Kalaheo senior post Alex Layi scored a game-high 25 points in a 68-61 win over Saint Francis Friday and followed that up with 17 points in a 68-36 win over Campbell Saturday. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Male Athlete of the Week: Alex Layi, Kalaheo basketball
As a junior transfer last season, Alex Layi bided his time behind First Team All-Hawaii forward Kupaa Harrison.

With Harrison, fellow-big Jalen Smith and Division I Player of the Year Kaleb Gilmore all having either graduated or transferred, Kalaheo and its first-year coach Rob Pardini know Layi will have to help fill the void this year.

Layi, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound power forward/center got his senior season started on a good note over the weekend. He scored a game-high 25 points in a 68-61 win over Saint Francis Friday and followed that up with 17 points in a 68-36 win over Campbell Saturday.

"We have very few seniors that are going to give us time this year and actually carry the load and he's one of them," Pardini said of Layi, who attended Campbell for his first two years or high school. "He and (senior guard) Kekai Smith are guys that are returning from last year that got a little time (on the court). Alex is definitely a leader and a senior and we're going to ask a lot of him."

Pardini, who replaced Alika Smith in the offseason, said Layi was hindered with a couple of injuries last year and "did not get a ton of time in the rotation."

"He was probably in the seven- or eight-deep rotation," Pardini said.

The coach is hopeful that Layi's daily battles against Harrison last season will serve the Mustangs well this year.

"He went up against (Harrison) in practice a ton and I think he gained a lot from that last year when he took a lot of defensive reps and obviously vice versa, trying to score on Kupaa, who was an excellent defender, so that was a tremendous learning experience for him," Pardini said. "He's not the same player by any stretch, but he's a solid contributor, he's got a good basketball IQ, he has a good perimeter game, so in some respects he's very similar to Kupaa."

Layi is undersized post player, but uses his skills to his advantage, Pardini said.

"He's able to pull a big to the mid-range and when he starts knocking them down, he's able to lift guys off the court and then go by them," Pardini said. "He's a nice finisher that has good footwork so he's able to get some nice baskets for us around the hoop against some bigs, too."

Pardini said he's spoken with Layi about taking on more of a prominent role going into this year. So far, Layi has stepped up to the proverbial plate.

"We've asked him — since we're small — to step into that four or five role and he's accepted it and he's done really well," Pardini said. "He's improved his post game and understanding what he needs to do to help the team be successful at this point. He will definitely take on a scoring role, depending on our match ups. With the limited seniors that had experience last year and got actual time, Alex is definitely an important part for us this year and he knows that."

Much to the appreciation of his coach, Layi was solid at the free-throw line. He was 13 of 14 from the charity stripe against the Saints and 4 of 5 against the Sabers.

"That's been a focus for us; we work on that and he's definitely got some good rhythm going, which is great," Pardini said. "We try to spend time each practice with free throws and making those count. That's a big part of it and also getting to the free-throw line, drawing fouls (because) the game is different now with the defensive hand-check rules and what not, so it's a big focus. We've got to be able to get free throws down because you will be in the bonus, it's just a matter of how soon you will be in the bonus so those free throws have to count."

The Mustangs (4-0) are coming off their third state championship in four years, capturing the D1 titles in 2013 and 2015.

"The program is extremely strong and we continue to try to push that forward; that's our goal," Pardini said. "These guys are focused and the they're a great group of young student-athletes that we're looking to build on going forward. We're definitely focused on the here and now, but we're also building for the future."

Female Athlete of the Week: Gieani Balino, Campbell
For Gieani Balino, offense begins on the defensive end of the court.

The Campbell sophomore guard scored a game-high 26 points in a 64-57 in over Damien last Tuesday — much of it spurred by her hustle on defense.

"A lot of her points came on the transition," Sabers' coach Summer Aona said of Balino, who occupies the top of a 1-2-2 zone the team likes to utilize. "Because on top of the defensive system we're doing she's going to get a lot of points. She's willing to be a hard worker on defense, which is why she ends up getting the scores on the offensive end. She had a good game against Damien."

Balino, who stands 5-foot-4 and was also a member of the varsity team as a freshman last season, also hit a pair of 3-pointers against the Monarchs.

"We're going to be looking to her to get some points when we need them," Aona said. "A lot of the things we're doing this year is catching things on the fast break. She didn't make may mistakes that day. When she's able to deflect the ball and she's able to get the ball back in transition I think she's pretty effective. I think there's more that you'll see from her."

Balino may be young, but she's right at home on the hard court. Her mother, Tracie Huddy-Balino, has coached at multiple levels — including club ball — and is also an assistant on Aona's staff.

"I think she already knew that she could play at the varsity level as an eighth grader," Aona said. "She's been around the gym forever, she has some club experience so I know she can play at this level and I think what also motivates her is that she wants to play at the next level."

Aona describes Balino, who played varsity girls volleyball in the fall, as quiet, but self-motivated. She knows she will have to count on Balino to lead a young team.

"All the girls on our team are important, especially since we only have 10 players this year, but she's a returnee and we had a lot of girls graduate last year," Aona said. "She knows the system, she wants to play, she's an offensive threat, so that's important to us, but I think we need everybody. If we're missing even one (player) it's going to affect us no matter who it is just because of the (lack of) depth."

Balino broke her way into the starting lineup near the end of last season and hasn't left since.

"She's somebody who can score — if she's on she'll give us a lot of points and she's a pretty good defender, too," Aona said. "I think the challenge for her is that she's in tenth grade, she's not an upperclassman so we have to work with her on being more vocal, but also being a person that can mediate. She gets a little bit intimidated on that because she's good at leading by example, but she's quiet. The good thing is she's a hard worker."

In the final game of her freshman season, Balino scored 20 points in a 55-48 loss to Kailua in the first round of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I tournament, which Aona is hoping to parlay into further success this year.

"Her offensive has been pretty consistent, but for me, it's more of the defense; that's what got her on the court last year and she's continuing to work hard on that end of the court and that's important for us," Aona said.

Campbell went 2-1 in the eighth-team Moanalua Girls Basketball Peek Tournament last week and is coming off a fifth-place finish in the OIA Western Division standings last year.

"I know we usually have our powerhouses (in the West) with Leilehua and Mililani, but I think on any given day anything can happen and what we try to do is prepare as best as we can with the way we play and then we'll see what happens from there."

BOYS BASKETBALL
Ryan Cabanilla, Campbell — Scored 20 points in a win over Lanakila Baptist

Isaac Crichton, Saint Francis — Scored 18 points in a loss to Kalaheo

Geo Julian, Lanakila Baptist — Scored 22 points, including six 3-pointers, in a loss to Campbell

Chance Kalaugher, Kaiser — Scored 25 points in a win over Mililani

Andrew Kearney, Kalaheo — Scored 17 points in a win over Campbell

Noah Kuroawa, Saint Francis — Scored 15 points on five 3-pointers in a loss to Kalaheo

Jeremy McGoldrick, Castle — Scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a win over Waipahu

Elton Naki, Castle — Scored 24 points in a win over Waipahu and scored 16 points in a win over Nanakuli

Kekai Smith, Kalaheo — Scored 24 points in a win over Saint Francis

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tywanna Abbott, Leilehua — Scored 21 points in a win over Damien and scored 20 points in a win over Moanalua

Cameron Fernandez, Lahainaluna — Scored 26 points in a win over Hilo

Jahnna Kahele, Nanakuli — Scored 15 points in a win over Moanalua

Ashley Kiko, Roosevelt — Scored 15 points in a win over Saint Francis

Keleah Aiko Koloi, Lahainaluna — Scored 22 points in a win over Hilo

Chayse Milne, Maryknoll — Scored 15 points in a win over Roosevelt

Alana Nuuanu, Nanakuli — Scored 18 points in a win over Damien

Keala Quinlan, Roosevelt — Scored 17 points in a win over Leilehua and scored 16 points in a loss to Maryknoll

Kyra Young, University — Scored 19 points in a loss to McKinley