The team includes (from left): front — Tre Rickard, Juztin Gaoiran, Kana’au Castro, Kade Cunningham, Cruz Cosner, Matt Rabino, Toby Mizuno and Josh Tihada; back row — TJ Galoia, Malino Jacinto, Sam Kahaialii and Levi Barsuto. 

LAHAINA – It is a Lahainaluna red-blooded coaching staff that takes the Luna boys into the 2020 campaign. Led by 1998 Lahainaluna High School graduate and first-year head coach Nick Webb, the revamped staff will include TJ Rickard, Chad Santiago, Chris “Laser” Lagazo, Scott Gouveia, Casey Smythe and Marvin Sidon – all homegrown products and former Luna hoops stalwarts.

The team will be looking to extend its streak of five straight Maui Interscholastic League championships, but Coach Nick, who spent three seasons as the junior varsity coach and an assistant to John Dudley eight years ago, says the on court goal is to win the league title and go to the state tournament.

But the ultimate goal, he said, is to develop character growth in the team.

“We want to teach them integrity, accountability, hard work and service. Ultimately, if we put out a team, win or lose, and we handle ourselves the right way – so that our families, school, and community can be proud – we feel we’ve done our job,” he said.

Leading the way in striving for those goals will be senior returnees Juztin Gaoiran, Malino Jacinto, Matt Rabino and Josh “Wildcat” Tihada, as well as juniors Tre Rickard, Toby Mizuno, TJ Galoia and Sam Kahaialii.

The sophomore group is made up of Levi Barsuto and Cruz Cosner. Rounding out the roster are freshmen Kade Cunningham and Kana’au Castro.

The regular season will run through mid-February, followed by the MIL Tournament and then the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) State Tournament at the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu.

Coach Webb concluded by saying, “I am honored and consider it a privilege to be able to coach at my alma mater, Lahainaluna High School, where I graduated in 1998. We would like to thank all who support Lahainaluna basketball and hope to see everyone at our games.”