LIHU‘E — More than 70 young basketball players were treated to a basketball clinic led by former University of Hawai‘i Hilo basketball coach Jimmy Yagi and NAIA All-American Bill O’Rear, Saturday. Aaron Uyeda of the county’s Parks and Recreation Dept.,
LIHU‘E — More than 70 young basketball players were treated to a basketball clinic led by former University of Hawai‘i Hilo basketball coach Jimmy Yagi and NAIA All-American Bill O’Rear, Saturday.
Aaron Uyeda of the county’s Parks and Recreation Dept., sponsoring the free clinic for Kaua‘i’s youth, said even in Yagi’s retirement, he continues to play basketball in the Hilo community.
“You can play basketball for life,” Yagi told the group of young players who ranged from age 7 through 14. “I still play whenever I get the chance.”
Joining Yagi, O’Rear used to play when Yagi coached the University of Hawai‘i Hilo Vulcans, and advanced to earn All-American NAIA honors. Today, he heads the sports department of the daily Hilo Tribune Herald as the sports editor on the Big Island.
Yagi was pleased with the turnout, noting that he’s been visiting Kaua‘i for the past 19 years, working with the aspiring basketball players.
“We wanted to take in the girls basketball game in Kapa‘a, Friday, but the flight came in too late,” Yagi said.
Saturday night, Yagi and O’Rear and their families spent the night watching Kaua‘i and Waimea high school boys play the game at the Clem Gomes Gym following the morning clinic.
“Coach Ipo Yoshioka of Kaua‘i High School asked if I could help with practice starting at 8 a.m., Sunday,” Yagi said during the Saturday night halftime. “But with a score like 29-9 in favor of Kaua‘i, I guess I get to sleep in.”
Kaua‘i, with several of its players being participants of the Yagi clinic at one time, went on to win that Saturday night match, holding off a strong comeback effort by Waimea, some of whose players were also participants of previous Yagi basketball clinics.
Uyeda said the county’s 11-12 and 13 and Under basketball league which started last Monday, had no games scheduled to enable players to attend the free clinic and benefit from the instruction from the Vulcan Hall of Fame coach and the NAIA All-American player.
The league resumes play Monday starting at 6 p.m. at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Uyeda said the county appreciates the help of Leesha Kawamura of Hawaiian Airlines and Louis Abrams of Charlee and Associates Realtors in making it possible for the youth to get free basketball help from Yagi and O’Rear.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
