A series of basketball clinics geared for high school players, both varsity and junior varsity levels, will take place starting this weekend. Saturday’s clinic will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a break for lunch from 11:30 a.m.
A series of basketball clinics geared for high school players, both varsity and junior varsity levels, will take place starting this weekend.
Saturday’s clinic will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a break for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kapa‘a High School’s Bernice Hundley gym and will be for boys, said Kevin Medeiros, a former Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys basketball coach and coordinator for the event.
Medeiros said the breakdown for Saturday’s clinic will involve ball handling in the morning followed by guard/big men in the afternoon.
The clinic moves to the Kaua‘i High School Gym on Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with emphasis on ball handling. This clinic will be mixed with boys and girls being involved.
Coach Merv Lopes, who recently conducted a successful basketball clinic at the Wilcox Gym at Island School through the coordination of Clarence Sales and Guy Higa, will return along with coaches Dennis Agena, Scott LaBoy of Iolani, Keith Spencer of Leilehua and Jeff Hiro of Castle.
Medeiros said Agena is known on O‘ahu for his ball handling clinics and the KIF players are fortunate that he will be teaching his ball handling techniques here.
“On O‘ahu, he has been teaching for more than 30 years, and today, there is actually a two- to three-year wait list just to get into his clinic,” Medeiros said. “Almost all of the basketball players who went on to play beyond high school went through his clinic.”
During the recent Merv Lopes’ clinic at Island School, community basketball coach Daniel Simao said Lopes, the former coach at Chaminade University, is known for his Big Man clinics on O‘ahu.
Another clinic geared for high school girls varsity and junior varsity players will take place on Nov. 22 at Kapa‘a High School from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a lunch break from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
This clinic will be headed by former University of Hawai‘i players Nani Cockett, Kyla Evers, Kii Spencer-Vasconcelles. Joining them will be Brandy Richardson who played at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Tiana Fuertes, an Iolani School standout.
Medeiros said the County of Kaua‘i, Department of Parks and Recreation is helping coordinate the event which he hopes will help the high school players get better, fundamentally.
“None of the players invited to the clinic are paying,” Medeiros said. “This is the third time we’re doing it for the girls, and the first time for the boys’ clinic. It’s always been free to our players.”
Medeiros said he is contemplating allowing coaches only from the community program to come and view the clinics, but for more information, they can call him at 647-4748.
