Character test: Thunder pass with A+

They gave us a bonus game, which it turned out to be more of a constructive learning experience. Good comeback, Thunder, down 16 to take the lead with 1 minute left. Losing at the end without getting a good shot — learn from it. Learn from everything today.

Fundamentals matter, and if you bring your game along with that, everybody gets better as a team. I can only wonder how good we would've been with more practices as a team. For now, shooting/ballhandling workouts Mon-Wed. Same place, same time: Makiki Park, 4:00 p.m.

As for all the extracurricular activities during the game, the league director, Stephen Chong, spoke with the Owls' coach about what happened only after the game — when one of their players dropped an F-bomb on me during the handshakes. He said that if that player causes any more problems in the future, he'll be banned from the league. The Owls' coach, Brad Swanson, sent me an e-mail later and asked if I could confirm which of their players cussed at me. I think the coach is genuine, but I also don't care about that anymore. The time to correct that was right there on the spot, not the next day or week. That's the reality about discipline in the real world. Anybody who cusses or does worse, then walks away before anything else can be said ... that's how a lot of people are today. It's cowardly, but that's today's world. A lot of people run and hide.

I like people who are willing to face each other man to man and resolve a situation immediately. That's how problems get solved.

All the stuff that they did during the game — one guy trying to punch John (I learned after the game and reported it to the league for future reference), another guy constantly grabbing our guys' shirts — the league has nothing to say about that. 

I have something to say. I think we showed great character in playing the game and not getting caught up in the immaturity of other teams. It would've been so easy to stoop down to their level and get involved in something useless and stupid like a brawl. Instead, we played our game best we could and almost pulled out the win. 

Don't you guys realize that the reason why people will cheat and try dirty tricks is because they really don't believe in themselves and their teams? You know and I know that we can beat ANY TEAM in 17U. The only exception I'll make is Lanakila, and even they are beatable if we play well and they struggle. It's happened before; we were down 17 to them, rallied to tie it in the last 7 seconds, and they hit a halfcourt shot to beat us. In Palolo Gym. This time, you have to realize that these kids from MPI are short on confidence and they knew we would eventually make a run. That, we did, and I'm proud of the way everyone stuck together despite the circumstances. 

Today summed up our offseason in a nutshell. We showed a lot of hustle, worked together sometimes, and at other times, our lack of team practices — I'm talking about at least 10 players at our workouts — showed when we needed to make crisp passes and threw it away. It showed when we missed free throws, let their dribblers go right through the middle as we gambled on steals instead of playing team defense, riding the ballhandler right into a trap. 

I ask so much from you guys because I KNOW FOR A FACT you can play basketball at the highest level in 17U, but this happens only with diligence, dedication and unity. For today, I saw glimmers of all these, and most of all, I saw GREAT CHARACTER. I know the Lord has blessed each of us with a unique love for the game of basketball. He has also blessed me with the time and energy to spend with each of you at all these games and practices since March. It's been total fun and I wouldn't trade a single day, not a single minute or second for anything else.

The guys with the most love for the game show up every day, or close to it, and I can't ask for more than that. 

Time is short on this earth, and I know deep down that if I can spend all my free time helping you get better at the game through constant work, daily repetition and encouragement, my time will have been well spent. It's that simple!

Each of you guys, stay focused on the priorities of life and do NOT allow anything else to deter you. It's your choice to give up time and energy to improve, to push yourself, to help your schools become better in every way. It's a new opportunity every day. You're blessed. Go make the most of it and the fun will follow. 

It's official: Game 1 pm Sunday, Palolo

Got the word from NJB All-Net. We play 1 p.m., Sunday at Palolo Gym. Be there by noon for warmpus and possible early game start.

Saturday shooting practice 1 p.m., Makiki Park.

I lub this game!

Possible is now probable

Got an e-mail from NJB asking if we can play on Sunday at noon or 1:00 p.m. I'm not saying we're guaranteed to play, but chances are good we'll be a fill-in team for somebody.

Until then, no practices until Saturday's 1:00 at Makiki Park. We'll keep working on shooting and ballhandling, and if we have enough, a scrimmage. Doesn't matter if we have any games left or not, we'll keep working every day and getting better every day. There's no other way to get better except by sweat equity.

I lub this game.

Three days, two wins

Thunder 3-pointers have shredded this net at Makiki Park

Up and down, down and up, that's how basketball goes with a young team. I hope you guys had fun in our final two games of the NJB All-Net 17U league. The league informed me earlier (Monday) that we're pau for the season. HOWEVER . . . they may ask us to fill in for another team this weekend. Something about one team having a conflict with the game time. I think it's a remote chance we play, but if we do, the league will let us know and we get to have fun one more time.

I wasn't there on Friday, but Coach John and Coach Larry did a great job with you. Strong second half, torrent of 3s and a Thunder record of 51 points after halftime. That beat the 17U record of 44 in a half, and the 15U record remains 43. I mentioned the other day on Facebook that I would've liked a quicker tempo, but overall it was a good effort.

Our game on Sunday wasn't as high-scoring. KAC has a lot of solid players who play for ‘Iolani, but our defense was still the key factor, just smothering people from end to end all game long. I love that. We can control our hustle and defensive tenacity. We can control the tempo (7 Seconds or Less). Offense comes and goes, so I don't mind missed open shots. But I love the hustle and smart play on defense.

Good workout this afternoon (Monday) with Chase, John, Max and Cody. We got three rounds of 3-point drills (timed) done, then some ballhandling work. It was good stuff for everyone. Chase's form is improving. John's also working his form and release point. Max is rusty now that football is over, but by the end of the day, his stroke was back. Cody was tops today with the most 3s even though he wasn't there for the first three stations.

More Thunder target practice on Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. See you there!

I lub this game.

Go get 'em Thunderrr!

Thunder - have fun ballin tonight. Coach John will have the jerseys and basketballs. You provide the Thunder!

Practice Wed, game Friday

We have practice this afternoon, 4:00 p.m. (Wed) and a game Friday, 7:00 p.m. (Kilauea Gym).

No practice on Thursday because I have to work.

We also have a game on Sunday IF we win on Friday. The Sunday game is 3:00 p.m. at Kaimuki Park Gym.

We did a lot of triple-threat footwork against man-to-man defense on Monday. One of our common habits is the tendency to loop around a defender rather than simply jab and go. Sometimes it's a fear of contact. Other times, it's just plain bad habit. Either way, it is not efficient. Always best to take the angle and explode through it, get from Point A (you) to Point B (the basket) in the most effective manner.

Also did a lot of pressbreaker work, learning to move without the ball to get open. Not a lot of teams will press us, and when they do, we are capable of scoring a lot of points easily. But it takes work and unity. Everyone's got to work together and move without the ball when we are covered. It's simple stuff, but only if we practice it together like we did on Monday.

See you guys this afternoon. I lub this game!

Here's zone offense by a Russian pro team.

Shooting practice today (Sat) 1 pm

I'll be at Makiki Park for everybody who wants to do shooting drills. The record in our 3-point drill for most 3-pointers in one spot (30 seconds) still belongs to Cody (9-for-11).

Game tomorrow (17U) at Palolo Gym, 2 p.m., be there by 1.

I lub this game.

Final 2 games

The offseason is almost done. Our CAL League is pau, to my surprise, but we had nine games so that was the full schedule. Would've been nice to beat Kalihi (I think they finished first), but we got our first and second wins over the Sharks, so we had some good wins.

NJB All-Net 17U finishes this weekend with two games. Coach Larry and Coach John will be there to guide us on Friday. Then we finish on Sunday.

17U
Fri Oct 14, 7:00 p.m., Kaimuki Rec Gym
Sat Oct 15 1:00 pm, shooting practice, Makiki Park
Sun Oct 16, 2:00 p.m., Palolo Gym
* Be at the games 1 hour early for warmups and possible early start (NJB).

After this weekend, we can keep working out if you guys want right up until varsity and JV tryouts start. I'll be there at the park daily at 4:00 p.m.

I lub this game.

Wednesday: no practice

For the guys who weren't at practice Monday or Tuesday and don't know, there's no practice today (Wednesday). I have a work assignment in Mililani to cover volleyball at 5 p.m., so I'll be on the road by 3 p.m.

Practice on Thursday is on. See you at 4 p.m.

I lub this game!

Flat back & Scisscor dribble attacks

JJ has this technique down to a science.

Sharpen your tools daily

Isn't that what we all want? Sharp tools to get the work done with high efficiency and maximum FUN. Just to remind everyone, including some of us who may be confused, the practice schedule is the same as it has been since the start of summer:

Every day, 4:00 p.m., Makiki Park, Monday through Thursday. There are exceptions with Saturday shooting practice and occasional Sunday afternoons, but there is no stopping us from working on our game Monday through Thursday consistently.

Sometimes the work produces instant results. Sometimes, it doesn't happen immediately. Ultimately, there is no substitute for repetition of fundamentals. We do a lot of fundamental work, particularly with shooting, and some old habits are sometimes very hard to break. But we keep working, keep tweaking and keep drilling. I love the sound a basketball that hits nothing but net. That hasn't changed since I started playing almost four decades ago.

Beyond everyday drills, there's always more. As a shooter, you should always be ready to do the deed. Launch. All net. It's more than a refined skill. It's a MENTALITY. If you aren't consistently prepared to catch and shoot and make 3-point shots all day and night, you won't be a true shooter no matter how much you practice. It's about having that consistent, opportunistic attitude. If you lack that desire to shoot the ball, you will blend in with the rest of the contented, average players and teams.

To be a true player, you have to want success. You have to want the chance to knock down every 3-pointer available. Hesitation is not the way. So work on the mentality as often as you work on your skills. It's OK to beat another team by as many points as possible. You can let your skills show in a game while still demonstrating good sportsmanship. You can be friends after the game. Until then, attack. Be smart.

He who hesitates ... loses.

Reminder: Sat afternoon game is at Palama

1 pm warmups, 2 pm (or earlier) game, Palama Settlement Gym.

Weekend schedule (updated Thur 9 pm)

OK, here's the weekend schedule with one puka for the 15U site, but I should hear from the CAL director soon on that. We have three games this weekend, including two on Saturday. No games Sunday. 

Thunder 17U

Fri Oct 7, 8:00 pm, Kilauea Gym. Be there by 7:00 for warmups and possible early start. 

Sat Oct 8, 2:00 p.m., Palama Gym. Be there by 1:00 for warmups and possible early start.

Fri Oct 14, 7:00 p.m., Kaimuki Rec Gym

Sun Oct 16, 2:00 p.m., Palolo Gym

Thunder 15U 

Saturday, Oct. 8, 11:00 am, Kilauea Gym (confirmed!). Be there by 10:00 am for warmups. 

Weekend schdule (updated Thursday)

Howzit guys. No 17U game this week according to the schedule, but I e-mailed the director to confirm this. Please come work out during the week to stay sharp, OK? Iron sharpens iron, you know the saying.

15U plays the Owls on Sunday, 11:50 a.m. at Kilauea Gym.

Practice this week Monday through Thursday, 4:00 p.m. Practice Tuesday (today) and Wednesday) will be shortened because I have to work those nights. We'll be done Tuesday and Thursday by 5:20.

I lub this game!

Update, Thursday: The schedule for this weekend is set. Just got this in the e-mail: Next week, on Oct. 8 (Sunday), 15U plays Kalihi Boys, 11 a.m.

Was that fun?

I had fun today. Hung out with friends at church in the morning. Watched the Thunder rally from a 10-1 deficit to beat the Sharks 39-37. This was a first: a game-winning shot by Uriah with 4 seconds left. It didn't start out as a pretty play, but the way he finished it was solid!

Beating that team twice in one season is a landmark for us, even if they aren't at full strength like they used to be one or two years ago. I'll take it! I really enjoyed the way we stuck together and kept playing hard and smart regardless of the score. That's what I liked most. We're really gelling as a team.

That's a win in 15U CAL League. Where that puts us in the playoffs, I'm not sure, but it's a good momentum builder. The schedule will come out in a day or two, I'm guessing.

Then it was on to the 17U NJB All-Net game, a drive from Kilauea Gym to Palolo Gym. That was a solid effort with a mix of our 15U and our older players (JJ, Nate, William, Tai, Wilson). Those guys gave us the energy we needed on a hot afternoon of back-to-back games. Hawaiian Punch eventually got a little tired and we had 12 guys pressing on them all game long.

Couple of thoughts:

1) The start of the second half was ragged for us. It was basically the same five who started the 15U game at Kilauea, and even though the lead got whittled down to 3 points or so, I wanted to be sure you guys stayed in the game and got used to that kind of pressure. Opposing teams will make runs, particularly if you aren't playing well. But you get through it by remaining mentally tough and fundamentally sound. It was good to see you guys keep playing hard. Once our older guys got in, they took command, especially Wilson. It's hard to teach that kind of energy level and explosion to the basket, but we have that with Wilson, Nate and Tai. It comes in very handy on the press, too.

2) We made our share of open shots today, especially from the 3-point arc. Isaiah was clutch in the 15U game against the Sharks. In the second game, we got good shooting from a lot of guys. I'll say it again, though: we need to be ready for the ball, step into the shot as we catch it and be in the flow. We had some missed opportunities today when guys hesitated. No need for that. Just be ready with good footwork and knock down that 3. You do it every day at practice. Now share that with the world.

All in all, I enjoyed today. I'm guessing your parents did, too. I can see us winning both leagues regardless of our age or inexperience. If we keep working at our skills and developing that team chemistry on the court day by day, it gets easier, it gets better and there's plenty of happiness for everyone.

Sweat equity. See you guys at practice, Monday through Thursday, 4:00 p.m.

I lub this game!

Newest schedule update

NJB helped us out a ton by switching our 3:00 game (17U) to 4:00 p.m. So this is our schedule today:

2:10 p.m., 15U vs. Sharks, Kilauea Gym. Be there by 1:10 for pre-game on the outside courts.

4:00 p.m., 17U, Palolo Gym. Be there right after the 15U game, 3:15 p.m.

Fun day ahead. I lub this game!

New schedule update

OK, a couple of tweaks today from the leagues.

• Friday's 17U game (tonight) at Kaimuki Park Gym will begin at 7:30 p.m. according to the NJB All-Net director, Matt Tsukazaki. So be there at 6:30 and warm up outside. They always try to start and finish early, so this is no surprise.

• Sunday's 15U game at Kilauea Gym will begin at 2:10 p.m. The league director, Greydon Espinda, has asked the other team to be ready for the earlier start. This way we can make it (hopefully) to the 17U game at Palolo, which begins at 3:00 p.m.

Don't forget, on Saturday we'll have shooting practice, 1:00 p.m. at Makiki Park. Cody just set a record yesterday for one set by hitting 9-of-11 from the right wing. That broke Coach Larry's record of 8-for-10 set a few weeks ago.

Schedule update

As of this morning, our Sunday games are back-to-back at different gyms. I had asked CAL (15U) League to get us more afternoon games, which I know our parents preferred. (So do I.) So they moved our game from mid-day to 2:20 pm (Kilauea).

Problem is we have a 3:00 pm game (Palolo) for NJB All-Net (17U). It would be extremely tough to get from Kilauea to Palolo by 3:00 after the earlier game.

I've asked the CAL League for help with this, but it's probably not going to happen since they already accommodated us once and set the schedule with the other teams. Understandable. So I've sent a request to the NJB All-Net League director for a little leeway somehow.

My apologies to everyone for any confusion. I didn't check the 17U schedule often enough, and with CAL times changing week to week, takes more attention. Hopefully, we won't have to hurry on Sunday from one gym to another. Once I get word back from NJB, I'll post any change or no change.

We'll have our 17U-only players — JJ, Nate, Will — at Palolo (hopefully) for the tip-off. Maybe we can send at least two of our 15U guys there in advance to assure that we don't forfeit. We'll see.

On a happier note, we've had solid turnout at practice all week. Thank you, guys! It's good to see the chemistry develop. We're getting in a lot of drill work, but it's always important to work together, learn new plays together that will have us prepared for any situation in a game. But mainly it's just fun to be able to go 5-on-5 lately.

I lub this game!

SCHEDULE
Thursday, 4:00-6:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. 
Friday, 8:00 pm 17U Thunder, Kaimuki Park Gym. Be there by 7:00. Coach Larry will be in charge. 
Saturday, 1:00-2:00 pm, Practice (shooting drills only), Makiki Park
(tentative) Sunday, 2:20 pm 15U Thunder vs. Sharks, Kilauea Gym 
(tentative) Sunday, 3:00 pm 17U Thunder, Palolo Gym

Games in the coming week

The latest, updated info. CAL (15U) has us playing one game next weekend. NJB All-Net (17U) has us playing two games. Funfunfun!

Sunday, Sept 18 
4:00 pm 15U Thunder vs. Hawaii Kai, Kilauea Gym

Friday, Sept 23
8:00 pm 17U Thunder, Kaimuki Park Gym

Sunday, Sept 25
11:30 am 15U Thunder vs. Hawaii Kai, McKinley Gym
3:00 pm 17U Thunder, Palolo Gym

Practice is Monday through Thursday, 4:00-6:00 pm. Emphasis is on shooting and ballhanding drills. Saturday - shooting practice. Today's Saturday practice is 1:00 pm at Makiki, rain or shine.

15U game on Sunday: Time Change

The game is 4:00 p.m. at Kilauea.

The old time was 12:40. So be there at 3:00 p.m. We'll warm up on the outside courts behind the gym.

Nice work if you can get it

Nice work today, Thunder. Two hours of shooting, shooting and more shooting. Started with Alec, a.k.a. Kailua Alec. Then Cody. We started with one-handed bunnies, extending to the foul line. Then timed 3-point drills.

Then more Thunder showed up, some after conditioning at school. Thomas, Makiki Alleck, Mick, Raikwon. Francis helped out. Here are today's stats.

3-point drill (30-second limit)
Right corner, right wing, top, left wing, left corner
Round 1
Alec 1-9, 4-9, 4-10, 2-9, 3-9
Cody 0-8, 1-8, 3-8, 3-9, 3-8

Round 2
Alec 1-9 3-10, 2-10, 4-10, 4-11
Cody 1-9, 0-9, 1-8, 1-10, 4-10

Round 3
Alec 2-10, 5-11, 5-9, 3-9, 2-10
Cody 0-10, 4-10, 0-10, 1-9, 5-10
Alleck 2-10 (top), 1-9 (LW), 8-12 (LC)
Mick 0-11 (top), 3-12 (LW), 2-11 (LC)
Francis 5-13 (top), 1-10 (LW), 0-11 (LC)
Thomas 3-12 (LC)
Raikwon 3-11 (LC)

Round 4
Alec 3-10, 2-10, 3-9, 4-13, 4-10
Cody 5-12, 4-12, 4-10, 1-11, 3-11

Alleck 2-10, 3-11, 3-10, 4-12, 6-13

Mick 3-12, 3-11, 8-13, 3-10, 1-11
Francis 1-11, 2-14, 4-13, 2-11, 2-13
Thomas 4-12, 0-11, 0-11 (top), 0-11, 2-13
Raikwon 4-12, 4-11, 4-11, 4-10, 1-10

3-point TOTALS
Kailua Alec 61-188 (.324)
Cody 44-182 (.242)
Makiki Alleck 29-87 (.333)
Mick 23-91 (.253)
Francis 15-96 (.156)
Thomas 9-70 (.129)
Raikwon 20-65 (.308)

Triple Threat 1-on-1 (wing drive)
Mick 12 points (2 vs. Raikwon, 2 vs. Alleck, 2 vs. Francis, 2 vs. Thomas, 2 vs. Cody)
Raikwon 4 points (2 vs. Mick, 2 vs. Alleck)
Alleck 4 points (2 vs. Raikwon, 2 vs. Cody)
Francis 0 points
Thomas 13 points (2 vs. Mick, 3 vs. Raikwon, 2 vs. Alleck, 2 vs. Francis, 2 vs. Thomas, 2 vs. Cody)
Cody 2 points (2 vs. Alleck)

DON'T FORGET . . .
Friday, 7:00 p.m., 17U Thunder game, Kilauea Gym. Be there by 6:00 because NJB will start our game super early if the game before us ends early.

Saturday, 10:00 a.m. Thunder Basketball Fantasy Football League Draft on Yahoo. Contact me if you want to join. We have 6 teams so far. Ten teams would be better.

Saturday, 1:00 p.m. Thunder practice/shootaround. More shooting drills.

Sunday, 4:00 12:40 p.m., 15U Thunder game, Kilauea Gym. Be there by 3:00 12 noon. (This game is NOT at McKinley. That was my mistake!)

I LUB THIS GAME.

Tempo & Tenacity

Three solid workouts this week, Thunder. I know a lot of you have conditioning workouts at school now, which is partly why we're working on shooting and ballhandling a lot this week. At the same time, when we have good numbers at practice, it's always important to get everyone on the same page, learning the same plays and same defenses together. The more we work together, the better we get as a team. Simple, but not easily done. I appreciate everyone making the effort to get to practice, especially you guys who live pretty far away!

As for tempo, few programs set the bar as high as Loyola Marymount (LMU) back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Same with Hilo in their dynasty days in the BIIF. Now, it's a small college, Grinnell, that does it as well as anyone. One of our plays, Monday, is borrowed from Grinnell, though you won't see it on the video below. Just take note of how consistently they push the ball and how often their posts set screens for their shooters off of the ball on the baseline/corners. Fun stuff!

We haven't installed a 1-2-1-1 fullcourt press yet, but we will if enough guys show up tomorrow (Thursday) at practice. It's the same press Hilo and Loyola and Grinnell run. Slightly different from our current press, but I'd like to have two different looks, especially if we have two bigs in the game together.

Saturday shootaround stats

Howzit everybody! Coach Larry filled me in on last night's game with Lanakila. That's a solid team with two very good players. One of then, Ryan Reyes, might be the best defensive player in the state. But even with the two of them, Lanakila is a beatable team. If we hit our open shots, anything can happen and it doesn't matter if our opponent is older than us or not.

Had a good shootaround this morning at Makiki Park with Mick, Isaiah, Nate, Uriah and Coach Larry. But first, here are stats from Thursday's practice. We cut shooting drills short since we had a big group and had lots of team schematics to work on. I'm posting Thursday's stats, followed by today's numbers.

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011 
Fullcourt layup, right side
Chase 5.4, 5.42, miss, 5.41
Jackson 7.26, 7.29, 7.14, miss
Cody miss, miss, 5.37, miss
Alleck 5.58, 5.06, 5.11, 5.79
Mick 5.13, 5.67, 4.78, 4.80
Bryson 5.56, 5.36, dq, 5.25
John 5.74, miss, miss, 5.83
Uriah 6.28, 5.81, 5.59, 7.76
JJ 5.24, 5.33, 4.91, 5.08
Anfernee 5.62, dq, 4.82

Fullcourt layup, left side
Chase 5.57, 6.19, miss, miss
Jackson miss, miss, miss, 6.71
Cody 6.0, miss, miss, miss
Alleck miss, miss, miss, miss
Mick 5.74, 5.04, 5.15, 5.0
Bryson 5.15, 5.31, 5.81, 4.97
John 6.11, miss, miss, 5.96
Uriah 5.98, 6.15, miss, miss
JJ miss, 5.22, 5.14, 5.07
Anfernee miss, 5.69, 4.86, 4.98
Isaiah 5.03, 5.51

High post, turnaround shot
Chase 4-12
Jackson 4-12
Cody 5-9
Alleck 5-12
Mick 4-12
Bryson 6-13
John 5-13
Uriah 5-9
JJ 3-12
Anfernee 3-11
Isaiah 7-10
Thomas 5-11

3-point shot, top
Chase 6-11
Jackson 3-9
Cody 3-10
Alleck 7-12
Mick 3-10
Bryson 4-11
John 1-11
Uriah 3-10
JJ 7-12
Anfernee 4-12
Isaiah 4-12
Thomas 0-9


Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011

Windy day, but we shot anyway.

High post, turnaround shot

Mick 3-10

Isaiah 6-11

Nate 4-12

Uriah 0-8

Low post, flash to middle, turnaround shot

Mick 4-8, 4-8

Isaiah 2-8, 5-9

Nate 1-8, 4-10

Uriah 0-8, 4-8

3-point, 30-second limit

Round One

Right corner, right wing, top, left wing, left corner

Mick 3-10, 6-11, 2-10, 4-10, 4-10

Isaiah 1-10, 6-12, 2-12, 4-10, 4-10

Nate 4-12, 3-11, 3-11, 3-10, 8-12

Uriah 2-10, 2-10, 3-10, 1-9, 4-10

3-point, 30-second limit

Round Two

Right corner, right wing, top, left wing, left corner

Mick 2-9, 3-9, 5-10, 1-12, 5-10

Isaiah 1-10, 1-10, 3-11, 3-11, 1-10

Nate 3-11, 3-11, 4-12, 6-13, 8-12

Uriah 0-10, 1-9, 2-9, 1-9, 1-8

Coach Larry 2-10, 7-11, 4-10, 7-11 (no right corner)

3-point, 30-second limit

Round Three

Right corner, right wing, top, left wing, left corner

Mick 3-10, 4-11, 3-10, 1-8, 0-9

Isaiah 1-10, 3-10, 1-11, 5-10, 3-10

Nate 3-11, 3-10, 1-10 (no LW, no LC)

Coach Larry 1-10, 10-11, 3-9, 6-10, 5-9

Uriah 2-8 (RC only)

Combined Total

Mick 46-149 (.309)

Isaiah 39-157 (.248)

Nate 52-147 (.354)

Uriah 17-92 (.185)

Coach Larry 45-101 (.446)

Lithuania P&R

Thursday, 4:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. Finish around 6:15.

Friday, 8:00 pm, 17U Thunder game, Kilauea Gym. Be there by 7:15. Coach Larry and Coach John will be in charge.

Saturday, 10:00 am, Practice, Makiki Park. Shooting and ballhandling. (Time changed from 1:00 pm because Roosevelt has an afternoon fundraiser.)

Sunday, 10:40 am, 15U Thunder vs. Blue Devils, McKinley Gym. Be there by 10:00 am.

Sunday 2:00 pm, 17U Thunder, Palolo Gym, be there by 1:00. NJB starts all games early if the previous game ends early. 

Monday-Thursday, 4:00 practice.

I'm not saying Lithuania stole one of our plays. It looks very familiar, though ;)

Be quick, be focused

There's a big difference between controlled speed and aggression, and reckless, thoughtless activity. It's the difference between operating a race car at 220 mph and winning a race, and driving the same car without any skill right off a cliff.

There's a design and organized chaos to what we do in 7 Seconds or Less. That means each player knows his role at that moment and sticks to it for the success of the team. If that means you come off the bench, hit open 3-points and hustle on defense, that's a nice role. If that means you play in the low post, grab 10 rebounds, make 10 layups and protect the basket on defense, that's a huge role. Whether your value is in getting the ball inbounded to our point guard in less than 2 seconds or in dogging the other team's ballhandler on the press, every job is crucial.

If all 5 guys on the court aren't doing their jobs, we aren't a team. Keep this in mind when we're on the court, whether it's a game or practice. What you do at practice will certainly happen in a game, all the good and all the bad. So fill your mind and train yourself to work in EXCELLENCE at all times, because your mind doesn't filter out good from bad. It absorbs everything, just like a computer hard drive. Fill it with positive work that derives from your inner drive. It can have a lasting effect on your teammates.

As we continue to improve day by day, I'm always on the lookout for that kind of attitude, the one that builds toward success. I'm also watching for the habits and attitudes that diminish our team. No one person is bigger than the team, and if anybody holds back the progress of our team, I'm not going to hesitate to remove that cancer.

You guys are young, but you're also mature enough to know what I'm talking about. For the sake of the team's improvement, I'll pull anybody who is lazy, not listening and generally disobedient. Doesn't mean I don't like you as a person, but everybody is working hard. Almost everybody, actually. And it would be my fault as a coach if I didn't ensure that everyone has the best possible environment at practice to keep improving.

So get with it, those of you who can't stay focused for more than a few minutes. The game is not about you. It's about getting better for your team. Sharing success. Enjoying the spirit of teamwork. Keep thinking only of yourself and you'll find yourself exactly where you belong: at the end of the bench without a friend to turn to. In the end, men with work ethic respect one another.

Dare yourself to be one of those men.

Note: Mahalo to Coach John for washing the jerseys after practice today!

SCHEDULE
Wednesday, 4:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. We'll finish at about 6:15. Lots of shooting and ballhandling work to be done.

Thursday, 4:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. Finish around 6:15.

Friday, 8:00 pm, 17U Thunder game, Kilauea Gym. Be there by 7:15. Coach Larry and Coach John will be in charge.

Saturday, 10:00 am, Practice, Makiki Park. Shooting and ballhandling. (Time changed from 1:00 pm because Roosevelt has an afternoon fundraiser.)

Sunday, 10:40 am, 15U Thunder vs. Blue Devils, McKinley Gym. Be there by 10:00 am.
Sunday 2:00 pm, 17U Thunder, Palolo Gym, be there by 1:00. NJB starts all games early if the previous game ends early.

Monday-Thursday, 4:00 practice.

Watch the way Grinnell sets screens on the low post, at mid-range baseline and the wing. All the action is away from the ball to set up 3-point shooters.

Shooting excellence, schedule change

Howzit guys! Nice workout yesterday, all about shooting, shooting and shooting. We had about seven or eight at practice yesterday. On Saturday, it was JJ and Jackson in the wind. (Stats are posted below.)

Just wanted to let everyone know that our 17U game on Sunday has been moved up from 3:00 pm to 2:00. It was a request from the NJB All-Net League coordinator, Stephen Chong. Our earlier game that day for 15U is at 10:40 am, so the rest time is still pretty good, two hours.

See you guys at practice! Today will be a short one since I have to go to work. We'll do more shooting drills, plus some work on plays, and we'll scrimmage if we have numbers.

SCHEDULE
Tuesday, 4:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. We'll be done at 5:20.
Wednesday, 4:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. We'll be done around 6:15.
Thursday, 4:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. We'll be done around 6:15.
Friday, 8:00 pm, 17U Thunder vs. Gladiators, Kilauea Gym. Coach Larry will be in charge. I have to work.
Saturday, 1:00 pm, Practice, Makiki Park. Done by 2:30.
Sunday, 10:40 am, 15U Thunder vs. Blue Devils, McKinley Gym. Be there by 10:00 am.
Sunday, 2:00 pm, 17U Thunder game, Palolo Gym. Be there by 1:00 — NJB will start games early when the previous game ends early.


Monday practice shooting statistics (9/5/11)
Fullcourt layups, right side
Cody 6.0, miss, miss, miss
Alleck 5.67, 5.30, 5.85, 5.50
Jackson miss, 6.49, 6.89, 7.66
Thomas miss, 5.05, 5.51, miss
Raikwon 6.32, miss, miss, 5.40
JJ 5.28, miss, 4.79*, 5.29
* didn't use backboard, no longer admissable

Fullcourt layups, left side
Cody miss, miss, miss, miss
Alleck miss, miss, 5.91, miss
Jackson 6.87, 7.19, miss, miss
Thomas miss, miss, miss, miss
Raikwon 5.55, miss, miss, miss
JJ 5.20, 5.55, 5.28, 5.78

Fullcourt bank shot, right side
Cody 6.44, miss, miss, miss
Alleck 5.59, miss, 5.71, miss
Jackson miss, miss, 7.45, 7.64
Thomas miss, miss, 6.07, miss
Raikwon miss, 6.16, 5.80, 6.48
JJ miss, 5.61, 5.38, miss

Fullcourt bank shot, left side
Cody miss, miss, miss, 5.91
Alleck miss, 6.24, 5.80, miss
Jackson miss, miss, 7.63, miss
Thomas 6.12, miss, 6.13, miss
Raikwon 5.94, miss, 6.47, miss
JJ miss, 5.73, 5.35, miss
Monty miss, miss, miss, miss
Isaiah miss, 6.72, miss, 6.13
Cozia miss, miss, 5.99, miss

Low post bank shot, 30-second limit
Cody 12-16
Alleck 11-15
Jackson 8-13
Thomas 10-16
JJ 16-17
Monty 10-17
Isaiah 15-16
Cozia 7-15

High post turnaround, 30-second limit
Cody 3-12
Alleck 2-13
Jackson 4-12
Thomas 5-13
JJ 3-12
Monty 6-13
Isaiah 7-11
Cozia 6-12

3-point shot, 30-second limit
Round One, top, right wing, right corner, left wing, left corner
Cody 3-13, 3-14, 1-11, 3-13, 2-11
Alleck 0-13, 4-14, 0-14, 4-12, 5-14
Jackson 1-12, 0-10, 0-10, 2-10, 0-10
Thomas 2-11, 2-12, 2-13, 1-13, 1-12
JJ 7-13, 4-14, 6-13, 4-13, 3-14
Monty 7-13, 3-13, 3-14, 1-13, 2-13
Isaiah 3-11, 1-12, 3-11, 8-11, 8-10
Cozia 6-12, 3-13, 4-14, 3-12, 4-13

Round One, top, right wing, right corner, left wing, left corner
Cody 4-12, 4-11, 2-11, 2-9, 2-9
Alleck 0-12, 3-13, 3-11, 1-12, 2-12
Jackson 2-11, 1-10, 0-10, 2-11, 2-11
Thomas 3-12, 2-12, 3-12, 0-11, 3-12
JJ 5-12, 5-12, 6-13, 3-13, 7-13
Isaiah 3-11, 4-11, 6-10, 4-11, 5-10

3-point totals
Cody 26-114 (.228)
Alleck 22-127 (.173)
Jackson 10-105 (.095)
Thomas 19-120 (.153)
JJ 50-130 (.385)
Monty 16-66 (.242)
Isaiah 45-108 (.417)
Cozia 20-64 (.313)

Good work, gentlemen. More to be done today.
I lub this game.

Practice if you like success

Makiki Park, 1:00 p.m. today (Saturday). More work on shooting, ballhandling and more shooting. I'll be statting everyone's numbers like we did on Thursday. Numbers don't lie and there is room for improvement no matter if you're in CAL, NJB, NCAA or NBA.

15U plays tomorrow, 10:10 a.m. at Kilauea.

Then practice Monday through Thursday at Makiki Park. I may have to work on one or two of those nights, so I'll keep everybody posted on changes.

17U plays Friday, 8:00 p.m. at Kilauea.

I'm looking forward to getting back to practice today. Nothing like repetition to build success. Sweat equity pays off in the long run. I lub this game!

Drill times, shooting reps

Back to a smaller unit for today's practice, but we made the best of it. In fact, we got LOTS of reps in between Jackson, Alleck, Mick, Cody and Raekwon. After three days of work with new plays, defense and basic drills, today was about shooting, shooting and more shooting. Here are some times and shooting numbers.

Fullcourt layups, right hand
Jackson 7.3 seconds, 7.99, 7.74, 7.77
Alleck 5.67, miss, miss, miss
Mick 5.34, 5.13, 5.29, 5.11
Cody miss, 5.81, 5.51, miss

Fullcourt layups, left hand
Jackson 7.43, miss, miss, miss
Alleck 6.10, 5.68, miss, 5.78
Mick miss, 5.13, 5.44, miss
Cody 6.40, miss, miss, 5.82

Fullcourt bank shot, right hand
Jackson miss, miss, 7.61, 8.88
Alleck miss, 6.17, miss, miss
Mick miss, 5.61, 5.08, 6.58
Cody miss, miss, miss, miss

Fullcourt bank shot, left hand
Jackson 7.55, miss, miss, miss
Alleck miss, miss, miss, miss
Mick miss, miss, miss, 6.43
Cody miss, miss, miss, 6.35
Raekwon 6.19, miss, miss, miss

Fullcourt, behind-the-back dribble, elbow jumper
Right sideline
Jackson miss, miss, miss, 10.37
Alleck miss, miss, 6.37, 6.11
Mick miss, miss, miss, miss
Cody miss, miss, miss, miss
Raekwon miss, 7.17, miss, miss

Left sideline
Jackson miss, miss, miss, miss
Alleck miss, miss, miss, miss
Mick miss, miss, miss, 6.70
Cody miss, miss, miss, miss
Raekwon miss, miss, miss, miss

Right sideline (again)
Jackson 9.11, miss, miss, miss
Alleck miss, 7.28, 6.58, 7.30
Mick miss, miss, miss, 8.21
Cody 6.56, miss, miss, miss
Raekwon miss, 7.17, 7.68, miss

Low post bank shot, 60-second limit
Jackson 9-13
Alleck 10-16, 11-19
Mick 10-14
Cody 12-16
Raekwon 13-16

High post, turnaround jumper (with entry pass), 60-second limit
Raekwon 5-9, 4-13
Mick 6-11, 4-11
Jackson 2-9, 1-13
Cody 2-11, 4-13
Alleck 4-10, 5-12

3-point shot, top of the key, 30-second limit
Raekwon 5-11, 3-15

Mick 1-13, 4-12

Jackson 1-9, 0-11

Cody 1-9, 5-12

Alleck 3-12, 4-14

3-point shot, right wing, 30-second limit

Raekwon 4-12

Mick 0-11

Jackson 2-12

Cody 2-12

Alleck 4-12

3-point shot, right corner, 30-second limit

Raekwon 7-12

Mick 1-13

Jackson 1-12

Cody 0-13

Alleck 4-10

3-point shot, left wing, 30-second limit

Raekwon 3-10

Mick 4-12

Jackson 1-12

Cody 3-12

Alleck 5-13

3-point shot, left corner, 30-second limit

Raekwon 0-12

Mick 2-12

Jackson 1-10

Cody 3-14

Alleck 1-13

3-point shot, top of key, 30-second limit

Raekwon 6-14

Mick 6-14

Jackson 0-10

Cody 2-12

Alleck 4-12

3-point shot, right wing, 30-second limit

Raekwon 5-13

Mick 6-14

Jackson (had to go home)

Cody 2-13

Alleck 5-12

3-point shot, right corner, 30-second limit

Raekwon 8-14

Mick 1-11

Cody 2-10

Alleck 4-12

3-point shot, left wing, 30-second limit

Raekwon 3-12

Mick 0-12

Cody 2-10

Alleck 3-11

3-point shot, left corner, 30-second limit

Raekwon 3-12

Mick 2-11

Cody 0-11

Alleck 2-13

TOTAL, 3-point shots

Raekwon 45-137 (.328)

Mick 27-135 (.200)

Jackson 8-89 (.090)

Cody 22-115 (.191)

Alleck 39-134 (.291)

The purpose of the shooting drills and keeping stats is NOT to feel overly confident or get bummed out by high or low scores. The purpose to get REPS in. To see gradual improvement as we continue to do these drills over time. Setting goals is always constructive when there is a sound purpose.

By doing the 3-point drill under time constraint, everybody shot with urgency, crisp and focused. Getting footwork in line before catching the ball, following through, keeping both hands in the shooting box, left hand parallel to the left side of the rim, etc. Jackson did his best even though he was tired from our earlier drills. His shots were usually on line, just short, which is fine. He will get stronger. 

Mick's shot is often short, which is not a bad problem. Easily correctible with a higher followthrough and reps. Mick has good followthrough. Alleck does a good job with following through high on the 3s. Both Mick and Alleck can develop into good 3-point shooters with reps. 

Cody was fairly accurate, just short or long on a lot of shots. This is is typical of a shooter who is not quite in top physical condition, but Cody's in good shape. Another week or so of reps and I think he'll be deadly. 

Raekwon has always shown me an efficient, very good shooting release and trajectory. He always squares up well and gets a nice arch on his shot consistently. One of the few who keeps that elbow under his shot and keeps that left hand nice and steady on the follow through. A big man (he's about 5-11) who can hit the 3 consistently is a huge advantage, especially in our system. 

Anybody who shoots 300 shots per day is going to become a better shooter. Counting the low and high post shot drills, we got in roughly 150-160 shots each today. Not bad. That's why using free time wisely to shoot, work on ballhandling and condition is so vital. Idle time is no good, especially with only two months left before tryouts for varsity and JV teams. 

Reps build confidence. Period. So keep shooting, no matter how tough things are or how busy your schedule is. Squeeze in 30 minutes in the morning and 30 more after school. It's all about priorities and your goals for yourself and your teammates. Pretty simple, but like many simple things, not easily achieved. SWEAT EQUITY. Invest in it. You deserve to treat yourself to success.

No practice Friday. I have to work at night. But we'll meet on Saturday, 1:00 p.m. at Makiki Park for more shooting and ballhandling work, touch up on our new plays (Monday and Tuesday) and fine-tune our defense. It was a fun week. I'm thankful that we're working hard and having fun.

I LUB THIS GAME. 

Schedule

Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park

Sunday, 10:10 a.m., 15U Thunder vs. Gladiators, Kilauea Gym (be there by 9:15 a.m.)

17U Thunder have a bye this weekend, but please come to practice to learn our new stuff and rep through the drills. 

Rain or shine

Solid workout today, Thunder! Day by day, minute by minute, we get better. Our new guys learn the system. Our older guys lead the way. I think our new play is going to work fine, though not everyone has been to practice this week, so there's some more work to be done.

Thursday (tomorrow), we'll have practice at 4:00 p.m. with more work on ballhandling, defense, SHOOTING. More reps on the plays and hopefully more time to scrimmage. That drizzle cut our scrimmage short today.

Schedule
Thursday, 4:00 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park
Saturday, 1:00 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park
Sunday, 10:10 a.m., 15U Thunder vs. Gladiators, Kilauea Gym

'Monday'

Eight guys at practice on Monday. 13 on Tuesday.

This, I like. I remember in late spring/early summer how we'd have 17 guys at practice between our 15U and 17U teams on Sunday afternoons, guys driving in (mostly their parents driving) from all over the island. That was a blessing.

This is a blessing, too. I'm sorry I had to go work and cut practice a little short yesterday, but we got some basic work in, particularly in the high and low post, for our bigs. PLEASE REMEMBER, post offense is not limited to 4s and 5s. A truly good player will learn to play all positions. In a game situation, you may have a major advantage and mismatch over the opponent who is guarding you.

That makes the possibility of taking him into the post and working him over a PLUS situation no matter if you're a wing or point guard or big. A scenario that puts our best free-throw shooters in a scoring position is always what I look for as a player, teammate and coach. We will always run our sets and fastbreaks, but smart teams DO take advantage of mismatches.

As for today, practice is at 4:00 p.m. and my schedule is open, so we'll get a lot of ballhandling, post and 3-point shooting work in. REPETITION RULES. You know it and I know it. I keep stressing repetition and fundamentals, technique and consistency because in the end, what you do when the crowds and hype are at an emotional peak has nothing to do with what you did when they weren't around.

SWEAT EQUITY. You put in the reps and the sweat, you reward your team and yourself down the road. No sweat, no fun. It's up to you. I'll always be there to work with you, 5 o'clock in the morning or 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

I lub this game.

Take the good with the bad

And the bad with the good. That's life. 15U, you played a solid game this morning, very solid considering our situation this week. I thought we'd be fatigued, but we came out firing and hitting 3s from all over, and our defensive pressure was Tenacious. Lub it! To beat the Sharks for the first time after more than a year of close, sometimes VERY close losses, is excellent.

I love that it came down to free throws in the "overtime" period. Isaiah, Bryson = ON THE MONEY.

As for our 17U game later, it was fun to watch. Sure, losing in overtime sucks, but we battled back to tie it with some clutch shooting from our young guys and old guys. As I wrote earlier today, players win games and coaches lose them in most cases. In hindsight, as I told you after the game, it might have been better to have five ballhandlers on the floor. It was do-able after Uriah won the tip to start OT. I could've called time, put in a fifth ballhandler. But I suppose I trust all of you take care of the ball at all times a little too much maybe.

It's a learning process for all of us, no question. I've been coaching on and off since 1981, and I'm still learning a ton. We will learn to be patient with the ball, to protect it and not rush passes. That comes with time and experience. There's nothing to be gained by sulking and feeling sad about mistakes. All you can do is learn from them and move forward and, of course, do your best. It's a fun game and we had plenty of games in the past two weeks. A LOT OF FUN!

Thanks, guys for giving so much effort for your teammates, your coaches and your fans. Stick together. Support each other. It matters more than you would ever imagine. All we have is each other, and if we need to lean on each other, we should do it without hesitation. Win together. Lose together. Learn together. Move to the next level wiser and better prepared.

15U has a game next Sunday, 10:10 a.m. at Kilauea (CAL League). 17U has a bye. Practice this week Monday through Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. at Makiki Park. Shooting, ballhandling and more shooting. Our 17U showed today that there is huge potential. Once our older guys and newer guys get more used to each other, we can make a run toward the championship bracket. At 0-2, we need to win most of our remaining games to qualify for the championship bracket. I see no reason why we can't do this. We just need a little more work together and a lot of reps to reach our potential.

Schedule
Monday, 4:00 p.m.,  Practice, Makiki Park
Tuesday, 4:00 p.m.,  Practice, Makiki Park
Wednesday, 4:00 p.m.,  Practice, Makiki Park
Thursday, TBA (depends on varsity/JV conditioning schedules)
Friday, no games scheduled, no practice
Saturday, no games scheduled, no practice
Sunday, 10:10 a.m., 15U Thunder vs. Gladiators, Kilauea Gym (CAL)

Monday-Thursday, Sept. 5-9, Practice dates TBA
Friday, Sept. 9, 8:00 p.m., 17U Thunder vs. TBA, Kilauea Gym (NJB)
Sunday, Sept. 11, 10:45 a.m., 15U Thunder vs. Blue Devils, McKinley Gym (CAL)
Sunday, Sept. 11, 3:00 p.m., 17U Thunder vs. TBA, Palolo Gym (NJB)

I LUB DIS GAME.

Players win games, coaches lose games

I knew this from the beginning, back in 1982 or '81 when I was a junior in high school. My brother, 4 1/2 years younger, was playing at Boys Club of Honolulu like I had, and the director asked me to coach my brother's team. I wasn't interested, but the director insisted and we had a lot of fun, a bunch of kids being coached by a kid and doing well.

But here I am 30 years later, still questioning my decisions. We had a 15-14 halftime lead on Lanakila. We were playing fairly well for a tired team. We had a deep bench today: eight subs. So, instead of letting our tiring starters continue what they started, I had us pull the ball out, hoping to get Lanakila into man defense. In that scenario, I envisioned a lot of drives and layups. Open space. Open lanes.

Well ... it didn't turn out that way, did it? We scored maybe four points in the first 10 minutes of the second half. It wasn't our first extremely slow start to a second half, but this one hurt more than usual since it was a semifinal in the Aiea Tournament. Like us, Lanakila has a lot of new players trying to mesh in.

But I know we have shooters on the court, on the bench (Alec, Cody and more), so why didn't I just leave it be and let Lanakila stay in that 2-3 zone? I don't know exactly, except that I was trying to play to our strength since our 3-point shots weren't falling much in the first half.

Bottom line is, when teams lose, usually it's because a coach didn't make the right adjustment. When a team wins, it's because the players truly performed more than any coaching strategy. In that sense, I feel like I let you guys down. We could have or should have been in the tourney final (against Aiea Blazers). So, it's my responsibility to get all of us prepared for fullcourt presses, but without practicing a pressbreaker at full speed, 5 on 5, it's difficult to teach.

More games in the morning and afternoon. I hope everyone gets a lot of rest and finishes the week of nonstop basketball with strength.

15U & 17U combined schedule

Got the updated schedules from the NJB (17U) and CAL (15U) leagues.

Sunday, Aug 14

2:00 pm 15U Thunder vs. Kapolei Rebels, McKinley Gym

Wednesday, Aug 17 to Saturday, Aug 20
17U Thunder, Aiea Tournament, Aiea Gym

Sunday, Aug 21

9:20 am 15U Thunder vs. Mililani Rebelz, McKinley Gym

Wednesday, Aug 24

15U Thunder, Aiea Tournament, Aiea Gym

Thursday, Aug 25

15U Thunder vs. Ma Kama, Aiea Tournament, Aiea Gym

Friday, Aug 26
15U Thunder vs. Pearl City, Aiea Tournament, Aiea Gym

7:00 pm 17U Thunder, Kilauea Gym

Saturday, Aug 27
3:45 pm 15U Thunder vs. Lanakila, Aiea Tournament, Aiea Gym
4:30 or 5:15 pm 15 Thunder vs. TBA, Aiea Tournament, Aiea Gym

Sunday, Aug 28

10:10 am 15U Thunder vs. Sharks, Kilauea Gym

2:00 pm 17U Thunder, Palolo Gym

Monday, Aug 29
4:00 pm Practice, Makiki Park

Tuesday, Aug 30

4:00 pm Practice, Makiki Park

Wednesday, Aug 31

4:00 pm Practice, Makiki Park

Thursday, Sept 1

Practice TBA (depending on varsity conditioning workout times)

Sept 2-4 

NJB - bye

Sunday, Sept 4

10:10 am 15U Thunder vs. Gladiators, Kilauea Gym

Friday, Sept 9

8:00 pm 17U Thunder, Kilauea Gym

Sunday, Sept 11

10:40 am 15U Thunder vs. Blue Devils, McKinley Gym

3:00 pm 17U Thunder, Palolo Gym

Friday, Sept 16

7:00 pm 17U Thunder, Kilauea Gym

Sunday, Sept 18

12:40 pm 15U Thunder vs. Owls, Kilauea Gym

Friday, Sept 23

8:00 pm 17U Thunder, Kaimuki Park Gym

Sunday, Sept 25

3:00 pm 17U Thunder, Palolo Gym

Sept 30-Oct 2

NJB - bye

Sunday, Oct 2

CAL 15U playoffs

Oct 7-9 

NJB 17U playoffs

Tape don't lie

First, if you haven't seen our schedule for today (Saturday) and tomorrow and the next few days, look at the previous post below.

I just finished watching the video (good job, Jackson!) of last night's 17U Thunder game. Coach John wisely rested Bryson and Anfernee, saving their legs for today's Aiea Tournament semifinals. Also interesting to see Tats mesh with our guys for the first time. Pretty smooth. As a team, though, the lack of practice time is obvious. That's something we can correct on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. There's no substitute for playing together over time. It'll come.

It was also interesting to see how William fit in while Kaelan and Uriah were also on the floor. Clearly, a lot of guys are not in top physical condition. The guys who worked out through the summer will benefit when conditioning begins in a few days at their schools. The guys who didn't work out during the summer have a two months to get in shape before tryouts begin. I strongly suggest you get into the best shape of your life.

On the whole, our 17U played fairly well for about 10 minutes, then the lack of chemistry and practice caught up. Without Isaiah, Anfernee and Bryson, we are a totally different team.

I can tell you guys one thing for sure: it doesn't matter how small or tall we are. We will always initiate the tempo. We will always push and be aggressive without being reckless. There's more to come. Stay tuned.

The beat goes on

Two Friday games have passed. A win over Pearl City to advance into the championship bracket of the Aiea Tournament (15U). A loss in the NJB (17U) opener. I wish I could've been there for both games.

The victory over PC was easily the best game we've played in the tourney this week. Consistent intensity, uptempo pace on offense and defense, and we wore them down again, just like last week in the 17U tourney. I'm looking forward to watching the video. (It's uploading now.)

JJ tells me the 17U game was close, we were up by 6, missed a lot of layups. I'm hoping we get maximum attendance at practice, 'cause man, we NEED it! We make layups, we become a force. Practice and reps are the recipe for success.

The game I went to at Radford was entertaining for a half. It's my job, and I like my job a lot. Wish I didn't have to miss any Thunder games, but Coach John knows his hoops like a professor. Tomorrow, we're in the semifinals at the Aiea Tourney with a chance to knock Lanakila out. Remember them? Last week in the 17U tourney we had them tied in the second half before they pulled away. It was our first game together with the new Thunder and old Thunder.

Are we better now? I think ... YES.

Schedule
Saturday, 3:45 p.m., Thunder (15U) vs. Lanakila, Aiea Tournament semifinal
Saturday, championship or third-place game, time TBA

Sunday, 10:10 a.m., Thunder (15U) vs. TBA, CAL League, Kilauea Gym
Sunday, 2:00 p.m., Thunder (17U) vs. TBA, NJB All-Net League, Palolo Gym

Monday, 4:00 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park

Tuesday, 4:00 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park

Wednesday, 4:00 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park

Thursday is Sept. 1, which means all OIA teams can start conditioning workouts. Once I find out what everyone's schedule is like, I'll work our Thunder workouts around that. Practice for us means shooting reps, ballhanding drills and more shooting reps. I'll leave the conditioning to your varsity and JV coaches ;)

NOTE: Thomas, Darrell, Alleck and anybody else who needs a ride to Aiea, we'll meet at Makiki Park, 2:00 p.m.

I LUB DIS GAME.

Leading by example

That was an amazing second half. I am not referring to the quality of our opponent tonight. I'm not even talking about wins and losses. I care about effort. Teamwork. Aggressiveness. Smart decisions. Relentless energy every step, every foot of the floor. Working together defensively. We got that in the second half.

The first half? Let's just say the video won't lie. It was unspirited. Uninspiring. People jogging, walking as if we were the NBA all-stars playing a third-world basketball team. It was the kind of basketball that had me questioning our heart, and that's precisely what you heard me talk about through that first half. When the other team dives for three loose balls while we stand there and watch, it's beyond embarrassing. It's an indication of where our true character lies. For us to allow a bunch of 12- and 13-year-olds to show MORE HEART than us ... I never thought I'd ever see that from a Thunder team.

But it happened. I let you know. Then the second half arrived and we became the team with HEART. Desire. Focus. Hustle. We supported each other. We dove for balls on the ground. The result? We dominated. The other team wilted. Basketball, like life, is 90% mental. It is heart and motivation that cause action and results. A team unified and working together while playing with pure hustle and effort can completely disrupt any opponent. It can break the opponents' spirit.

That's what Thunder basketball is about: Playing the game with 100% effort that never, ever ceases, win or lose. That's why we will continue to play with complete, pure desire, and anyone who won't do this will find himself resting on the bench. It's not personal, guys. It's simply a way of playing the game right. We've done it before, through many leagues and tournaments. It's why we have so many come-from-behind wins, down 15, 17 points. We'll keep doing it and be grateful for this great game.

Please note below the updated schedule. The NJB 17U league begins on Friday. As in TOMORROW! The schedule was sent to me last night and I missed it. We have a game on Friday and another on Sunday to go along with this week's Aiea tournament (15U) and a CAL (15U) game on Sunday morning.

Fun, fun, fun!

Schedule
Friday, 5:00 p.m., Thunder vs. Pearl City Chargers (Aiea Tournament 15U), Aiea Gym
Friday, 7:00 p.m., Thunder vs. TBA (NJB League 17U), Kilauea Gym

Saturday, 1:45-7:00 p.m., Playoffs (Aiea Tournament 15U), Aiea Gym

Sunday, 10:10 a.m. Thunder vs. TBA (CAL 15U League), Kilauea Gym
Sunday, 2:00 p.m. Thunder vs. TBA (NJB 17U League), Palolo Gym

So, that's six games (two are at the Aiea Tournament playoffs on Saturday) in three days. Like I said, FUN!

I lub dis game.

Signs of a pulse

That's right. It's taken a few (actually several) games, but we, the Thunder, are starting to look more and more like a fluid, efficient, aggressive basketball team. I see this when all five guys on the court are working as ONE on defense and offense. When bodies are flying to the ball on the ground, in the air, on missed shots. When shooters step up and knock down shots without hesitation. When slashers drive and find open teammates under the basket.

It's coming along. We're not perfect yet, though. Too many times, we reach instead of moving our feet on the press, then jog back on defense instead of chasing that ball. Way too many times. Are we out of shape? Maybe. Probably. We haven't had a full team practice (everyone), so we haven't done any conditioning. Do you guys want to win games? Conditioning is a huge part of that, whether it comes through team practice or you taking initiative by working out — running laps, hills, stairs, lifting weights — on your own time.

In the end, what's best for the team will be best for each of us, far more than any individual goals and expectations. But more often than not, by doing what you do best, you add to what we have as a team. To me, diving for three loose balls and getting possession matters more than a dunk. Making free throws — at least 3 of every 4 tries — matters more than a fancy dribble 45 feet from the basket that resulted in nothing.

Results — real results — come from true effort and daily repetition. I saw some things out there tonight that were excellent, and I saw some mediocre things that were the exact same that I see at practice. That's why, if we have some changes tomorrow, it'll be because game time has confirmed what I saw during practice. If you practice good habits, good results follow. If you practice poor habits, it hurts the team in a game when we need you at your best, not your worst.

Basketball is such a fun game when everyone is in it together, for each other. We're getting there one day at a time. We're getting closer to becoming a good team, which means producing at a high level of intensity and concentration from the start to the finish. I see us getting there soon, whether we all focus on our strengths and 100% effort, or I may have to make some changes in our lineup and rotation.

It's not about just scoring points. It's about how well we play as a team when each of you are on the floor. Did we make a run with a certain combination? Did we fall behind with another combination? Why did it happen that way? These are the questions that each of us should ask ourselves. When you find the answers, it should help make you — all of us — better at contributing to success.

Life isn't easy sometimes, and sacrificing some of our personal goals makes us better as a team.

Which is more important to you?

I love this game. See you guys at Aiea 4:45 for warmups. Game time is 5:45. I'll be at Makiki Park 3:30 to pick up whoever needs a ride.

Aiea tournament 15U

Here's the updated schedule for the tourney, which begins today at Aiea District Park gym.

Wednesday, 5 p.m., Thunder vs. Da Rebelz
Thursday, 5:45 p.m. Thunder vs. RC Boys
Friday, 5 p.m., Thunder vs. Pearl City Chargers
Saturday, 2:15-7 p.m., playoffs
Also, Sunday, 10:10 a.m., Thunder vs. Sharks, CAL, Kilauea Gym

This will be an interesting, fun week. A lot of new Thunder with some of our seasoned Thunder. Last week we were playing with older teams. This week, we're with our age group. We've had a couple of practices.

Let's have a lot of fun!

I'll be at Makiki Park by 3:30 to pick up the guys who need a ride. No straggling! Traffic is always slow.

Up next

First, I'm so glad we didn't forfeit our two games on Saturday. In fact, with a soccer player (K.J.) and just six players, we had the Kapolei Huskies right where we wanted them. Down 24-21 at halftime despite not playing well, I felt good. But the second half was all Huskies, so props to them. We ran out of gas, were rusty, short on rebounders, etc. But they earned it and I give them respect.

Our third-place game, sorry I had to go to work during the second half, guys. We were right there with Saint Louis. Very beatable team. But I'm happy overall with our mostly 15-under team doing this well without hardly any rest and reserves.

This morning, in CAL League, we looked good in spots, but overall we were drained from the tourney. Again, we were short on numbers. Bryson and Anfernee would've had nice games today, and without them, we had to put the burden on some new players, John and Alec, who did fairly well.

WE NEED TO PRACTICE AS A TEAM. This is the least, by far, that we've had team practices since the Thunder were born in the summer of 2010. The results are reflecting the lack of practice time. I'm not sure how much further I'd be willing to go on unless we show some cohesiveness and unity by showing up for practice in numbers beyond 2 or 4 players.

I don't expect perfection, but I do expect you to give yourself the best opportunity to improve as a player and as a teammate. The next tourney is Aiea's 15U starting Wednesday. We will not have some of our Maryknoll players; they start school that day. But the rest of us who were there for last week's 17U, I expect you there for practice on Monday and Tuesday at Makiki Park. We have LOT OF POTENTIAL, but without working together and doing reps as a team and individually, it's just hype. I'd like to see us turn our potential into success.

The schedule for the 15U tourney is on hold because the Kapolei Rebels dropped out and they were supposed to be our first game. I'll keep you posted on the change.

I'm pumped for the tourney. We have a chance to do quite well based on how we did against older teams last week. We were right there, close and competitive. But we need to improve day by day at practice. Let's do it!

I love this game.

Schedule

Monday, 4:30 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park

Tuesday, 4:30 p.m., Practice, Makiki Park

Wednesday, 5:00 pm, Thunder vs. TBA (Kapolei Rebels dropped out)

Thursday, 5:00 pm, Thunder vs. Monstarz

Friday, 5:45 pm, Thunder vs. Pearl City Chargers

Saturday, 1:45-6:00 pm, playoffs

Sunday, 10:10 am, Thunder vs. Sharks, CAL League, Kilauea Gym

Can we play?

I wish I could've been there last night, but work calls and I have to obey. Today, we're in position to play for the Aiea tournament championship. We're in the semifinal round at 3 p.m., and if we win, we play for the title at 5:15.

Problem: Half the team is gone today because of Roosevelt's basketball team fundraising project at the football game. They start on it at 1:00 p.m. So we lose JJ, Bryson, Anfernee, Isaiah and Uriah. That's actually more than half.

With the majority of our 17U team playing football, we're facing a possible forfeiture. Who's coming today? Cody, Kaelan, Chase. Hopefully Wilson and his younger brother. Mickey has disappeared since telling me he was going to play in the tournament, then changing his mind.

I just want us to play. Hopefully, Tai can make it today.

The Law of Averages

This is why I don't sweat it when shots are not falling: eventually, they will fall. As long as you shoot with confidence and proper form, you will always make shots. You will always miss shots. A really good shooter hits 50% from the field. That's why I never get bothered about misses as long as they're good looks, in rhythm, never rushed, but quickly executed off good passes and/or penetration. That's the part of TEAM OFFENSE that is always overlooked. A good shot starts with a good rebound, good transition push upcourt, and finding the right man.

But I digress. What I really need to say is that I'm proud of you guys. From yesterday to today, we really improved as a TEAM, which is not surprising considering the lack of practice time we've had together. Passers were crisper, our press was OUTSTANDING and our attitude was so even-keeled — not too low, not too high. I like all of those aspects of our team.

I think we were down 10 or so when we began to rally. Shots started falling — Law of Averages — and our press became lethal. Shooting is 90% psychological, 10% fundamental. So is breaking a press. And we really broke down the Chargers' confidence. You knew it when they started calling us "Roaches" and complaining/yelling at each other in the second half. I never like to see teammates down on each other, but it was just evidence to me from a coach's point of view. Our TEAM DEFENSE and relentless attitude tore them up and they never recovered.

We will get better. For now, it's nice to have a win as a team and gain some momentum. Each of us knows our strengths and weaknesses. Play to your STRENGTHS always. Work on your weaknesses at practice, with the team and when you're on your own on a basketball court. This is your life. This is your game. This is your sacrifice.

Might as well make the best of it every chance you get, don't you think?

I love this game!

Friday, 5:45 p.m. Thunder vs. Huskies, Aiea Gym
Saturday, time to be announced, playoffs 1:45-6 p.m., Aiea Gym.
Sunday, 9:20 a.m., Kilauea Gym, 15U game, CAL League
Monday, 4:30 p.m., Makiki Park, practice
Tuesday, 4:30 p.m., Makiki Park, practice
Wednesday, Aug. 24 to Saturday, Aug. 27, times to be announced, Aiea 15U tournament, Aiea Rec. Gym

Note: We'll use practice during the week to focus on basics: triple-threat footwork on the wing, low-post footwork and execution, 3-point shooting in catch/shoot motion and footwork.

Well, that was interesting

I know this. We had Lanakila on the ropes. We had a Las Vegas-traveling, senior-heavy team tied in the second half. The only real difference between them and us? They've played together for about three or four years.

We haven't even had one real practice as a team, not since May or June.

That's why I am optimistic about the rest of the tournament. We still have a shot at the title, but we'll need to win the next two pool-play games. Can we do it? Of course.

Anyone can ask me about our team and I can tell them that we're basically a 15U team in a 17U tournament. It sounds impressive. The real truth? I want you guys to win NOW. It means something be 15 and beating 17-year-olds. It means a LOT. Not so much to me, but it'll mean a lot to each of you, and to you guys as a whole team.

Can it be done without having practiced together? I guess so. How did we stay with Lanakila through most of the game tonight? I know we've got something good going, and it will only get better with more games, practices and experience. Chemistry usually takes some time.

I know all our football guys like Max, Drew, Carter, Acen, Christian ... they all would've loved playing basketball tonight. But this was a good chance to see what we've got with our younger guys. I expect a lot in the coming days and weeks for this tourney, next week's 15U tourney, the 15U CAL League and the 17U NJB League (late August).

I always expect a lot. You should, too. Challenge yourself. Challenge your teammates. Prove to yourselves that you can beat ANYBODY. The tools are there. All you need is to turn desire into work ethic. There is no limit to what you can do. Nobody can stop you from becoming what you dream of ... except you.

Me? I'm here. I'll be here rebounding for you, running drills with you, every day, day or night. I love this game. Simple as that. If you love it, too, then there's no confusion. You're ready to work.

Tomorrow's game (Thursday) is at 5 p.m. against Pearl City. Be there by 4:15 if possible so we can warm up on the outside court. I'll be there at 3:30 for anybody who wants to get some shooting work in.

Aiea tourney, revised schedule

Just got a revised schedule from the Aiea tournament (15U).

Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Thunder vs. Lanakila

Thursday, 5:00 p.m. Thunder vs. Pearl City Chargers

Friday, 5:45 p.m. Thunder vs. Kapolei Huskies

Saturday, 1:45-6:00 p.m., Playoffs

NOTE: Our 15U game in the CAL League is on Sunday, 9:20 a.m. at Kilauea Gym. Normally, games are at McKinley in the afternoon for our division, but McKinley is unavailable this weekend, so the league made adjustments.

Thunder Update, Sunday, Aug. 14

OK, first, on today's loss to Kapolei Rebelz.

1. We've always had good games with them. We've beaten them, they've beaten us. Always good action.

2. We did all right considering the lack of practices as a team. In fact, I've never had a team practice so little together, especially guys new to each other, so I was impressed.

3. As we start practicing and playing on a regular basis, we will get better, no question. Nothing can stop a team that works together and works hard. Repetition builds confidence in all things, especially basketball.

I hope we play Kapolei in the playoffs. We should have outrun them all game long, but our conditioning isn't there yet. We'll get there.

Now, onto future events!

1. We're in BOTH the 15U and 17U Aiea tournaments. Just got the info today from Rob Godinez, who runs the Aiea Blazers. Rob is a terrific guy and great coach, always does super running the tournaments. We played in it during the spring and had a lot of fun.

The 17U tourney begins on Wednesday. Wilson, JJ and Mickey (if he's back from Japan) are playing. (They're too old for 15U.) The tourney ends on Saturday. I'll need everyone to pitch in and make it to the games early, have all the forms done (I'll bring them to practice on Monday and Tuesday).

The 15U tourney is next week (Wed-Sat). Hope everyone can make it.

2. NJB runs a fall league for 17U starting at the end of August. Games are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Coach Larry (Isaiah) and Coach Bo (Tai's dad) have offered to step in and coach when I can't make games. My schedule is busy on Friday and Saturday nights.

I want to be sure, though, that you are committed to playing. I expect to see a lot of our 15U guys playing in this league, too.

3. Additions. There are more players on the way after I've received calls from a couple of coaches. I haven't met these guys, but I've never turned away anyone before. If you're willing to work hard and work often, I'm there working with you. High school season is just a couple of months away, so invest in yourself and put in the reps, the time, the SWEAT EQUITY. Nobody can take that from you. Make it all pay off by investing the time and effort in yourself and your team(s).

Basketball excellence doesn't require tons of money in the bank or having the greatest shoes. Those things don't hurt, of course, but if you invest the sweat, you will see the rewards. You know it's true.

SCHEDULE
Monday
4:30 pm Practice, Makiki Park

Tuesday
4:30 pm Practice, Makiki Park

Wednesday
TBA, game, 17U Aiea Tournament

Thursday

TBA, game, 17U Aiea Tournament

Friday

TBA, game, 17U Aiea Tournament

Saturday

TBA, game, 17U Aiea Tournament

Expect to play two games on Saturday

Sunday

CAL League, McKinley gym

More info as it arrives. Feel free to call me at 551-1054 if you have any questions or ideas. Also reach me on Facebook. 

I LUB DIS GAME. 

Update 4:11 pm This just came in via e-mail from Rob: Schedule for Aiea tournament (17U).

Wednesday, 5:45 pm Thunder vs. Lanakila, pool play

Thursday, 6:30 pm Thunder vs. Pearl City Chargers, pool play

Friday, Thunder vs. Kapolei Huskies, pool play

Saturday, playoffs, times TBA

Ready to have some fun!

Practice Sat noon, game Sun 2 pm

THUNDER ALERT: CAL League game Sun 2 pm McKinley gym. Practice Sat noon Makiki Park. Also need to know who's in for 15U Aiea tourney and 17U (maybe) if we have enough guys. Call me ASAP! 551-1054

Woohoo I lub this game!

Hey hey

Howzit everybody. I've been wrapped up with work (high school football preseason stuff) lately, which is why we didn't workout the past week. If you missed it on Facebook, we'll have a shootaround today 4:30 p.m. at Makiki Park. I'm here at the park for anyone who wants to get some shooting and ballhandling work done.

We also need to get connected on next week's Aiea tournament and the CAL League, which begins on Sunday (Aug. 14).

See you guys soon. Everyone's going to need the waiver form for your parents to sign before the league and tournament begin.

More tournaments, leagues

Aloha everybody! I need your input as soon as possible.

AIEA TOURNAMENT(S)
The Aiea Blazers have summer tournaments in August. One is the 15U (Aug. 24-27). The other is the 17U (Aug. 17-20). I know we can field at 17U team, but who is available to play 15U?

Need to know ASAP.

CAL LEAGUE
They have 15U with no exceptions, same cutoff date (Sept. 1) as NJB. Unfortunate, but that's what they decided. They also have 13U, but I asked our guys and we don't have enough people for 13U.

This league begins Aug. 14. Games at McKinley.

There's also a new league, Pa‘a, but I haven't received details from them yet. If they have a 16U division, maybe we enter that one plus CAL.

Let me know what you guys think.

Coach Jimmy, aka Shooting Guru

Howzit guys, sorry for the long gap since the last post. If you're on Facebook, you've been updated almost daily with practice days and times, game times, etc. I mentioned this on FB the past couple days, but some of you may not be there, so...

Coach Jimmy Miyasaka is back in town. If you remember him from last year, he is (in my opinion) the finest shooting coach, period. Any level. Jimmy was an all-state guard at Kaimuki and later became a shooting guard at Pomona. He is currently in optometry school and on summer break. He's got a few days free so he'll be with the Thunder today and tomorrow (Sunday and Monday) to sharpen your shooting skills.

Sunday 3:00 p.m., Makiki Park
Monday 4:30 p.m., Maikiki Park

Jimmy's knowledge and application of that knowledge is matchless. I've always felt that there are plenty of good coaches in Hawaii when it comes to ballhandling, but far too few when it comes to shooting technique. Jimmy is, by far, on an elite level. I'm not bragging, either. Come down today and tomorrow and see for yourself.