Happy Camper

Hats off to Jeff Venzon and Lelani Tottori (he’s with the Rotary Club of West Kaua‘i) for coordinating a full schedule of basketball games at the Rotary Youth Basketball tournament in conjunction with ZZ Basketball program.

Kaleo Cummings was getting itchy on the sidelines because he was too old to play in the 12 and 14 Under group, and Cheyanne Duarte came on all three days with her Kaulupono Girls teammates and coach Bobby Kamakele to cheer on the players while looking to see where Lihu‘e was.

Cheyanne and her group get to see action this weekend when Karen and Steven Matsumoto host a Girls 15 Under tournament starting Thursday in Kalaheo.

Karen said Dennis Onishi and the Piopio Bears had to pull out because the airline fares were rising too quickly and they didn’t have enough time to fundraise. But Dennis said he’ll have his team here in August (Admission Day weekend?). But Karen said they’ve accomodated the fact that the visiting teams want to be able to take in the Kaua‘i Hospice “Concert in the Sky” so their games will be over just after lunch.

Coach Cecil Gee is faced with the same dilemma as he prepares to take a team to Maui for a tournament. With less than two weeks to go, Cecil said they’re $4,000 short. The biggest expense is the hotel and meals, but the trade-off was either the hotel or an expensive gas bill and less court time.

• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.