Video: Thunder vs Celtics (V)

Mosi Afe last-second shot


Highlights


Full game footage


vs Celtics (V) 8/25/2015
Ikaika League, Varsity Division
∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/THsLBgqQgec
∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/lMHdNz_pvnI
∆∆ Mosi Afe game-winning shot https://youtu.be/04hnCdaG6
Video: Brandon Higashionna.
Score: Thunder 44, Celtics 43.

Video: Thunder vs Stunnahz (JV)

Highlights

Full game footage

vs 808 Stunnahz (JV) 8/23/2015
Ikaika League, JV Division
∆∆ Full game Part 1 http://youtu.be/TmLzYfn_-V4
Part 2 http://youtu.be/pvv0oOD5p4s
∆∆ Highlights Part 1 http://youtu.be/uECRuDzJneU
Part 2 http://youtu.be/qRgrLgxW8GY
Video: Joel Gormley.
Score: Stunnahz 40, Thunder 39.

Video: Thunder vs H4C (13U)

Highlights

Full game footage


vs Hoops4Christ (13U) 8/23/2015
CAL League, 13U Gold Division
∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/wKHezkohoiM
∆∆ Highlights https://youtu.be/T7Yay8VQdUI
Video: Micah Visoria.
Score: Thunder 58, H4C 31.

This Week (Aug. 31-Sept. 6)

We're in a tight spot on Sunday with two games (JV, 13U) overlapping now that the CAL schedule for next week has been released. Hopefully, the 13U game can be moved to a later time. Otherwise, we will probably have to forfeit one of the games because the two rosters are basically the same. To avoid forfeiting, we would need some guys like Kyle, Jared, Josh R, Trinity and Jhevin to come to the game. Three of them are playing football and the other two have not played in Ikaika JV League with us this fall.

Monday, 4:30 pm - Practice at Makiki Park. Pau 6:30 pm.

Tuesday, 4:30 pm - No practice. I have to cover volleyball in Kapolei.

Wednesday, 5:00 pm - vs Kapolei Canes (Ikaika Varsity Division), Aiea gym.

Thursday, 7:45 pm - vs Sharks-Black* (PAA JV Division), Kilauea gym. (*Opponent changed as of 8/30.)

Friday - No practice.

Saturday
10:15 am - vs Hawaii Storm (PAA JV Division), Kilauea gym.
12:10 pm vs LBC (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym.

Sunday
10:40 am vs Lanakila (Ikaika JV Division), Aiea gym.
?? 11:10 am vs Team Hustle (CAL 13U Gold Division), Kilauea gym.

H1 Thunder 45, Hoops4Christ 31 (JV)

Ikaika League, JV Division, Salt Lake gym
Good team win. Passing, defense A-. Working the ball inside out through Kali'a A-. Boxing out C-.

This was a smarter, more sensible team effort by our JV squad, especially compared to last week. As long as we play together and work as a unit on every offensive and defensive possession, great things can happen. This win in Ikaika JV Division wasn't easy. It was close into the second half (24-all), and in this league, we don't have a lot of height. We rebounded just well enough against another tall team to get by. Nice work on our press most of the time, very good passing on offense.

Jayden continues to shoot well, great balance and patience. When he and Felcris were on the floor with our youngest players off the bench, they helped build up the lead to double digits.

Lineup: Skylar Kawakami-bechtel, Jayden, Chaz Enos, Jance, Felcris Ahadain, Ryan, Kali'a Mielke, MIcah, Jonah.

WE LUB THIS GAAAAME!!

Lanakila 55, H1 Thunder 39 (V)

CAL League, Varsity Division, Kilauea gym
Another flat start, our worst by far, and we still got back and almost made it a close game. We've been down 15, 20 points in Varsity, JV, 13U games the past two months and managed to come back and win.

This time, falling behind 22-2 proved to be too big a hurdle. We got back within 8 points a few times, but that was it.

Pluses: Inside-out offensive execution. Fastbreak. Defensive pressure, especially with our younger players on the court. Great intensity in the second half. Reserves (mostly freshmen) started our rally.

Minuses: Soft defense, giving up easy layups. Lack of consistent, good shot selection. Sloppy trapping on our press. First-half LACK OF URGENCY AND INTENSITY. Again.

We have only one Varsity game this week (on Wednesday). Being a "pretty good" Varsity team (3-1 in CAL, 2-0 in PAA) is code for a group of juniors and sophomores who won JV titles but need to step up at this next level. We raise the bar every day a little higher, win or lose.

We will have Varsity practice this week when I get a set day for Thunder Alumni (Drew Viena, Bulla Viena, Chris Cook, Isaiah Visoria, etc.) to come scrimmage us. These guys are former or current college players. Saw Chris earlier today (at Salt Lake) and he's back in Hawaii for good. He's up for it big time. We NEED to play older, bigger, stronger, tough, fast and fundamentally sound basketball players as often as possible. They'll rub off on our guys, Ryan Kaleikini, Drew, Bulla, Max - they were a big reason why we improved quickly and won two JV titles in spring and summer.

When I get a definite day for the scrimmage(s), I'll post it.

Video: Thunder vs Next Level (JV)

Highlights

Full game footage

vs Next Level 808 (JV) 8/22/2015

Ikaika League, JV Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/H9D46CDkbOQ

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/rbGQIQDZ3b8

Video: Chase Santos / Brandon Higashionna. 

Score: Thunder 48, Next Level 39. 

Video: Thunder vs Kahuku (V)

Highlights

Full game footage

vs Kahuku (V) 8/22/2015
CAL League, Varsity Division
∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/beoHysBBtAQ
∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/hGtDbEoawT0
Video: Brandon Higashionna.
Score: Thunder 36, Kahuku 27.

Saturday pickup route

8:30 am - Micah Visoria? Chaz?
8:35 am - Felcris Ahadain.
9:00 am - Breakfast (McDonald's drive thru).
9:30 am - Stretching/warmups at Salt Lake gym outside courts.
10:30 am - H1 Thunder vs. Hoops4Christ (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym.
12:00 pm - Mosi Afe?
12:15 pm - Lunch.
1:30 pm - Stretching/warmups at Kilauea gym.
2:30 pm - H1 Thunder vs. Lanakila (CAL Varsity Division), Kilauea gym.
WE LUB THIS GAAAAME!!

Backlog on video

Been smashed with high school football game videos to edit. Four games from the past week, countless hours afterward editing, etc.

I finally got to last weekend's first game vs Next Level 808. Full game and highlights are up. Please keep in mind that editing = 1 hour, compressing/exporting to movie file (for YouTube) takes 1-2 hours for highlights and 5-6 hours for full game. Then loading to YouTube requires 5-10 minutes for highlights and 50-60 minutes for full game. Do the math along with whatever free time I have and you can kinda figure out how long it'll be until I catch up. 

Getting there one step at a time. I'm going to try and grind it all out tonight (highlights for weekend games and tonight's game). Full game footage after that. 

H1 Thunder 41, Sharks-Green 35 (JV)

PAA League, JV Division, Kilauea gym
Started slowly but finished strong. Excellent defense in the second half. Better job boxing out and playing solid team defense. We made that shot clock work against the Sharks many times.

Our experienced guys made smart, aggressive and physical decisions and plays. More and more, our JV and Varsity guys are thriving when we play man defense, which is fundamental and hopefully one of our cornerstones at all levels.

Wanted to get some minutes for our fast-improving Pups (13U). My apologies to our Pups. I'll figure something out that gets you more on-court experience against these older teams.

All in all a solid team win. Defense takes heart and mental toughness. We're getting there.

Lineup: Jason, Jayden, Skylar Kawakami-bechtel, Chaz, Felcris Ahadain​, Colin Micah Ramos​, Kyle Moraga​, Kapaa Nishimura​, Ryan, Jonah, Kali'a Mielke​.

Next: Friday - No practice. I'm working. get your reps in.
Sat 10:30 am vs H4C (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym
Sat 2:30 pm vs Lanakila (CAL Varsity Division), Kilauea gym
WE LUB THIS GAAAAME!!!

Wednesday funday

Kalihi was drenched, but as of 4:00 pm or so, Makiki was still dry. DJ got in about 20 shots when those dark clouds finally let go with a massive downpour. Jason and DJ took some shots in the rain as it got heavier before jumping into the car. Jance took the bus and arrived during the rain. We've had our share of practices while the rest of town was raining. Not this time.

Drove the guys home. Major traffic but listening to these guys made the time pass by quickly. DJ wanted McDonald's and we ate saimin. Time spent with Thunder ballers is always time spent well.

H1 Thunder 44, Celtics 43

# H1 Thunder 44, Celtics 43 ##
Ikaika League, Varsity Divisuon, Palolo gym
Mosi made the game-winning shot at the buzzer. He got the rebound off a miss by Colin from the corner. Mosi was in the center of the key and the ball went off the rim right to him.

Another comeback win for the Thunder. Trailed by 10 or 12 points in the second half before rallying. Lot of heart on this young team.  Michael hit a couple of key baseline shots durnf the comeback. A lot of solid defense by Radyn, Tenchi, Mosi, Colm and Michael after we switched to man defense.

The Celtics were actually a Damien team. Good team with scorers and size. Physical with a lot of hand checking, hacking and shoulder dips when we drove by. The 3-man ref crew allowed more illegal contact than I've seen in a long time. I talked with then at halftime. They called it more evenly after that but also started calling us for some touch fouls. Not much middle ground.

We adjusted to it eventually. We had to. But this crew is out of sync with actual high school rules, particularly hand checking emphasis of the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.  The lead referee was the same one who saw Mosi get clotheslined 3 years ago at an Aiea tournament.. He was 10 feet away and made no call. Mosi had to sit out the rest of that tournament with a concussion. I sent the video to the tourney director and later the referee association director apologized to me after seeing the video.

So Mosi making the winning shot in this Celtics game was only fitting.

MAHALO to Brandon Higashionna for shooting his 73rd game in a row as a Thunder Volunteer. MAHALO To Jason Apuya for picking up Mosi when the rain and traffic made it impossible for me to pick jim up.

Lineup: Sierra Sisi, Jayden, Skylar Kawakami-bechtel,, Jamce, Michael, Radyn, Ryan, Colin Micah Ramos, Mosi Afe.

Next: Wed 430 pm - Practice at Makiki Park.
WE LUB THIS GAME!!
Eric Murobayashi Ray-Marlyn Ramos Jason Apuya Jason Kawakami Kaoru Robinson Lelalei Afe-Pasion

Backlog on video

Sorry, Thunder Ohana, but I've got work videos (high school football) to edit and export. Got one game done today with three more to do (counting tonight's resumption of the Kapolei-Kailua game) before I'll start on our four Thunder games from the past weekend. Please be patient. Mahalo.

This Week (Aug. 24-30)

This includes a CAL Varsity game on Saturday. It was on the previous email from Greydon and I missed it. No 13U game this week, but it's a good opportunity for our Pups to sharpen their skills.

Monday - No practice. I have to cover a football game (Kapolei at Kailua) at 6 pm.

** Tue Aug 25, 6:55 pm vs Celtics (Ikaika Varsity Division), Palolo gym (updated with opponent)

Wednesday, 4:30 pm - Practice at Makiki Park. Pau 6:30. 

Thur, Aug. 27, 7:45 pm vs Sharks-Green (PAA League JV Division), Kilauea gym

Friday - No practice. I have to work. 

Sat Aug 29, 10:30 am vs H4C (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym

Sat Aug 29, 2:30 pm vs Lanakila (CAL Varsity Division), Kilauea gym

808 Stunnahz 40, H1 Thunder 39 (JV)

Ikaika League, JV Division, Aiea gym
Fast start for the Thunder, then a fade into the half. We trailed by as many as 8, but stayed within 5 for most of the second half and I think we got within 1 or 2 in the final 3 minutes, but the Stunnahz have a tall center (6-3) who is an active rebounder and a big part of their pressbreaker. He really was a factor in the paint, but we gained momentum in the second half by executing our zone offense — not quite often enough, but much better than we did in the first half.

Our legs weren't quite there in our fourth game of the weekend — the hottest and most humid I can ever remember in Honolulu — but the guys played with heart. We will possibly (I think probably) face this team again in the playoffs. I would not mind that at all now that we know a lot about their tough PG and their two corner shooters.

But first we have to get in. Right now, all our teams are 2-0, or 3-0 or something like that in our different leagues and divisions except for this one. We're now 1-2 and only the top half of each group (two groups in JV) will qualify for the playoffs. In other words, we need to play a little bit smarter and do the little things that make the difference in close games.

If we finish 4-3, that probably would get us into the Championship Bracket playoffs. 5-2 would be much better. Though we're the defending Ikaika League JV champions, almost our entire team is basically the guys who almost won the Intermediate title in Ikaika League (last spring). So we're young and small... we need to get smarter every time. We'll get there.

The little things we need to work on includes free throws. We were a good FT shooting team during the spring and summer. Right now? The lack of practices together also means a lack of reps. We shot 10-for-21 at the line in this game. We missed 11 FTs. No substitute for reps. Daily reps.

Lineup: Chaz, Jance, Skylar Kawakami-bechtel, Jayden, Ryan, Kali'a Mielke, Felcris Ahadain, Jonah, Micah Visoria,

MAHALO to Uncle Joel Gormley for shooting the game video on the Handycam and also on his phone when the battery died out.

Next: Monday - No practice. I have to work. The Kapolei-Kailua game that was stopped by lightning on Saturday will resume on Monday at 6 pm in Kailua. Please get your 3 miles, 200+ shots, 50 FTs, 100 crunches and 100 push-ups done. And ballhandling drills especially for our younger guys. They are pretty good, but the ballhandling can always use daily work.

WE LUB THIS GAAAME!!

H1 Thunder 58, Hoops4Christ 31 (13U)

CAL League, 13U Gold Division, Kilauea gym
Funniest thing I heard all weekend was from one of our referees before this game started. He said, "Your guys look so tired. Looking at them is making me tired."

Then our Thunder went on the court and ran and ran and ran. We were 8 strong today. Everybody worked hard on defense and almost everybody sprinted on the fastbreak. Ryan was in peak form running the break and we got a lot of nice pressure defensively to create turnovers. Jayden and Jonah got a lot of smart layups by running ahead of the break a lot. We passed very well today.

Our Thunder "Pups" have come a long way since last winter. Growing stronger and smarter as a team. This group of guys is mostly 13, turning 14 in late Oct and early Nov. Playing Thunder basketball at age 13 is the sweet spot, I like to say, because guys often get the chance to play 13U, Intermediate, JV, 15U, Varsity, 17U. Enjoy it while it lasts, Pups. It's fun watching you play great basketball and keep working to get better.

Lineup: Walter, Jonah, Chaz, Skylar Kawakami-bechtel, Matthew, Ryan, Jance, Jayden.

Mahalo to Micah Visoria for shooting the game video!

Next: Sunday, 1:00 pm - Stretching/warmups at Aiea gym outside court. 2:00 pm - H1 Thunder vs. 808 Stunnahz (Ikaika JV Division), Aiea gym.
WE LUB THIS GAAAAME!!

H1 Thunder 36, Kahuku 27 (V)

CAL League, Varsity Division, Kilauea gym
We were down 19-8 at the half. Easily our worst first half of the year. Second half may have been our best of the year.

The difference? Maybe today our older guys finally started to care about their team and teammates more than I do. That's how it should always be. Our older Thunder -- Tenchi, Michael, Chase, Radyn, Mosi and Sierra -- played their tails off in the second half against a massive Kahuku team. Sierra and Felcris did very good work coaching and running the subs in the second half and Colin was the 6th man.

Our bench -- around 7 or 8 of our JV/13U players -- were amazingly loud and supportive.

For the second time in a row, scrappy defense and Mosi's fastbreak buckets got us back in a game. Then Radyn's great lob passes to Tenchi helped the Thunder seal the win.

For the first time, it feels like this group of juniors and seniors actually OWN their team. And I hope to God it stays that way.

H1 Thunder 48, Next Level 39 (JV)

Ikaika League, JV Division, Salt Lake gym
We got the lead to 15 or 20 points and then slowly wilted. Humidity and heat were factors, but instead of playing physical inside, we let them drive and get second and third shots. We played well enough to win but it was sloppy and rushed sometimes. Our youth shows in this age group.

Video: Thunder vs Blue Devils (V)

Highlights


Full game footage

vs Blue Devils (V) 8/16/2015

CAL League, Varsity Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/E47DqFftBhg

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/hzsawVO5PKs

Video: Eric Murobayashi. 

Score: Thunder 32, Blue Devils 25. 

Video: Thunder vs Team Hustle (JV)

Highlights


Full game footage

vs Team Hustle (JV) 8/15/2015

PAA League, JV Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/3znI1FlCCkA

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/AR2wGeTXDdo

Video: Brandon Higashionna. 

Score: Thunder 47, Hustle 17. 

Video: Thunder vs D-Up (13U)

Highlights


Full game footage

vs D-Up (13U) 8/15/2015

CAL League, 13U Gold Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/Mtk8yj-A99I

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/mq6OQIWJqrs

Video: Joel Gormley. 

Score: Thunder 25, D-Up 16.

H1 Thunder 51, Homegrown 46 (JV)

PAA League, JV Division, Kilauea gym
Got off to a hot start and kept hitting big shots until we were up 40-20. Remember that score? That's how much we were down last week against LBC before we rallied to win.

This time, Homegrown got hot and we cooled off. The heat and humidity took a toll, but we finally fought back when the lead was down to 42-41. Big 3-point shots by Felcris and Micah, and Colin put the game away with free throws in the final seconds.

We buckled down defensively (man to man) in those final few minutes. We were up 6 when Homegrown hit a 27-foot shot from near halfcourt to stay really close.

Tough win, very good team win. Hanging in there when adversity hits takes mental toughness and unity.

Our reserves came up big tonight. Took good care of the ball against Homegrown's press and played scrappy defense.

Lineup: Jayden, Skylar, Jance, Jason, Ryan, Kali'a Mielke, Colin Micah Ramos​, Micah Visoria​, Felcris Ahadain​.

Next: Friday - No practice. Optional shooting (gym or park) is possible since almost everybody has the day off from school. We can try for any time before 2 pm. Or just take the day off and get your reps (3 miles, 200 shots, 50 FTs, 100 pushups, 100 crunches) in.

Saturday, 9:30 am - Stretching/warmups at Salt Lake gym outside courts. 10:30 am - H1 Thunder vs. Next Level 808 (Ikaika JV League), Salt Lake gym.

Saturday, 11:50 am - Stretching/warmups at Kilauea gym. 12:50 pm - H1 Thunder vs. Kahuku (CAL Varsity League), Kilauea gym.

Sunday, 9:20 am - Stretching/warmups at Kilauea gym. 10:20 am - H1 Thunder vs. Hoops4Christ (CAL 13U Gold), Kilauea gym.

Sunday, 1:00 pm - Stretching/warmups at Aiea gym. 2:00 pm - H1 Thunder vs. 808 Stunnahz (Ikaika JV League), Aiea gym.
WE LUB THIS GAAAAAAME!!

Video: Thunder vs Crush (V)

Highlights


Full game footage

vs Crush (V) 8/15/2015

CAL League, Varsity Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/YHLVoVS4cTs

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/Zo9ivsMb9l8

Video: Brandon Higashionna. 

Score: Thunder 57, Crush 41.

Video: Thunder vs Sharks (JV)

Highlights


Full game footage

vs Sharks (JV) 8/15/2015

Ikaika League, JV Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/Oine-9m49G8

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/My0q55zsLtg

Video: Brandon Higashionna. 

Score: Sharks 44, Thunder 36. 

Video: Thunder vs LBC (V)

Highlights



Full game footage

vs LBC (V) 8/11/2015

Ikaika League, Varsity Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/kHISXCdOfYc

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/NhuUQQAC0mc

Video: Brandon Higashionna.

Score: Thunder 54, LBC 49.

Video: Thunder vs Kapalama (JV)

Highlights


Full game footage

vs Kapalama (JV) 8/5/2015

PAA League, JV Division

∆∆ Full game http://youtu.be/UOh6746RKco

∆∆ Highlights http://youtu.be/3XiMInPz3ww

H1 Thunder vs Kapalama highlights (JV) 8/5/2015 - YouTube

Video: Brandon Higashionna. 

Score: Thunder 35, Kapalama 32. 

Catching up on the many games of recent weeks. This was posted on Facebook at week or so ago, just getting around to posting it on the blog. Click on the links to go straight to YouTube if you are not able to view it here. 

Wednesday Funday

And they're off and running. 

Sierra in the lead again.
20 laps (1 mile)
FTs
> Michael 39-50
> Tenchi 20-50
> Sierra 35-50
> Skylar 20-50
> Chaz 19-50
> Jance 22-50
###
Aside from 3-man weave (75 points in 6 minutes) and 3-point Challenge to close practice, not a lot of drills today, but we got a lot of basic competition through 4-on-4 fullcourt scrimmaging. The team of Sierra, Michael, DJ and Jance defeated the team of Tenchi, Chaz, Skylar and Matthew 4-2 in a best-of-7 series. It was grueling, but solid. A lot of toughness and grit today.

Next: Thursday, 6:00 pm - Stretching/warmups at Kilauea gym. 7:00 pm - H1 Thunder vs. Homegrown (PAA League, JV Division), Kilauea gym.
WE LUB THIS GAAAAME!!

Do you have it?

Skills and miles. Heart and basketball IQ. Can't teach love for the game. Got it or you don't.

Roll Call: Where were they?

Better turnout to practice this week and hearing a little more from guys who can't make it. Thank you.

Still not hearing from everybody. I don't hate the sinner, but I hate the sin. Learn to be responsible now while you're young, Thunder. No employer, teacher or coach likes a person who acts like a big-timer. Text or call (551-1054) when you can't make practice or games.

I share because I care.

Where were they?
#0 Micah Visoria - Roosevelt and Manoa league practices/games.
#1 Keanu Pratt - Kaimuki football practice.
#2 Kapaa Nishimura - Homework and hosting.
#3 Kyle Moraga - ?
#4 Chase Santos - Homework.
#5 Jared Elwin - Roosevelt football practice.
#6 Ryan Higashionna - Resting sore back.
#7 Josh De Jesus - Playing for Lanakila (Farrington JV coach).
#9 Mosi Afe - Came to practice Monday. No show Tue Wed.
#10 Josh Roberts - St Louis football practice.
#12 Jance Apuya - Returned from foot injury. Practiced Tue Wes.
#13 Jason Doyle - No show Mon Tue Wed.
#14 Skylar Kawakami-Bechtel - Homework Mon. Practiced Tue Wed.
#15 Sierra Murobayashi - Practiced Mon Tue Wed.
#17 Jayden Ramos - After school extracurricular activities.
#20 Michael Mercado-Smith - Practiced Mon Wed. Tue weight training at Maryknoll.
#21 Chris Afe - Farrington JV football practice.
#22 Kali'a Mielke - Personal trainer at Kamehameha.
#23 Felcris Ahadain - Playing for Kalihi Valley varsity (Farrington assistant coach).
#24 Jonah Gormley - Aiea JV football practice.
#25 Radyn Kaleikini - Bowling?
#29 Matthew Pascual - Practiced Mon Tue Wed.
#30 Colin Ramos - Mid-Pacific bowling.
#34 Chaz Enos - Practiced Tue Wed.
#44 Tenchi Robinson - Practiced Wed. Weight training at Maryknoll Mon Tue.
#54 Trinity Martin - School job.
#55 Jhevin Mercado - Aiea JV football practice.
#88 Walter Berthold - Practiced Tue. KAC/Manoa league practice/games.

Ikaika League: JV game added for Sunday

Ikaika League sent out a revised schedule. This adds a JV game to our slate this weekend (Sun 2 pm at Aiea gym).
Please note that CAL League had previously changed our time for a Varsity game vs Kahuku on Saturday to accommodate us for the drive from Salt Lake to Kilauea gym.

* Changes from last week or earlier

% Change (or new addition) in date, time and/or opponent

Thur Aug 20, 7:00 pm vs Homegrown (PAA League JV Division), Kilauea gym

Sat Aug 22, 10:30 am vs Next Level 808 (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym

%% Sat Aug 22, 12:50 am vs Kahuku (CAL Varsity Division), Kilauea gym

Sun Aug 23, 10:20 am vs Hoops4Christ (CAL 13U Gold Division), Kilauea gym

%% Sun Aug 23, 2:00 pm vs 808 Stunnahz (Ikaika JV Division), Aiea gym (new date)

* Tue Aug 25, 6:55 pm vs TBA (Ikaika Varsity Division), Palolo gym

Thur, Aug. 27, 7:45 pm vs Sharks-Green (PAA League JV Division), Kilauea gym

Sat Aug 29, 10:30 am vs H4C (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym

* Wed Sept 2, 5:00 pm vs Kapolei Canes (Ikaika Varsity Division), Aiea gym

Thur Sept 3, 7:45 pm vs Mililani (PAA JV Division), Kilauea gym

Sat Sept 5, 10:15 am vs Hawaii Storm (PAA JV Division), Kilauea gym

** Sat Sept 5, 12:10 pm vs LBC (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym

Sun Sept 6, 10:40 am vs Lanakila (Ikaika JV Division), Aiea gym

Thur Sept 10, 7:45 pm vs Sharks-Black (PAA JV Division), Kilauea gym

% * Tue Sept 15, 6:55 pm vs PC Purple Devils (Ikaika Varsity Division), Palolo gym (opponent changed)

Sat Sept 19, 9:40 am vs Owls (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym

Sat Sept 19, 9:30 am vs Ballers 4 Life (PAA JV Division), Kilauea gym

* Sun Sept 20, 9:00 am vs Hui (Ikaika Varsity Division), Aiea gym

* Tue Sept 22, 6:00 pm vs Hoops4Christ (Ikaika Varsity Division), Palolo gym

Note: Playoffs for Ikaika JV Division begin Tue Sept 28.

Wed Sept 30, 6:40 pm vs 4/Ewa (Ikaika Varsity Division), Aiea gym

Note: Playoffs for Ikaika Varsity Division begin Tue Oct 6

Tuesday funday

Had enough to get a lot of conditioning done (mile run, 3-man weave) and also go 3-on-3 fullcourt in a best-of-7 series. Sierra, Jance and DJ won the series 4 games to 2.

Got a lot of 3-point shooting reps in today, too. No wind, overcast, pretty good weather. A blessing!

Lineup: Skylar, Chaz, Walter, DJ, Jance, Sierra.

Next: Wednesday, 4:30 pm - Practice at Makiki Park. Pau 6:30 pm.

This Week (Aug 18-23)

> Tuesday

4:30 pm - Practice at Makiki Park. Pau 6:30 pm.

> Wednesday

4:30 pm - Practice at Makiki Park. Pau 6:30 pm.

> Thursday

6:00 pm - Stretching/warmups at Kilauea gym.

7:00 pm - H1 Thunder vs. Homegrown (PAA JV Division). 

> Friday - No practice. 

> Saturday

9:30 am - Stretching/warmups at Salt Lake gym.

10:30 am - H1 Thunder vs. Next Level 808 (Ikaika JV Division), Salt Lake gym. 

11:50 am - Stretching/warmups at Kilauea gym. 

12:50 pm - H1 Thunder vs. Kahuku (CAL Varsity Division, Kilauea gym. 

> Sunday

9:20 am - Stretching/warmups at Kilauea gym.

10:20 am - H1 Thunder vs. Hoops4Christ (CAL 13U Gold Division), Kilauea gym.
12:00 pm - Lunch at Wendy's Aiea. 

1:00 pm - Stretching/warmups at Aiea gym.
2:00 pm - H1 Thunder vs. 808 Stunnahz, Aiea gym.

WE LUB THIS GAAAAME!!

Monday funday

Off and running. Michael Mosi DJ Sierra.
Tenchi - training
Kapaa - homework and hosting
Skylar - math homework

20 laps (1 mile)
50 FTs: Sierra 43-50, Michael 41-50, Mosi 33-50, DJ 13-50.

Got a lot of solid work done. Sometimes it is fun. Sometimes, it is repetitious. Always, team first. 

Post-game

Hard to beat the $10 New Yorker XL pizzas at Pizza Hut. The Thunder keiki went 5-1 this weekend in V/JV/13U league games still getting better, still learning along the way. The younger guys have had more practice time together and their chemistry and hoops IQ are often times miles ahead of most teams of any age.

It was very humid this weekend, which really tested our guys' conditioning. The guys who are in shape had the advantage in these games. For those who handled the heat well, I'm happy for them. Hard work every day matters. For the guys who couldn't keep up, it's up to you to get the best you can out of yourself for your teammates

H1 Thunder 47, Warriors 20 (13U)

CAL 13U Gold Division
We were missing a couple of guys but our 7 Pups are growing up! Great defense from start to finish. The guys really got rolling after we started to pressure the ball full court. Jonah and Jayden ran the floor especially well. We had JV, V and 13U games yesterday but there wasn't any fatigue today.

Ryan was excellent as our point center again. Probably had 10 rebounds and at least 8 assists. Skylar and Jayden have really stepped up their defense in the past few weeks. Skylar was on fire the few games from deep. Today, Jayden arrived straight from clinic and was hot from 3 land.

We led 34-13 at halftime and Mosi Afe got his first win as a coach. GOOD WORK THUNDER!!

Lineup: Matthew, Jayden, Jonah, Chaz, Walter, Ryan, Skylar.

H1 Thunder 32, Blue Devils 25 (V)

CAL JV League, Kilauea gym
Sluggish performance but we willed ourselves to a team win. Radyn and Mosi made enough plays on our pick and roll and Chase was superb defensively. He also had a big low post spin move for 2 key points late in the game. Kapaa was on fire from deep early in the game on both set plays and scrambles.

Very hot and humid. Guys were worn out early. Our younger guys gave us a good boost off the bench. Two guys woke up just before the game which began at 1020 am.

Saturday Night Live

H1 Thunder 47, Team Hustle 17
Ikaika League, JV Division, Kaneohe gym
Small ball is what our younger guys do best. They've been battling teams with 6-footers, guys 6-2, 6-4 for years. Great effort and teamwork tonight from start to finish.

Lineup: Skylar Kawakami-bechtel, Jayden, Colin Micah Ramos, Ryan, Jonah, Felcris Ahadain, Micah Visoria,

UPDATE: Saturday marathon

(Posted Sat Aug 15 on FB)

We rallied from about 18 down to within 37-36 before losing to the Sharks, 44-36, in Ikaika JV League this morning. I'm glad we didn't forfeit; early this morning we had just 4 players. And I'm proud of our guys for their courage in rallying back. Just need to play smarter early in the game. It's been a trend lately.

Drove to Kilauea from Salt Lake and our Varsity Thunder beat Crush 57-41 in a physical battle. We were behind in this early, too. I keep hoping I don't have to raise my intensity level for us to play great defense and box out, but me being calm doesn't seem to work at all with our older (JV/V) guys. Fortunately, we buckled down and got much more physical. Strong, balanced basketball by our older guys. Nice work on fullcourt pressure.

Third game was 13U Gold, and we were up 17-1 at the half (I think). Really solid team defense in fullcourt and halfcourt. Absolute hustle, and our Varsity guys set the tone in the game earlier. D-Up rallied in the final quarter to get within 6, but we closed out well defensively and won 24-16.

Final game is tonight in PAA JV League at Kaneohe gym. Game time is 6:45 (corrected time).

We play Team Hustle.
WE LUB THIS GAAAAAME!!

3 Miles

(Posted Fri Aug 14 on FB)

Texted this to our Thunder just now: Who ran 3 miles today? That's how much you'll run in a game when there are no subs.

So far I've gotten 2 replies. One guy ran 1.5 miles and another ran 1 mile. Not bad. That's roughly 1 to 1.5 quarters of basketball. Gotta start somewhere. Keep it up

Thank You

Big Mahalo to our parents and biggest supporters for giving their time and resources. It all comes from da heart!!

Kapaa and Lehua, mahalo for bringing a case of bottled water on Saturday.

Brandon, mahalo for shooting your 69th, 70th and 71st consecutive games as a Thunder Volinteer. You will always be a champion in my book.

Joel and the Gormley Ohana, mahalo for taking Mosi and DJ home yesterday.

Finally, thank you Parents for forgoving me about Saturday's game time at Kaneohe. All went well. God is so good to this old fut coach.

H1 Thunder: 2014-15 JV review

Back-to-back league titles in consecutive seasons, that's not an easy feat. There are plenty of quality programs around the island.

When I think about our guys who won the Ikaika League spring title and Le Jardin summer crown, there's maturity, unity and ownership that come to mind. Mature enough to battle through every challenge together. Unified as one. Not a real talkative group, but definitely of one mind and mentality. The guys took command when things got tough, doing all the necessary work defensively, on the boards. Didn't matter if we were the taller team or clearly outsized, which was the case in all our playoff games. 

Talent is one thing, but desire and composure require more than just being athletic. When we needed a boost from our coaches, they stepped up. Coach Rob and Coach Kalei prefer being dads in the bleachers, but they came through big time to guide our team in the quarterfinals and semifinals while our roster was split between Oahu and Maui. They did whatever it took for our crew of six players to emerge victorious. That takes savvy, smarts and finesse all at the same time. 

It was a great run from the spring through the summer. 9-1 at Ikaika League. 13-1 at Le Jardin. Championships or not, one of the most coachable and quietly driven groups we've had. Thanks for the fun times, guys. 

The Core

#4 Chase Santos

"Most Improved" isn't the right term. Most versatile? Maybe. Chase has grown about 3 inches this year, and during that time he has also gotten stronger without losing his quickness. It is rare to find a player can cover any position, close out on 3-point shooters, block shots, rebound, handle the ball as a point forward, shoot the 3, hit the short-range jump hook. He got better in so many different facets of the game as he grew, if you never saw him play before, you might think — as one coach said to me after a game — that he was always a standout kind of player. He does it quietly and he does it persistently. When he locked down on opposing scorers, they couldn't do any more damage. Versatile, definitely. And one of our most valuable players. 

#9 Mosi Afe

Turbo Boost. Mosi has always been a big part of our engine as a team on defense, on offense, on the boards, on the perimeter. This is a year when he has played as much basketball non-stop as he did back 3 years ago when he was 12 and we had just started our younger group. As time goes by, Mosi is learning to contain and control his amazing speed and acceleration. He's put a lot of work lately into his perimeter shot, his floater, his change of speed on those explosive drives. With him there consistently, our fullcourt and halfcourt pressure increases in a big, big way. Mosi is a clear example of a guy with unique skills and abilities, yet he enjoys sharing success as much or more than anyone. Sometimes he passes the ball when he should be shooting. It's a good problem, actually, his balance of unselfishness and willingness to be one of the guys who attacks a tough defense is rare. Two coaches in the past week told me the same thing: "He's a beast." 

#15 Sierra Murobayashi

Whether she started or came off the bench, Sierra was tough defensively, unafraid of the physical play in the paint, always contesting shots. Her strength and quickness have improved, and her daily commitment to shooting drills shows. Her 3-point shot is more accurate than ever, and when she hit one, two, three or more in a row, we always got a major momentum surge on both ends of the floor. Knowing when to pull the trigger can be tough to understand for some long-range gunners, but Sierra has gained that understanding. She plays like a veteran. 

#22 Kali‘a Mielke

I could not really explain easily to another coach or parent or observer what Kali‘a means to us. He's everybody's friend. He makes you laugh. He reaches out. He's a guy who brings people together. But that's off the court. On the court, he's a thinking man who is equally an aggressor on the low post. He's a guard in a lineman's body, but he's not married to the idea of being on the wing full time. He loves physical play, which is why we were fine on the boards even when our center, Tenchi, was resting on the bench. A lot of players are not easily coachable by the time they're almost in high school, but Kali‘a soaks everything up. His court vision and passing skills make it much easier for us to go small or big any time he's on the floor. His work at improving his 3-point shot is also a game changer. But more than that, Kali‘a has the power to make people believe. That's why he's a key part of our championships. 

#25 Radyn Kaleikini

If Kali‘a is sometimes a point forward, Radyn is a power guard. Here's the deal. In our earlier years, when we had an assemblage of 6-6 and 6-2 guys (2010 17U team), Radyn would've been a guard shooting 5 to 10 treys per game. In this era, we didn't have that kind of size (until Tenchi arrived). So our system evolved, changed, adjusted. Radyn brought shooting skills, a ferocious will to attack the rim, and a fearless attitude about rebounding against players 6 inches taller. At the beginning — early summer of 2014 — he scrapped and did everything he could to carry our depleted 15U team. But now, we have a blessing of depth and versatility on the roster. He could still be a 3-point shooting guard. But to win championships, we needed consistency. Easy layups. Free throws. And Radyn learned to become that guy, driving relentlessly against all these man-to-man defenses, sacrificing his body, taking every hit, hack and elbow to get to the line. At the line, he's one of our best. And that ingrained competitiveness he has, that was a big reason we won the Ikaika League, through sheer willpower and heart. It continued with Le Jardin League, using his strength and size and finesse to overcome faster defenders, taller defenders, defenders ganging up in the paint. And he had the court vision and anticipation to become a nice kick-out passer. He has the total package, even posting up at the right time. There's a reason why Pac-Five still wanted him to join the football team. But as long as he's hungry for basketball, he's only going to get better in every facet. 

#44 Tenchi Robinson

It's not easy balancing the demands of Maryknoll basketball's offseason training and the busy schedule of H1 Thunder practices and games. Tenchi has been worn out at times, a 6-foot-9 guy being asked to do things that are usually reserved for 5-9 guys. But he works diligently. Low post drills. Wing drills. 3-point shooting drills. He's learned to become a protector at the rim rather than chasing opposing players on the fastbreak. There's so much potential in Tenchi, and he's doing his best. I keep pushing him, hard sometimes, softer sometimes. I know he loves the game and I know he really enjoys his teammates. He's probably one of the funniest guys on the team even though he doesn't really talk the most. Tenchi has a big heart for the younger guys, and it doesn't matter much to him the age of the guys who show up to practice. He keeps working. He keeps having fun. He keeps things in perspective. And I want him to keep honing his shooting form. He has a beautiful stroke from the 3-point line and beyond — when we do our one-hand shooting drill. A tremendous shot blocker with a crazy wide wing span who can score on the post, hit the open 3 AND is left-handed... I don't think Tenchi completely realizes yet how unique that set of skills could be. And it doesn't matter. All that matters is that he loves his team and, hopefully, he loves working toward his dreams with each rep, every day. 

Key role players

#0 Micah Visoria

Sure, having 8th graders on the roster is good for their experience whether they play a lot or not. But Micah always brought basketball IQ, a deadly 3-point shot and willingness to play physical. Diving for loose balls. Battling bigger players on the boards. He was better than most of the 9th and 10th grade guards in the league. 

#2 Kapaa Nishimura

He missed the regular season in this league while playing for the Thunder and his school team in the Kalani Varsity League. When our numbers sank dangerously low, Kapaa stepped up and not only helped us avoid forfeiting games, but became a force attacking the basket and playing opportunistic defense as a 6-2 rebounding guard. That mentality added huge bonuses to our team, and when he hit those long-range bombs, dagger time. 

#3 Kyle Moraga

He had ups and downs in the spring, missing a lot of time on the court but making it to games when he could. Kyle got back in the groove during the playoffs and had his best day in the championship game of the Ikaika League with clutch perimeter shooting. The old Kyle was back. He didn't play with us in Le Jardin JV League, but it was a nostalgic stretch of time to see him wearing Thunder orange and teal again. 

#5 Jared Elwin

He was busy, busy, busy with Roosevelt volleyball in the spring and the annual summer training at his Grandpa's house (boxing lessons three times a week, running hills, etc.). But Jared made it to a few games in Ikaika League and gave us the same, great on-ball defense, rebounding, floor leadership, penetration, shooting, passing... he's got as good an all-around package of skills as any guard at the freshman level, and he has toughness. I'd call him "Nails" but he's one of the nicest kids and leaders we've had. We just miss him a lot.

#6 Ryan Higashionna

Probably the youngest starting guard in the league. With so many offensive weapons on the floor, Ryan did what he always does: he finds his niche, runs the offense, takes advantage of weaknesses in the defense and plays great defense. He's gotten stronger and smarter in the years since he was 11 going up against 13- and 14-year-olds. He is a glue guy, a crucial part of an efficient, wise offensive set each time. The ball moves when Ryan is on the court, and as his offense continues to progress — he has a killer left-handed Euro-step move plus 3-point range — he will be impossible to neutralize.

#7 Josh De Jesus

Josh made it to just one game, but his willingness to play any position, to guard primary scorers and be patient before launching his dangerous 3-point shot fit right in with all our older Thunder. He's another 8th grader who plays like a 10th grader. 

#10 Josh Roberts

Josh made it to a few games, I think, and gave us great hustle and defense, a willingness to battle on the boards against taller guys. He's unselfish and he's getting better from the perimeter. Always in top shape thanks to a busy schedule in Saint Louis athletics. As his shooting continues to improve, he has the potential to be another tremendously solid all-around player. Classic Thunder. 

#12 Jance Apuya

I can't remember if he reinjured his foot before or after Le Jardin League started, but I list Jance mainly because he was there. HE WAS THERE. With his walking boot on, Jance would be there on the bench in full uniform. I know he wanted to play. I know he knew that he could not. But his heart, his spirit... he was there not just mentally, but physically. That meant a lot to me and our other guys, especially our 8th graders who played with Jance in Intermediate and 13U the past year. I'm looking forward to a healthy Jance real soon. Almost nobody works harder every single day. 

#13 Jason Doyle

Jason is another eighth grader who made it to one game — and he saved us from a possible forfeit, and also played a nice role in the win. The way he played against a team of sophomores and freshmen showed a lot. He was still getting acclimated to our system as a newer player, but what he already possessed is a knack for taking care of the ball, keeping it high, pivoting, making the right pass at the right time for buckets. Tough and unselfish. We seem to draw that kind of player, that kind of person. It keeps my hopes high. 

#17 Jayden Ramos

Like some of our other 8th graders, Jayden made it to just a few games, but his ability to defend, play physical and run the floor during our playoff run was plus, plus and plus. When a role player off the bench can do all that, plus stretch the floor with his or her 3-point range, it helps us compete against any foe. Jayden has a good collection of skills and as a seventh grader, he has so much time to become a terrific contributor. He's got those broad shoulders and reminds me sometimes of another young bomber I got to see back in the day: Coach Jimmy Miyasaka. 

#21 Chris Afe

He missed the Le Jardin season, but he was there for our run to the Ikaika title. Chris could score 20 points or 2 points, but his real value to us is always a combination of rebounding, blocked shots and, probably most important, passing. Outlet passes. Interior passes. Post-to-3-point shot passes. Chris' court vision has always been outstanding in a very basic, fundamental way, going back to when he was 11 and on our early 12U and 13U teams. He can shoot the 3, especially when he gets enough reps during the week, and he has eye-popping explosiveness on drives to the basket. But he always plays within himself, always gives what the team needs. If not for his tremendous future in football (he's a QB), he'd be playing basketball every day. He would've been the cornerstone of our 8th grade team over the past two years if not for year-round football, but we're glad when he can make it to the court.

#23 Felcris Ahadain

On our Intermediate squad, Felcris is a huge factor on offense, a distributor and scorer, and an increasingly tough defender on the ball. On our talented JV unit, he was another 8th grader with a lot to offer off the bench, occasionally starting. There aren't many Thunder who spend as much time as he does alone at the court, working on his moves and shots. Playing with our older guys has helped Felcris advance as a playmaker who can drive, use his vision and either move the ball to the open man or simply dribble through and reset the offense. Felcris is as eager as any of our guys to take a pressure short, and he has been clutch before and will be clutch in the future. He's unique, hard working and one of the guys who is devoted to his Thunder brothers and the game. 

#24 Jonah Gormley

His speed. His speed went very good to outstanding over the last couple of months. Some of it may have been simple maturation. But I know it started to really take off after he began playing football for his school (Aiea). As an 8th grader, he is a key part of our younger team and a solid contributor to our JV squad. Jonah worked hard on his 3-point shot and the rewards have been enormous for him and his teammates. He runs the floor, of course, and is tremendous at finishing with layups in transition. But it's his pressure defense and toughness that really tip the scales. He has boundless energy as the top man on our press, and his hustle on the boards, closing out on shooters and overall positivity are all plus factors that helped the team to these titles in both age groups. Like Chase, he locks down on the opposing team's top scorer when asked. His ability to accept and embrace that role changes games. 

#30 Colin Ramos

Like so many of our guys, Colin was busy with his school team during the summer, but he made it to our Le Jardin playoff games and provided that insanely quick speed, transition scoring and defense. He thrives in a fast pace, applying fullcourt pressure, attacking at every opportunity. I'm not sure if anyone has put in as many miles on a basketball court as Colin has this year, especially since joining Mid-Pacific's program. He was an 8th grader playing on every level, going to all their practices and then to Thunder practices when there was time. He's always been a fine perimeter shooter, but adding the hesitation move and mid-range floater is a great new set of weapons. As he gets older, Colin has the benefit of focusing on guard play, which will help him take less wear and tear — with our younger team, everyone had to battle huge centers and hit the boards. It'll be fun to see some of our busiest guys get more time with our Thunder this fall. 

#34 Chaz Enos

Chaz made it to a few games and got a few 3-pointers knocked down. Not bad for a 6th grader in a JV league. His court awareness and ballhandling skills continue to improve. He won't usually let any defense corner him these days. He keeps moving and his skill level as a passer has bumped up several notches. He's exposed to so much basketball through his family and Thunder, and he's a student of the game, not just an NBA fan. His future in the game will be very interesting to watch. 

#55 Jhevin Mercado 

He got busy with summer school (all the way in Kapolei), but Jhevin made it to our JV games at Le Jardin when he could and contributed some solid minutes with his hustle and 3-point shooting. When he's on, there aren't many guys on the Thunder roster who can sink treys as quickly. Jhevin is another 8th grader who saw a lot of games at both the Intermediate and JV levels. He's learning on the fly, and his great attitude helps a lot. 

I think that's everybody who played in Ikaika JV and Le Jardin JV Leagues. It was a blast from start to finish, and as we start Fall League play, I hope we can muster up enough people and practice time to make another run at the Varsity and JV levels. At this point, we're not just preparing for the Fall and our players' winter seasons with their school teams. We're starting to prepare for next summer in Las Vegas, Anaheim, Maui. Now is the time. 

WE LUB THIS GAAAAME!!!