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BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM 2015 March 13 SPT - Prep Player of the Year - Kaleb Gilmore of Kalaheo, high school basketball player of the year. HSA photo by Bruce Asato
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The transformation of Kaleb Gilmore was not quite a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon.
No, it was much more like a raw, explosive combatant who gradually, and with great timing, matured into a master martial artist.
Kaleb Gilmore mastered the art of playing fast and playing slow, trusting his skills after years of repetition. He even learned to help his team, Kalaheo, beat major opponents while he hobbled on an injured leg.
It was more than enough for coaches and media to vote the 6-foot senior as Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Gilmore averaged 19 points per game for the Mustangs, bringing explosiveness to a team that thrived on a lot of passing. After transferring from Maryknoll, he became more of a distributor as the Mustangs galloped to the state championship. He had 22 points, five assists and six steals against Maui in the opening round of the state tourney. He was 16-for-17 at the foul line against Punahou, scoring 25 points in the quarterfinals. After struggling through an ankle injury in the semifinals against Kahuku (four points, eight assists, four steals), he scored 30 points vs. ‘Iolani in the final, hitting 18 of his 20 charity shots.
"He’s legit. He was our key focus. We game-planned for him," Kahuku coach Alan Akina said. "We didn’t want to let him get to the hoop. That’s why we went zone. We didn’t want to let him get the ball in transition. He’s a one-man wrecking crew."
When Kahuku visited Kalaheo during the OIA regular season, Gilmore had 22 points and five dimes in a Mustangs comeback win.
"He can shoot the 3 and he can penetrate any small gap. Defensively, he can rip you. He’s a great competitor and he’s got the all-around package," Akina said.
Coach Dean Shimamoto’s ‘Iolani squad was chasing its second state title in a row, but couldn’t overcome Kalaheo’s poise in the closing minutes. Gilmore’s evolution as a winner — he reached the final with Maryknoll in 2013 — meant more discipline offensively.
"He had more of a team mentality this year," Shimamoto said. "He scored a lot, but it seemed more in the flow. His game matured this year. He still took his fair amount of shots, but not just chucking up shots. He benefited tremendously from playing with Kupaa (Harrison), a shoot-second guy."
For Gilmore, everything this season felt comfortable and natural from the start. Arriving as a new member on an already talented team, the transition went smoothly.
Then he overcame a concussion during preseason, and the Mustangs kept building, though Harrison battled an ankle injury all season.
"Coach told me to play my style of basketball, don’t let myself fade from playing my style," he said of Alika Smith. "I liked it. My teammates didn’t rely on me to score. They were there with open shots. It took pressure off me and Kupaa. If I had a bad game, he’d step up. It was a whole team effort."
While injuries were a key factor in two preseason losses, Gilmore pointed to that OIA semifinal defeat to Farrington as the final fuel-up that sparked the title run.
"That woke us up a lot. The loss put us in a mind-set that we can’t lose again, or our season is done," Gilmore said.
Coaches and media voted Alika Smith of Kalaheo the All-State Coach of the Year. The former UH guard guided Kalaheo (31-3) to its second Division I state title in three years. He also led the Mustangs to the D-II crown in 2012.
Shimamoto was second in the voting. He was followed by Farrington’s Allan Silva, who led the Govs to their second OIA title in a row.
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BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM