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Pupualii Sepulona

Saint Louis basketball  •   #35  F/SG  Sophomore

Pupualii Sepulona's persona is much like his presence in the gym: big. 

"He has a huge personality; He's very happy-go-lucky," Saint Louis basketball coach Dan Hale said of Sepulona, a sophomore swingman and second-year player for the fourth-ranked Crusaders. 

Sepulona has certainly got Hale happy with the start to the season the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder is having — and not just because of his play. 

"His role is definitely as a leader and (of) the guys that we had coming back off of last year's team, he was the one that got the most time coming off the bench, so he's the guy that has to be a leader and set the example for the other guys," Hale laid out. 

As a freshman Sepulona averaged 6.3 points per game in a reserve role. Saint Louis, of course, won the Division I state championship, but then saw its top four scorers graduate in the spring. 

Consequently, Sepulona finds himself in a feature role for the Crusaders this winter. 

"He's definitely worked on his game and he's diversified it. He was always pretty good going to the basket, he's added a nice jump shot in there. His passing skills have improved a lot and he's really kind of expanded his game from his freshman year, which is really helping us and it's all about his hard work," Hale said. "He put in the work to do that and he's reaping the fruits of his labor."

Sepulona is averaging 16.1 points per game this preseason. Over the weekend, he scored 50 points over three games to help Saint Louis go 3-0 at the Kapaa Invitational on Kauai. 

In Friday's 62-35 win over Waipahu, Sepulona netted 21 points. Sepulona had 16 points in a 45-42 win over Kapaa Saturday morning, then finished off the weekend with 13 points in a 59-29 rout of Kapaa that afternoon.

"I thought it was a real good tournament and we got really tested when we played Kohala, which was great," Hale said. "It gave Pupu a great chance to step up and give him a chance to be that leader. It was a nice way for him to kind of take that to the next step and he played very well for us."

Hale describes Sepulona as "really skilled. He's a big, physical looking guy, but he's very nimble on his feet and he's very skilled with the ball."

He's also gutsy. Hale noted one area that Sepulona puts it all on the line, every time. 

"He's added a really nice shot, he's a really good rebounder, but I don't know if it gets overlooked because I know people were talking about it as a freshman, but he is not afraid to step in and take charges and that is a very special quality of being on a team and sacrificing your body and he takes charges as good as anybody," Hale said. 

But for all of his talents between the lines, Hale goes back to Sepulona's leadership as what differentiates him from others. 

"It's not very usual to have a sophomore captain, but we are a young team — we start three sophomores and two juniors, so we're definitely a younger team, but even in that realm, he just had a very natural ability to lead and the guys follow what he does," Hale said. "He has that leadership quality where he's able to bring guys together, kind of settle them down and they listen."

Sepulona was also a defensive end — and at times a tight end — for the Saint Louis II football team in the fall. Outside of sports, he's heavily involved in his church. 

"That's a very big part of his life," Hale noted. 

Should he pursue it, college basketball could be in Sepulona's future, his coach believes. 

"I think a kid like Pupu, because the athleticism is there and he's still developing, he has a very high ceiling," Hale said. "He's physically strong — guys can be really skilled, but if they don't have that physicality they can get pushed around, but he definitely has that. I think he has a very high ceiling, it's really going to depend on him and how much he really wants it."

Saint Louis is among the local teams set to take part in the 38th Annual Iolani Classic, which gets underway Friday and concludes next Wednesday. 

Sepulona and the Crusaders open against Montverde (Florida) Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Iolani Lower Gym.  

BOYS BASKETBALL

Jericho Adolpho, Molokai — Scored 22 points in a win over Hana 

Leonard Ah You, Kahuku — Scored 11 points with 12 rebounds, three steals and a block in a win over Campbell, scored 32 points in a win over Saint Louis II, scored 24 points in a loss to Leilehua 

Espn Bennett, Le Jardin — Scored 17 points, including five 3-pointers, in a loss to Kapaa, scored 17 points, including five 3-pointers, in a loss to Waimea 

Sam Dimaya III, Lanai — Scored 24 points in a win over Haleakala Waldorf

Kaleb Guerrero, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 20 points, including six 3-pointers, in a loss to Kamehameha-Maui 

Hayden Hannemann, Saint Louis II — Scored 22 points in a loss to Kahuku 

Malik Jackson, Campbell — Scored 18 points with six rebounds, two steals and an assist in a loss to Kahuku

Keenan Kahoekapu, Castle — Scored 20 points in a loss to Radford 

Keaka Kauhane, Kapaa — Scored 20 points in a win over Le Jardin 

Landon Kauka, Kohala — Scored 17 points in a win over Seabury Hall 

Layden Kauka, Kohala — Scored 20 points in a win over Seabury Hall and scored 27 points in a win over Kauai 

Kyle Kelmenson, Haleakala Waldorf — Scored 19 points in a loss to Lanai 

Tucker Lam, Punahou — Scored 20 points in a win over Kapolei 

Chris Laury-Schaefer, Haleakala Waldorf — Scored 18 points in a loss to Lanai 

Zion Milare, Maryknoll — Scored 19 points in a win over Kalaheo 

Irie Mizner, Hana — Scored 22 points in a loss to Molokai 

Kamahiwa Molitau, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored 22 points in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii 

Tuli Smith, Kahuku — Scored 19 points with two rebounds, two assists and a steal in a win over Campbell 

Noah Takahata, Hanalani — Scored 20 points in a win over Waianae 

Jeremiah White, Kaimuki — Scored 34 points in a win over McKinley 

Caden Williams, Radford — Scored 18 points in a win over Castle 

Twain Wilson, Leilehua — Scored 21 points in a win over Kahuku 

BOYS SOCCER

Logan Aurio, Kapolei — Scored three goals in a win over Waianae 

Andre Estaniqui, Mililani — Scored two goals in a win over Kapolei 

Shane Fuse, Kalani — Scored two goals in a win over Kaiser 

Lucas Kay-Wong, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored three goals in a win over Parker 

Nathaniel Medina, Castle — Scored three goals in a win over Farrington 

Aziah Nelson, Waiakea — Scored three goals in a win over Kohala 

Aukele Paikuli-Campbell, Makua Lani — Scored two goals in a tie with Kohala 

Sye Sandobal, Aiea — Scored three goals in a win over Waipahu 

Jaylen Temple, Moanalua — Scored the lone goal in a win over Castle 

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Kalena Akinaka, Kekaulike — Scored 19 points in a loss to Maui 

Denise Alfonso, Kapaa — Scored 15 points in a win over Waimea 

Theresa Anakalea, Damien — Scored 26 points in a loss to Cardonelet and scored 24 points in a loss to Konawaena 

Aliyah Bantolina, Campbell — Scored 15 points in a loss to Incarnate Word, scored 17 points in a win over Moanalua and scored 13 points with five rebounds, three assists and two steals in a loss to Konawaena 

Aubree Gonzales, Baldwin — Scored 17 points in a loss to Maui 

Elisa Holakeituai, Maryknoll — Scored 18 points in a win over Mid-Pacific 

Kyla Hopton, Kapaa — Scored 19 points in a win over Kauai 

Lailah Kalani, Kauai — Scored 23 points in a loss to Waimea

Braelyn Kauhi, Konawaena — Scored 16 points in a loss to South Medford, scored 21 points in a win over Damien and scored 13 points with nine rebounds, three assists and a block in a win over Campbell 

Jolie Mantz, Waiakea — Scored 26 points in a win over Keaau and scored 19 points in a win over Pahoa 

Akaecia Mateo, Moanalua — Scored 17 points in a win over Damien 

Haylie-Anne Ohta, Iolani — Scored 15 points with one rebound, one assist and a steal in a loss to Incarnate Word

Dylan Neves, Maryknoll — Scored 16 points in a win over Mililani 

Julien Parado, Campbell — Scored 16 points in a win over Moanalua 

Jirah Villanueva, Radford — Scored 27 points in a win over Nanakuli 

Kaia Yamashita, Molokai — Scored 21 points in a win over Haleakala Waldorf

GIRLS SOCCER

Rushelaine Alsola, Waianae — Scored two goals in a tie with Leilehua 

Hailee Hanaike, Castle — Scored four goals in a win over Farrington 

Madison Hauanio, Iolani — Scored two goals in a win over Damien 

Taj Fermahin, Aiea — Scored three goals in a win over Radford 

Sienna Kamalani, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored two goals in a win over Baldwin 

Kendra Knapp, Waimea — Scored two goals in a win over Island School 

Iai Maafala, Mililani — Scored two goals in a win over Kapolei 

Nikki May, Kamehameha — Scored three goals in a win over Mid-Pacific 

Mya Morgan, Campbell — Scored two goals in a win over Radford 

Alexyz Nakamoto, Leilehua — Scored two goals in a tie with Waianae 

Kyla Okamoto, Mililani — Scored three goals in a win over Waialua 

Tavena Oliveira, Mililani — Scored three goals in a win over Waialua 

Roenne Saddington, Kaiser — Scored two goals in a win over Kahuku