Michael Fisher, Hawaii Baptist’s towering, sky-scraping outside hitter, can expect more high fives and smiles around the corner. Voters selected Fisher the Star-Advertiser boys volleyball all-state player of the year.

This rarity — a player from a Division II program collecting the highest honor — was based on anything but Fisher’s pure, electrifying performances. He began as a lanky kid learning the game from his coaches at the school and Kui Kahi Volleyball Club. But as he grew stronger — and to 6-feet-7 — his skill and athleticism seemed not only to improve, but multiply exponentially.

Now UCLA-bound and set to play for the new U.S. Olympics coach, Fisher reacts to praise from all corners — including that from some of the state’s most prominent coaches — the same way. Relaxed. Understated. Ready for the next challenge, but not in a rush, either.

Whether it was a California powerhouse like Mira Costa or Redondo Union or an ILH D-I foe, he laid down the most prolific and terrifying blasts from such an extreme height.

HBA went 16-0 this season against ILH D-II and postseason opponents, including a sweep of all three foes in the state tourney. But the Eagles’ menu of competition read like a litany of David stoning a row of Goliaths. Among their fallen foes from the Golden State this year: Servite, Silverado, Buchanan, La Costa Canyon, Van Nuys.

A Star-Advertiser reporter covering a preseason tourney asked the Cali-based coaches if they had anyone like Fisher back home this season.

The same answer came from each: "No."

"He developed over the years through timing and repetition," HBA coach Teoni Obrey said.

Rick Tune, who guided Punahou to the D-I state championship, was voted coach of the year by the panel.

"He brought them to the highest level at the most important time, at the state championships," Kamehameha coach Kainoa Downing said. "You have to give him credit for that, getting his team, his boys ready at the most opportune time. That’s a skill. That’s no fluke."

"It is well deserved," said Kamehameha-Hawaii coach Guy Enriques, whose team lost to the Buffanblu in the state tourney. "He did some things that I wasn’t prepared for. He’s a first-class guy, well deserving."

One of Tune’s players, Larry Tuileta, was a close second to Fisher in the All-State voting. Still, the coach was impressed by Fisher.

"He’s definitely an aggressive attacker, just a big, physical kid, but more than that he’s got pretty high skill level, jumps pretty well, hits a heavy ball, pretty much hits all the different sets. Out of the back row, front row, all different spots," Tune said.

"His blocking’s pretty underrated. He’s a pretty good left-side blocker, he knows how to bunch read. That’s what we run and it’s a really high-level, collegiate scheme. It takes incredible time and patience to teach. He’s a pretty lethal blocker, as well. As a server, he’s got a real, real tough jump serve. When you get a player who can score points doing any skill, you have a pretty big-time talent."

Downing sees a wide-open future for Fisher.

"He’s a great person. He’s outstanding as a human being, very respectful," Downing said. "Because of those traits, he has a great chance of succeeding at the next level."

Tuileta, a 6-2 outside hitter, was arguably the finest all-around player. His greatest skill may be that intuitive feel in mid-air, drawing out the right tool to use for kill after kill — an unstoppable mix of power and finesse.

Last year’s player of the year, Evan Enriques of Kamehameha-Hawaii was third in the voting.

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