On Saturday, Hawaii basketball player Kamaka Hepa had a full plate of production — 29 points, six rebounds, plus-13 presence — in a 69-56 bounce-back victory over Cal Poly.
What pre-game meal fueled the performance?
“Nothing,” Hepa said, smiling. “I played the game starving.”
That appetite for destruction was fostered two nights after the Rainbow Warriors relinquished 63.6% shooting against UC Davis, a day after coaches tried to spark 6-foot-10 Hepa’s inner fire.
“The challenge we asked him was just to continue to find ways to impact the game,” UH coach Eran Ganot said.
With a nearly 7-foot reach, Hepa is an imposing defender. Hepa also is dead-eye marksman who has hit 94 free throws in a row and 26 consecutive 3-point shots in practice.
Against Cal Poly, the ’Bows called for high-low plays with center Bernardo da Silva setting screens and Hepa sliding into the post.
“(Hepa) in the post gets him into an aggressive mindset,” Ganot said. “Either he can go over the top of you and play over some mismatches or he creates good action for us and hits people (with passes) on the weak side. I think that’s something we’re looking forward to building up on.”
Hepa drew seven fouls against Cal Poly, leading to 11-for-12 free throws. He made all six free throws after being fouled twice while attempting 3-point shots. Hepa entered 11-for-13 on free throws in his previous 11 Big West games.
“I think the biggest thing is not shying away from physicality,” Hepa said. “One of the next steps I have to take as a player is being aggressive and not shying away from contact in general.”
Hepa is being counted on as the ’Bows head into the final stretch of eight regular-season games, starting with Thursday’s matchup against UC San Diego in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
“He’s a great player and a great young man and a leader in our program,” Ganot said.
Hepa is a fifth-year senior and co-captain who transferred from Texas in August 2021. “To me, it doesn’t feel unnatural or anything,” Hepa said of his captain’s role. “I feel the group of guys we have … they all trust me and respect me to make them accountable to what it is we have to do to be a good basketball team. I just go out there and try to do my best, and I think we have other good leaders on the team.”
In his final semester of college basketball, Hepa appears to be playing more at ease, much like how he was growing up in Alaska. His hometown, now known as Utqiagvik, has a population that is half the capacity of UH’s 10,000-seat arena. In the summertime, when Utqiagvik gets 22 hours of daylight, Hepa, his cousins and friends would play games of 21 on a dirt driveway.
Hepa portrayed the Brooklyn Nets’ All-Star forward. “I was always Kevin Durant,” Hepa said. “It was a little bit before Kevin Durant was in his prime and seeing him grow into the player he is. He’s somebody I tried to imitate, for sure.”
On Tuesday, ahead of an interview session, Hepa launched shot after shot from behind the 3-point arc during a workout session. About 80% swished. Hepa — and his teammates — were doing their part to avoid offensive lapses. “I do like how where we’re headed in terms of how we’ve been locking in on the mistakes we’ve been making,” Hepa said.
Big West Basketball
>> Who: UC San Diego (8-16, 3-9 Big West) vs. Hawaii (17-7, 8-4 Big West)
>> When: 7 p.m. Thursday
>> Where: SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420 AM
>> Promotion: Hawaiian Financial Federal Credit Union will distribute water bottles to the first 1,000 fans.
