When Kaleb Gilmore, the University of Hawaii Hilo’s leading long-range shooting guard, makes a 3-pointer on an assist from forward Kupaa Harrison, or vice versa, their Vulcans teammates have a pet phrase for it.
“They call it the ‘Kailua Connection,’ ” Gilmore says.
Theirs is a remarkable association, really. Born six days apart, their friendship began as 5-year-olds when a shared love for basketball brought two youngsters from neighboring streets together in the Kailua Basketball Association.
It is a friendship that has endured for more than 15 years through multiple changes in schools and twists of fate, reuniting them in high school for a state championship at Kalaheo in 2015 and, most recently, again in college, where they take aim at trying to help deliver the Vulcans to a postseason breakthrough.
The Vulcans (11-13 overall, 9-11 conference), who close their regular season with Thursday’s game at Chaminade and a Saturday contest with Hawaii Pacific, have yet to earn a berth in the PacWest Conference tournament’s seven-year history or play anywhere in the postseason since 2004-05.
The top six teams in the 12-member PacWest qualify for the tournament and the Vulcans, the only public school in the conference, are tied for sixth place. Chances are they will need a sweep of their Oahu trip to clinch a spot in the March 5-7 tournament at Azusa Pacific.
It is a tall order, but, then, Harrison, the Vulcans’ leading scorer (17.6 points per game) and rebounder (7.0 per game) and Gilmore, Hilo’s most accurate 3-point shooter (36.4%), have heard that before. In 2015 they propelled Kalaheo, an underdog in the playoffs that season, to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I State Championship. Harrison, who transferred from ‘Iolani, and Gilmore, who transferred from Maryknoll, formed the one-two punch in the Mustangs’ 31-1 season under Alika Smith.
When Gilmore rolled an ankle in the semifinals and was questionable for the championship game against ‘Iolani, Harrison said he told him, “We’ll feed you the ball and you just take the shots, we’ll take care of everything else.”
Harrison produced 16 rebounds and five assists and Gilmore gutted out 30 points in 32 minutes to earn state tournament MVP and Star-Advertiser State Player of the Year honors.
It seemed to be their swan song as teammates. Harrison, with a desire to play on the mainland, headed off to Lewis & Clark in Oregon. Gilmore, with family roots at Chaminade, where his father, George, was a Hall of Fame player, headed up Kalaepohaku. They wished each other luck and said they figured to hook up someday after their college careers.
Three years later, with Harrison having transferred to Orange Coast (Calif.) College and Gilmore having moved on to Jacksonville (Texas) College, they were idly talking about where the next steps in their basketball journey might take them and which schools had tendered them offers. When Harrison said he told Gilmore, “I’m probably looking at going to Hilo,” he said Gilmore shot back, “ ‘No way. Me, too, I’m looking at Hilo.’ ”
In short order they both signed on and have become roommates on road trips. Not for the first time were they or their teammates left to marvel at the intertwining of their paths.
Gilmore said, “That’s the Kailua Connection. Its too funny. I love it.”
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
