Kapaa High School senior hoopsters Kaylee Silva and James Stevens both were named Kauai Interscholastic Federation players of the year for the 2013-14 basketball season. KIF executive secretary Diane Nitta said the school’s coaches voted for players who they felt
Kapaa High School senior hoopsters Kaylee Silva and James Stevens both were named Kauai Interscholastic Federation players of the year for the 2013-14 basketball season.
KIF executive secretary Diane Nitta said the school’s coaches voted for players who they felt deserved all-star status the most.
Silva said she was shocked that she won player of the year honors because she wasn’t in the starting lineup for her team, but that she won because of support from her teammates and coaches.
“Honestly, I really don’t know what to say. I don’t feel like I would have won it,” Silva said about winning player of the year honors despite sharing her playing time with other teammates on a team that rotated players often. “I thought one of the starting players would have won it … Now that I got it, it feels good considering I wouldn’t have expected (it).”
Silva, a center on the basketball court, is now in the school’s track and field team. She participates in the long jump, high jump and the 4×100 meter relay.
“(Track) is going good so far. Just enjoying it as much as I can,” she said.
Kapaa coach William Ali said Silva was a unanimous coaches’ selection when it came to the hardwood.
She played hard inside and scored often against the other two schools in the division.
“She did a lot of good things that put her as the front leader,” Ali said. “They felt she deserved it more than any of the other girls.”
Stevens, too, said he didn’t expect to receive such honors.
The schools couldn’t provide a breakdown of either player’s stats, but Stevens, a forward, was a consistent scoring threat from the outside, as well as a defensive standout.
“I’m surprised they chose me because we didn’t win KIF, but I’m honored,” Stevens said.
He added he’s been thinking about playing basketball at the college level since the season ended.
“I was always thinking about it but now that I got player of the year, it’s a big motivation to put my dreams into action,” he said.
Kapaa boys coach John Kaneholani said Stevens was also a unanimous selection.
Opponents always had to account for him when he was on the court.
“He was one of the best players in the KIF,” Kaneholani said. “He made a difference just being on the team.”
