Son of former University of Hawaii basketball point guard Kurt Taylor Sr. is among a number of highly-recruited high school football players in the inaugural Polynesian Bowl. Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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Son of former University of Hawaii basketball point guard Kurt Taylor Sr. is among a number of highly-recruited high school football players in the inaugural Polynesian Bowl. Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

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Former University of Hawaii basketball player Kurt Taylor harbored hopes that his son by the same name would someday follow his sneakers onto the hardwood in college.

Instead, Kurt Taylor Jr. decided to blaze his own trail on the gridiron. Ironically the sport has brought him to where his father played collegiately, as the younger Taylor will be suiting up for Team Mariota in the inaugural Polynesian Bowl, which will be played 6 p.m. Saturday at Aloha Stadium.

"I would've loved to (have him play basketball)," said the elder Taylor, who is here to see his son play and reunite with friends he made while playing for UH during the 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 seasons. "But he was a football player. Same passion, but different sport. He would've been a great basketball player, but he's a great football player."

Indeed.

Taylor Jr., of Grayson High in Loganville, Ga., is expected to sign his national letter of intent on Feb. 1 with the University of Michigan. He is one of the most sought-after RBs

But way before the colleges started calling, dad knew his son's future was not going to be in basketball.

"I knew it in ninth grade when he to bed with a helmet," Taylor Sr. said. "I knew then he was a football player."

Taylor Jr. is listed at 5 feet 9 and 200 pounds, but is built along the lines of compact –bodied running backs like Eric Bieniemy (5-7, 205) and Emmitt Smith (5-9, 216). Taylor Jr. is thrilled to be here to play where his father played as a collegian.

"It's a blessing," Taylor Jr. said. "Just to come out here have fun and compete with all these players."

His father has brought him here numerous times for vacations and told him of his collegiate experience.

"He always said it's fun out here and just experience the best of it because you'll never have this opportunity," he said.

Taylor Jr. helped lead Grayson to the Georgia Class 7-A state title after rushing for 930 yards and 14 TDs, according to Gwinnett Prep Sports. Grayson finished fifth in the USA Today national computer rankings.

The timing of the inaugural game isn't lost on his father. He could not be happier to watch his son play in a place that had an impact on his life.

"It's been a blessing," said Taylor Sr., who was a 5-9 point guard for UH. "It shows that good things come in full circle. I always tell him Hawaii was the best thing to happen to me. I came from New York City. Got a scholarship from Coach (Riley) Wallace and Coach (Bob) Nash. (It) afforded me the opportunity and it changed my life. I graduated, played professional basketball (United States Basketball League and NBA Summer League). And the Aloha spirit, man, there's no place like it in the world. I told him about it and God is good and now he's in Hawaii with me."

Notes: Players arrived here Monday and practiced at various sites throughout the week and took part in several cultural activities. There are a number of players in the game who have verbally committed to Michigan, including QB Dylan McCaffery, who will be on Team Stanley (Ronnie Stanley of the Baltimore Ravens). The game is in conjunction with the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame enshrinement program.