red Raiders return to action Wednesday when they host Kalani at 5:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL
Daniel Andrews, Punahou — Scored 20 points in win over Kaimuki Tuesday, 18 points in a win over Kalani Thursday and 19 points in a win over Mid-Pacific Friday

Matthew Bishop, Kailua — Scored 19 points in a win over Saint Francis Saturday

Bronson Brown-Kaopua, Waianae — Scored 20 points in a loss to Lahainaluna Saturday

Zach Buscher, Iolani — Scored 20 points in a win over Kamehameha Saturday

Kupaa Harrison, Kalaheo — Scored 24 points in a win over Campbell Saturday

Kyle Husslein, Mid-Pacific — Scored 19 points in a win over Leilehua Saturday

Mikala Jordan, Kohala — Scored 20 points in a loss to Kamehameha-Hawaii Saturday

Cyrus Kama, Lahainaluna — Scored 20 points in a win over Waipahu Friday

Rylan Kiko, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 19 points in a win over Kamehameha-Maui Friday

Noa Kinimaka, Kamehameha — Scored 19 points in a win over Mililani Tuesday

Joshua Luna, Christian Academy — Scored 27 points in a win over Anuenue Friday

Jose-Ryan Madera, Lahainaluna — Scored 23 points in a win over Waianae Saturday

Jacob McEnroe, Farrington — Scored 20 points in a win over Pearl City Thursday

Matthew Nuumanaia, Saint Francis — Scored 22 points in a win over Waipahu Thursday and 20 points in a loss to Kailua Saturday

Kimo Romena, Anuenue — Scored 23 points in a loss to Christian Academy Friday

Marvin Sidon, Lahainaluna — Scored 19 points in a loss to Iolani Thursday and 15 points in a win over Waipahu Friday

Matthew Urcia, Christian Academy — Scored 19 points in a win over Anuenue Friday and 21 points in a win over Molokai Saturday

Dayson Watanabe, Punahou — Scored 26 points in a win over Kaimuki Tuesday and 17 points in a win over Kalani Thursday

Kamakana Winquist, Maryknoll — Scored 21 points in a win over McKinley Thursday

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tywanna Abbott, Leilehua — Scored 19 points in a win over Waipahu Wednesday

Kaile Cambra, Maryknoll — Scored 18 points in a win over Radford Friday

Tayhila-Lee Chong, Waianae — Scored 16 points in a loss to Radford Wednesday

Penina Faumui, Farrington — Scored 24 points in a win over McKinley Wednesday

Mich'lae Higa, Aiea — Scored 25 points in a win over Campbell Wednesday

Berlin Johnson, Waianae — Scored 17 points in a loss to Radford Wednesday

Sarah Liva, Mililani — Scored 18 points in a win over Waialua Wednesday

LaChae McColor, Moanalua — Scored 18 points in a win over Castle Wednesday

Tyra Meredith, Kalaheo — Scored 16 points in a loss to Kailua Wednesday

Jasmine Moody, Radford — Scored 19 points in a loss to Maryknoll Friday

Starr Rivera, Roosevelt — Scored 21 points in a win over Kaiser Wednesday

Keala Quinlan, Roosevelt — Scored 20 points in a win over Kaiser Wednesday

Jeneva Toilolo, Farrington — Scored 16 points in a win over McKinley Wednesday

Taufau Williams, Kailua — Scored 18 points in a win over Kalaheo Wednesday

GIRLS SOCCER
Helena Ankien, Kailua — Scored three goals in a win over Farrington Wednesday

Sonest Furtado, Waianae — Scored four goals in a win over Waipahu Tuesday

Kylee Kim-Bustillos, Iolani — Scored three goals in a win over Sacred Hearts Friday

Kawaiulani Makue, Kamehameha — Scored three goals in a win over Sacred Hearts Tuesday

Shay Nakahira, Punahou — Scored three goals in a win over Mid-Pacific Friday

Cassandra Stetser, Mililani — Scored four goals in a win over Leilehua Friday

Kayla Watanabe, Mid-Pacific — Scored three goals in a win over Pac-Five Tuesday

Alyssa Yoshida, Kapolei — Scored three goals in a win over Radford Friday