Every nuance of her game is appreciated.
The feathery midrange jump shot. The spin move in traffic with the strong finish. Either hand. The excellent free-throw shooting. The rebounding. The shot-blocking.
Nothing got under Nihoa Dunn’s skin quite like the purity of endless sprints at practice. When coach Pua Straight needed it, her players paid the price for missed layups.
“Coach Pua, she pushes us a lot in practice. We run a lot. She and the other coaches make us do drills that push us mentally and physically. They push us so we can come out hard. We sprint to start practice, when we miss layups. It’s hard, especially when your running keeps piling on and you have to do chunks,” Dunn said.
Dunn, a former soccer goalkeeper as an elementary school student-athlete, took everything to heart. She also dished out her basketball talent in an unorthodox way, only because a championship matters more than anything.
The 6-foot-1 junior was the cornerstone of Kamehameha’s first state-title run since 2013. Dunn averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds per game at the state tournament. She could have averaged 30 points all season. There were times early on when Kamehameha was ice-cold from the perimeter. Most old-school coaches would call off the long-range misfiring and simply pound the ball inside to Dunn, the best low-post scorer in the state.
Even if she scored against double and triple teams, Dunn knew that would not be sustainable. One night, against Maryknoll, her team was 0-for-8 from the arc in the first three quarters. Dunn kept facing strong help-side defense from Maryknoll’s zone. She kept kicking the ball out to her teammates. They responded with 5-for-6 shooting from deep the rest of the way. Kamehameha rallied for the early-season win.
Dunn had no hesitation.
“There’s no ‘I’ in team. … The offense goes through me heavily, but Coach Pua is able to put the shooters in all the positions they need to be in. I’m double- or triple-teamed and it’s basically impossible to win a state championship by yourself. That’s how I think about it,” Dunn said.
Coaches and media voted Dunn to the Star-Advertiser Girls Basketball All-State team, making her a landslide winner as Player of the Year. Kamehameha went 29-3 overall, including 23-0 against Hawaii opponents.
“I’m really happy. It’s really fulfilling for me, like a perfect way to top off the season after winning states,” she said. “It wasn’t the end goal to me. It’s always to win states. That’s why it’s like a cherry on top.”
“Nihoaʻs greatest strength has always been back to the basket in the paint. She has great hands, great footwork and great touch around the basket,” Straight said. “On top of being the best post player in the state, she has proven to be able to consistently hit from midrange and 3, as well as face up and drive to the basket. She has a high basketball IQ on both ends of the court, which can be seen in her passing ability and ability to read while on defense for steals and assists. She impacts the game in all facets, leading our team in points, rebounds, steals, blocks and field-goal percentage.”
And yet, there’s still something missing. When Mater Dei (Calif.) played Kamehameha in an exhibition game at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium, the Warriors were competitive, but lost 51-42. Two weeks later, Bishop Montgomery (Calif.) was in town and met the Warriors at the HPU Shark Tank in Manoa.
Dunn was a blur, racing up and down the floor as the stunned Knights struggled to keep up. Dunn had 15 points in the first quarter. Kamehameha took a 20-point lead against one of California’s traditional powerhouses.
Bishop Montgomery rallied and eventually pulled out a 55-52 win. Dunn finished with 25 points and seven rebounds, but the better she plays, the more she wants the big prize: a shot at a Division I college scholarship. She will get her chance to show her wares this offseason playing for Jason Kidd’s club team.
“I’m excited. I get to meet new girls and get a different level of exposure,” she said.
For now, it’s a matter of time before Kamehameha retakes the hardwood court to defend its state crown. Dunn has drawn some interest from mainland high school teams, but has no plans to leave.
“She’s unstoppable in the low post, has a soft touch around the bucket with multiple post moves. She’s almost impossible to block out, and she’s an excellent passer,” Maryknoll coach Chico Furtado said.
“Her biggest impact is her ability to utilize her teammates. She never had to do it all by herself.”
Lahainaluna coach Iolani Kaniho has seen many elite post players over the years.
“Nihoa is a strong, physical player. Very unselfish and she uses her teammates well. She plays big in big games and takes over when necessary,” he said.
Straight was voted Coach of the Year by the panel. Last year’s heartbreaking 39-38 loss to ‘Iolani in the state final was an omen of change on the horizon. Straight’s team returned with a measure of grizzled composure, mentally and physically tough on every square foot of the floor.
“She did a great coaching job this year. She made the most of a talented roster.
“Easily the best defensive coach in the state,” Furtado said. “Always positive with her players and they seem to love playing for her. She utilized her bench masterfully.”
Dean Young of ‘Iolani was second in Coach of the Year voting. His team lost a projected starting forward who opted to play club volleyball, then two starting guards suffered season-ending knee injuries. Young and his staff still managed to get the Raiders into the state final, losing to Kamehameha 40-34 to end a five-year title streak.
Charlie Hiers, who guided Hanalani to the Division II state title, was third in the voting.
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STAR-ADVERTISER GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-STATE TEAM
FAB 15
1- Nihoa Dunn, Kamehameha, Forward/Center, 6-1, Junior
Averaged 19 pts./10 reb. at states; 25/7 vs CIF powerhouse Bishop Montgomery
2- Pua‘ena Herrington, Maryknoll, Guard/Forward, 5-11, Junior
21 ppg in ILH play, top scorer in state
3- Justice Kekauoha, ‘Iolani, Guard, 5-7, Sophomore
18.3 ppg in ILH/HHSAA, led state in FT Pct (.865)
4- Ellana Klemp, Hanalani, Guard/Forward, 5-9, Senior
16 ppg in ILH/HHSAA D-II play; averaged 25/10 at states
5- Posia Wily, Kahuku, Guard, 5-6, Senior
13 ppg in OIA/HHSAA play
6- Makana Kamakeeaina, Kahuku, Forward, 5-11, Junior
14 ppg to lead Lady Raiders to OIA title
7- Mia Frye, ‘Iolani, Guard, 5-7, Senior
Versatile playmaker, No. 1 in All-Defense voting
8- Rylee Paranada, Kamehameha, Guard, 5-6, Junior
Clutch PG, second in scoring for state champions
9- Jaynalyn Sotelo, Campbell, Guard/Forward, 5-9, Junior
15 ppg in OIA/HHSAA, No. 4 in All-Defense
10- Rayah Soriano, ‘Iolani, Guard/Forward, 5-7,
Freshman Voted Top Newcomer. Led state with 42 3-pointers
11- Tailele Wily-Ava, Kahuku, Guard, 5-10, Sophomore
13 ppg in OIA/HHSAA play
12- Pomai Nakakura, Kamehameha, Guard, 5-2, Senior
Clutched up with 12 points in state-title win over ‘Iolani
13- Brooke Kurasaki, Mililani, Guard, 5-5, Senior
Floor general led Trojans in scoring at 13 ppg
14- Rheanna Nobleza, Moanalua, Guard, 5-6, Senior
Despite injury, sparked Na Menehune with 14 ppg
15- Makelah Richardson, Roosevelt, Guard, 5-9, Senior
20.7 ppg, including 22 vs. OIA runner-up Moanalua
Coach of the Year—Pua Straight, Kamehameha
Guided Warriors to 29-3 season, 23-0 vs. Hawaii foes, and school’s first girls basketball state title since 2013
Honorable mention
>> Hailey Fernandez, ‘Iolani
>> Juseana Delatori, Lahainaluna
>> Aubrey Pak, Konawaena
>> Hailey Perez, Maryknoll
>> Rylee Cabuyado-Caswell, Kamehameha
>> Kiilei Leleiwi, Konawaena
>> Haikela Hiraishi, Konawaena
>> Mikela Salazar-Harrell, Konawaena
>> Piha‘eu Akiona, Hanalani
>> Shailoh Liilii, Moanalua
>> Makenzie Alapai, Kamehameha
>> Tuisila Wily-Ava, Kahuku
>> Serenity Tacgere Moanalua
>> Lilyanah-Tiare Tavale, Kapolei
>> Myah Galdeira, Kailua
>> Ahnastaziah Wright, Punahou
>> Pua Saole, Punahou
>> Taylor Schnitzer, KS-Maui
>> Leila Paraoan, Kapolei
>> Cayden Parado, Campbell
>> Alina Stephenson, Kalani
>> Sophia Moniz, Pahoa
