(Note: Roster additions released on Friday, Mar. 11.)
EJ Kapihe, meet O’Shen Cazimero.
Amari Westmoreland-Vendiola, this is Drew Triplett. Some of the state’s top basketball players will join forces on Saturday at the inaugural Damien Farias Senior Basketball Classic. The game will tip off in Saint Louis’ Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
On Team Red: Kapihe, the 6-foot-5 Kamehameha swingman, and Cazimero, the 2020 Gatorade player of the year from Kohala, along with Peyton Macalupay (Punahou), Shoncin Revuelto (Saint Louis, Jack Jones (‘Iolani), Daniel Kaio (Kahuku), Zach Shapira (Punahou), Rashawn Fritz-Betiru (Kaimuki), Ehu Schenk-Lee (Kalaheo), Tyler Grover (Radford) and Quintan Akaka (Baldwin).
Honorary team members are Aiva Arquette of Saint Louis and Parker Grant (Maryknoll), both baseball standouts.
On Team Blue: Westmoreland-Vendiola (Kahuku) and Triplett (Maui Prep), with Drake Watanabe (Punahou), Trey Lieb (Mililani), Hayden Bayudan and Cole Schmidt (Saint Louis), Logan Dias (Maryknoll), Luke Higashi (Mid-Pacific), Bailey Bumanglag (‘Iolani), Malu Cleveland (Kaimuki) and La‘akea Kauka (Kohala).
Honorary Blue players are AJ Bianco (Saint Louis), Roscoe Eddins (Kailua) and Kahiau Bruhn (Kamehameha).
Damien Farias was a fixture in Saint Louis basketball for years.
“He was a former player for Walter Wong and then became an assistant coach for him. He was an alumni who’s always been around Saint Louis basketball,” Crusaders assistant coach Mark Revuelto said. “He coached a lot of youth sports here and on Maui.”
Spectators are welcome to attend.
Just wondering, but how was Cazimero the gatorade player of the year last year?
Looking at the criteria it’s a combination of athletic excellence , academic achievement and exemplary character. So with that being said it may not be the top player in the state that gets selected
Damien Farias was an outstanding player on the St. Louis Basketball Championship Teams coached by the legendary Walter Wong and graduated in 1955. Today, people in Maui know him as the award-winning head of Maui Toyota. Champions in school are champions in life. Damien Farias is an excellent example. Honest!
Fair enough. He is a great student/athlete. I was just caught off guard when they referred to him as the 2020 award winner.