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Saturday, December 14, 2024 79° Today's Paper


Sports

Micah Christenson

COURTESY PHOTO

* Kamehameha * Basketball, volleyball * GPA: 3.5 * College choice: Southern California

 

He’s a fan of the underdog, which is why Micah Christenson is ultra geeked up this week.

His favorite NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks, are in the NBA Finals.

But personally, Christenson isn’t the classic underdog. Potential was coded into his genes, but ultimate success came from the heart.

Blessed with a 6-foot-51⁄2-inch frame, Christenson was already a star athlete long before he was in high school.

By the time he arrived at Kamehameha, he was a phenom. By the time his career was done, the Warriors had won two state basketball titles, and ended a nine-year drought in boys volleyball by winning the state crown this spring.

Christenson was in the middle of all of this. He was a three-time All-State pick, a Star-Advertiser Player of the Year, and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in basketball. As a three-time All-State selection in volleyball and leading candidate as Player of the Year, his exploits have already reached international levels. He has long been active with Outrigger Canoe Club’s volleyball team, and he has a long list of national and international accolades. He was a Volleyball Magazine national high school All-American as a sophomore, and was named best setter in the NORCECA Junior National Team Qualifier as a junior. And he was the youngest ever at the position to play for Team USA at a world championship.

His performance in the winter and spring back home at Kamehameha may have topped them all.

In the winter, he willed the Warriors to victory over No. 1-seeded ‘Iolani in a 64-53 victory. Playing all 32 minutes, Micah had 21 points, seven rebounds, two blocks, two steals and two assists. For the week, he averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds and three steals per game in one of the most dominant performances in tournament history.

“We really established connections,” he said. “We have a bunch of shooters, very confident. I love it. They’re a great bunch of teammates. I had no doubt.”

In the spring, Kamehameha followed a similar path, finishing second in the regular season, but rising to the top in the postseason. His Kamehameha squad squeaked into the postseason by edging ‘Iolani in a tiebreaker, then swept through every foe at the state tournament, including previously unbeaten Punahou, for the championship.

In a shocking three-game sweep of the Buffanblu, Christenson amassed 22 kills at a .500 clip.

“I think it was our confidence and just believing in each other,” he said after hoisting the trophy. “We came together as a team and we won this game as a team.”

Christenson will play volleyball at USC and plans to major in kinesiology.

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