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Male Athlete of the Week: Mario Drummer, Kaiser basketball
Mario Drummer's weekend got off to a slow start, but he finished it off with a bang.

The junior scored a game-high 27 points to lead Kaiser to a 56-50 win over Kahuku Saturday on the final day of the Molokai Boys Basketball Winter Classic.

Drummer, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound guard, averaged 14 points in the Cougars' three games in the four-team tournament. After being held to one point in a 56-33 win over Lahainaluna Thursday, he made a pair of second-quarter triples en route to a 14-point effort in Friday's 53-34 win over Molokai.

Although he poured in 27 points against the Red Raiders, it didn't come off of perimeter shooting, Kaiser second-year coach Ken Powell said.

"I would say in the Kahuku game his shot was not falling — nobody's really was — and rather than continuing to just launch shot after shot after shot, he relied on the other part of his game, which is getting to the rim, so when he started doing that he started to see the ball go through the net a little bit more and really that's how he was a big factor in us being able to pull that off. He had that awareness of ‘my shot's not falling today, let me get to the rim,' " Powell said.

But Drummer has a knack to impact the game in other ways besides scoring.

"The smartness, the basketball IQ, making the smart play; it's almost like the hockey assist where he's starting something that leads to the next thing, but it won't show up in the stat book," Powell said of Drummer, who has been in the starting lineup since being he joined the varsity team last year.

Drummer, along with then-fellow-sophomore Kenji Toyama, were thrown into the fire right away.

"They were on the JV together as a freshmen and then they were both brought to varsity as sophomores and injuries last year forced both of them into those starting roles and having to learn by fire and being classmates and friends off the court also — I think they play club ball together, too — the bond just kind of formed and the chemistry between them kind of formed through that and they have that in-it-together attitude knowing that they're two guys that we rely on heavily for the team and their chemistry is second to none," Powell said.

Powell described Drummer's play on the court as "smooth.

"I don't know how else to put it. It flows smoothy, it's organized what he does and the way he does it and it's consistent what he's trying to do and it's balanced with his ability to shoot the ball and his ability to get to the rim," Powell said. "It's just a real smooth balance of overall basketball ability, combined with his ability to handle the ball also."

For the most part, Drummer plays the shooting guard or small forward positions, but Powell said he's capable of filling in at power forward and even point guard, as well.

"It just depends on our overall personnel at the time and the matchup of the other team," said Powell, who noted Drummer's versatility on defense also has its benefits.

"He's capable of guarding anywhere from positions one (point guard) through five (center) and he knows how to use his length to give himself an extra advantage. We put in a lot of work on defense as a team and it's no player's preference obviously — everybody just wants to be offensive — but he understands the importance of it and he definitely puts in as much effort defensively as he does offensively," Powell said.

Powell was a varsity assistant when Drummer played on the JV as a freshman. He recalled a watching a "deceptive flow" to Drummer's game back then.

"He was this kind of bigger kid that could just move with the guards, but he could cover the forwards and the centers, so when we got to the next year with him as a sophomore coming up (to varsity), our minds were just going with the possibilities with the things we could do with a player like him," Powell said.

Drummer was second on the team with 11.7 points per game and earned All-Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division Honorable Mention last season.

Powell said Drummer brings both natural athleticism and a steady work ethic.

"It's a combination, but it's also a lot mental — just staying in his ear about the way he should be performing, what he should be doing and should be looking to do out there, ways to take advantage of his size and speed — but it's definitely a balance between his natural ability and the effort that he puts into practice," Powell said.

There's also a certain style that Drummer goes about handling his business.

"He's not a real vocal leader, he just goes out and does," Powell said. "He's just a follow-my-lead type of guy, not the kind of guy who will be in your ear, but will lead by example; He just shows up and works and he's not complacent either, he's always working on things and trying to get better," Powell said.

Kaiser has won its last seven games to run their record to 8-1 in the preseason.

Drummer and the Cougars will take part in this week's Iolani Classic. They open the prestigious 16-team tournament against Garfield (Seattle), which is coached by former NBA player Brandon Roy, at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Female Athlete of the Week: Taylor Tateyama, Roosevelt basketball
It doesn't take long for Joe Cho to start gushing over Taylor Tateyama.

The second-year Roosevelt girls basketball coach calls the senior point guard and two-year starter the unquestioned leader of his team.

"Not even a question," Cho said of the 5-foot-8 Tateyama.

He took it even further.

"She's one of the nicest kids I've ever coached and just a great person to be around and I hope my daughters' coaches say the same things about daughter because as good of a basketball player Taylor is, she's a better person," Cho said.

It's not just leadership that Tateyama provides for the Rough Riders, it's also her stellar play. Through two games of Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division play, Tateyama is averaging 15.5 points per game. She is coming off of a 15-point effort in last Tuesday's pivotal 34-31 win over Kaiser.

"She leads our team in everything, I mean, assists, she gets big rebounds for a point guard, she hit four 3's in that (Kaiser) game and she's the one we want with the ball at the end of the game," said Cho, who made it a point to note the timeliness of Tateyama's makes from beyond the arc against the Cougars.

"In the third and fourth quarters, Kaiser really made a run, but she kind of held them off with another 3, so she just hits timely shots when we need it," Cho said.

Tateyama also played a key role defensively against Kaiser's prolific post, Taeya Blakeney.

"Her role was to sink in to and double-team (Blakeney) with our post, Tia Sofa, and we were trying to be in front of her as well as behind," Cho said. "We didn't do a great job toward the end but it was still enough to stop (Blakeney) obviously and (Tateyama's) job also at times was to get the weak side rebound because she always played away from Blakeney."

In addition to her four triples, Tateyama also shot 3 of 4 from the free-throw line and grabbed two rebounds with two assists.

"She hit a crucial free throw at the end, I mean, she just did it all to preserve the win. Another thing is I don't think people realize that she doesn't come out of the game. I mean, yeah, I have another point guard but if I have (Tateyama) out of the game at any time, we're just not the same team and she knows that; that's why she gets herself in great shape to play the whole game and she still has the leg power to hit 3s at the end of the game," Cho said.

It comes as no surprise to Cho, who calls Tateyama "as hard a worker as anyone I've ever had.

"And I've had some good ones at Kamehameha," said Cho, who spent four seasons at the Kapalama campus prior to taking over at Roosevelt in 2018.

She's also a smart player, which allows her to stay out of foul trouble.

"She knows when to foul and when not to foul because she knows she has to be in the game — and that doesn't mean she slacks on defense — she plays tough defense and she'll take the offensive foul, so she'll take a beating and she'll just keep going; She's one of the most intelligent players i've ever coach," Cho said.

Tateyama's range as a 3-pointer shooter sometimes takes even Cho by surprise.

"You wouldn't think that she could shoot the ball as she walks in the gym. I mean, her range is as deep as I've ever coached a girl so you wouldn't think that she could be that effective as far as a deep 3-point shooter," Cho said.

That shooting ability came in handy in Roosevelt's 35-33 win over Kaimuki to open up league play earlier this month. Tateyama buried three 3s to help the Rough Riders come back from an eight-point deficit against the Bulldogs.

"She made two clutch 3s at the end," Cho recalled. "We ran plays for her coming off of screens and there was no hesitation on her part. I remember the last one that we called for her, as she came off the double-screen, as soon as she shot the ball I knew it was in. We're talking less than minute here and she made two 3s, so that's just clutch that she knew what she had to do and she did it."

With her play on the court, as well the intangibles she brings off of it, Tateyama — one of two team captains, along with Sofa — has surely adorned herself to her teammates.

"She cares about her other teammates as far as keeping them involved, but she's definitely our leader and yeah, she peps up the girls and her teammates, but mostly she just leads by example, that I like," Cho said. "She's always got a positive thing to say, she's always got a smile on her face and she has never been a person, that if I got her, to take it personal and when I do get on her it always seems like she takes it as a challenge."

Tateyama and the Rough Riders (8-2 overall, 2-0 OIA East) continue league play with week. They play host to Kalani Tuesday night before visiting Moanalua Saturday.

BOYS BASKETBALL
Kaukahi Alameda, Hilo — Scored 21 points in a loss to Waiakea

Frank Camacho, McKinley — Scored 19 points in a loss to Kapolei

O'Shen Cazimero, Kohala — Scored 16 points in a win over Seabury Hall and scored 21 points in a win over Baldwin

Jake Flores, University Lab — Scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers in a loss to Kapaa

Rashawn Fritz-Betiru, Kaimuki — Scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers, in a loss to Kapolei

Nathan Gardner, Kapaa — Scored 17 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission

Bu Jones, Konawaena — Scored 18 points in a win over Farrington

Landyn Jumawan, Leilehua — Scored 17 points with three rebounds and three steals in a loss to Kalaheo

Logan Lassell, Leilehua — Scored 16 points in a loss to Punahou

Coby Molina, Konawaena — Scored 17 points in a win over Baldwin

Jared Moran, Hawaiian Mission — Scored 17 points in a loss to Waialua

Kordel Ng, Kamehameha — Scored 31 points in a loss to Maryknoll

Nainoa Peters, Kailua — Scored 23 points in a win over Baldwin

Shoncin Revuelto, Saint Louis — Scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers, in a loss to Kaiser

Nikolas Robben, Maryknoll — Scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers, in a win over University Lab and scored 21 points in a win over Kamehameha

Geremy Robinson, Moanalua — Scored 17 points in a loss to Punahou and scored 28 points in a win over Radford

Lydell Romero, Kailua — Scored 18 points in a win over Baldwin

Blake Shew, Punahou II — Scored 26 points, including three 3-pointers, in a loss to Mid-Pacific

Kanoa Smith, Kalaheo — Scored 25 points, including five 3-pointers, with three rebounds, three assists and one steal in a win over Leilehua

Christmas Togiai, Kamehameha — Scored 19 points in a win over Mililani

Sage Tolentino, Maryknoll — Scored 17 points in a win over Kamehameha

Deltha Viena, Pearl City — Scored 22 points in a win over Farrington and scored 20 points in a win over Kapaa

Amari Westmoreland-Vendiola, Kahuku — Scored 16 points in a loss to Kaiser

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Angel Asaah, Radford — Scored 16 points in a loss to Kahuku

Kylie Bagay, Mililani — Scored 18 points in a win over Kapolei and scored 15 points in a win over Waipahu

Hooliieasu Baptiste, Christian Academy — Scored 16 points in a win over St. Andrew's

Nina Batacan, La Pietra — Scored 17 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission

Tanya Blakeney, Kaiser — Scored 17 points with six rebounds, two blocks and a steal in a loss to Roosevelt and scored 16 points in a win over McKinley

Chloe Bryant, Hawaiian Mission — Scored 15 points in a loss to St. Andrew's

Victoria Canencia, Leilehua — Scored 21 points, including three 3-pointers, in a loss to Waipahu and scored 17 points, five steals, four rebounds and four assists in a win over Campbell

Maya Claytor, Kahuku — Scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers, with five rebounds, five assists and three steals in a win over Moanalua

Alexis Dang, Hawaii Baptist — Scored 13 points in a loss to Hanalani

Drew Dunaway, Punahou II — Scored 13 points in a win over Le Jardin

Camille Feary, Kamehameha — Scored 23 points, including six 3-pointers, in a win over Radford

Mariah Gallestes, Leilehua — Had 13 points, five rebounds, three steals and an assist in a win over Campbell

Kulea Grace, Pearl City — Scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, in a win over Waianae

Lauren Hayashi, Mid-Pacific — Scored 16 points in a win over Punahou II

Destiny Hicks, Nanakuli — Scored 21 points in a win over Aiea

Tatianna Kamae, Kahuku — Scored 14 points with 10 rebounds and two steals in a win over Moanalua and scored 15 points with five rebounds and two steals in a loss to South Medford

Mahina Kaleiheana-Erickson, Sacred Hearts — Scored 15 points with 12 rebounds, three steals and two assists in a win over University Lab

Tatianna Kamae, Kahuku — Scored 19 points in a win over Radford

Braelyn Kauhi, Konawaena — Scored 15 points on five 3-pointers in a loss to Saint Mary's and scored 19 points, including five 3-pointers, in a win over Kahuku

Caiyle Kaupu, Konawaena — Scored 15 points in a loss to Saint Mary's and scored 18 points in a loss to Kamehameha

Kylie La Pountan, Waipahu — Scored 13 points in a loss to Mililani

Lily Lefotu Wahinekapu, Iolani — Scored 18 points in a win over Radford, scored 14 points in a loss to Mater Dei and scored 17 points in a win over South Medford

Lyxc Liana, Nanakuli — Scored 21 points in a win over Aiea

Joy Luna, Christian Academy — Scored 17 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission

Te'Hiwa Medeiros, Sacred Hearts — Scored 20 points with 10 rebounds, three assists and one steal in a win over University Lab and scored 16 points with four steals, one rebound and an assist in a win over Iolani II

Leiah Naeata, Kahuku — Scored 16 points with six rebounds, six assists and two steals in a win over Moanalua

Jacie Nava, Hanalani — Scored 13 points, including three 3-pointers, in a win over Hawaii Baptist

Kyra Pagud, Christian Academy — Scored 15 points in a win over La Pietra

Welina Paleka, Kaimuki — Scored 15 points in a loss to McKinley

Anna Penitusi, Waipahu — Scored 21 points in a win over Leilehua

Kianna Ponce, Mililani — Scored 22 points in a win over Waipahu

Lauren Poniatowski, Campbell — Scored 19 points, including four 3-pointers, in a loss to Leilehua

Holly Quirit, Castle — Scored 13 points in a win over Farrington

Marla Ralar, Hanalani — Scored 20 points in a win over Damien

Maya Reed, St. Andrew's — Scored 21 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission

Paige Relph, Waianae — Scored 24 points in a loss to Campbell and scored 16 points in a loss to Pearl City

Madi Sagawa, Mid-Pacific — Scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers, in a win over Kamehameha II

Kaliana Salazar-Harrell, Konawaena — Scored 28 points, including six 3-pointers, in a win over Kahuku

Kayla Santos, Hawaiian Mission — Scored 13 points in a loss to La Pietra

Lishae Scanlan, Hanalani — Scored 14 points in a win over Hawaii Baptist

Hannah Schmaltz, Keaau — Scored 13 points in a win over Kau

Manutagi Seei, Radford — Scored 15 points in a loss to Kahuku

Noelle Sua-Godinet, Kamehameha — Scored 24 points, including three 3-pointers, in a win over Konawaena

Melia Swirsky, Le Jardin — Scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, in a loss to Mid-Pacific

Kyra Tanabe, Iolani — Scored 14 points in a win over South Medford

Shaylen Tatupu-Timu, Farrington — Scored 15 points, including four 3-pointers, in a win over Kaimuki

Philana Toia, Waialua — Scored 18 points in a win over Aiea

Makena Tong, University Lab — Scored 17 points with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in a loss to Sacred Hearts

Emi Wada, Hawaii Baptist — Scored 13 points in a loss to Hanalani

Jovi Wahinekapu Lefotu, Iolani — Scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers, in a loss to Mater Dei and scored 13 points in a win over South Medford

Dayzee Wong, Castle — Scored 13 points in a win over Kailua

BOYS SOCCER
Buddy Betts, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored four goals in a win over Honokaa

Elijah Dinkel, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored a goal and assisted on two others in a win over Honokaa

Jihyoung Do, Mid-Pacific — Scored the lone goal in a tie against Kamehameha

Isaiah Easley, Makua Lani — Scored two goals in a win over Kau

Noah Larson, Kailua — Scored two goals in a win over Roosevelt

Tommy Mascaro-Keahi, Kapolei — Scored three goals in a win over Waipahu

Cypress Navarro-Acio, Kapolei — Named to the all-tournament team at the Lotto Sport Western Showcase

Ian Ngonethong, Kaiser — Scored three goals in a win over McKinley

Liam Nichols-Shipley, Punahou — Scored the lone goal in a win over Iolani

Kai Takahashi, Kalaheo — Scored five goals in a win over Castle

Skye Ventura-Kahookele, Aiea — Scored four goals in a win over Nanakuli

Kainoa Wong, Pearl City — Scored three goals in a win over Radford and scored two goals in a win over Aiea

GIRLS SOCCER
Kalista Brigante, Kapaa — Scored two goals in a win over Island School

Kaylee Canianes, Campbell — Scored the lone goal in a win over Waipahu

Taylor Hayes, Moanalua — Scored three goals in a win over Farrington

Robyn Laquesta, Waialua — Scored two goals in a win over Waianae

Faith Lee, PAC-5 — Scored three goals in a win over Damien

Alyssa Leong, Kaiser — Scored six goals in a win over McKinley

Kaycee Manding, Waipahu — Scored the lone goal in a win over Kapolei

Sheyliene Patolo, Aiea — Scored three goals in a win over Nanakuli

Riley Sohriakoff, Hawaii Prep — Scored three goals in a win over Keaau

Summerly Smith, Roosevelt — Scored three goals in a win over McKinley

Caylie Uyema, Pearl City — Scored two goals in a win over Radford

Sophia Wilson, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored three goals in a win over Honokaa