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Wednesday, March 15, 2000
Dias is back
with Moanalua
UH women's basketball
By Tim Crouse
coachVince Goo says he's not
surprised to see her return to
coaching the Menehunes
Special to the Star-BulletinFor five years, Dana Dias worked on Vince Goo's University of Hawaii Wahine basketball staff.
Dias (who was Dana Takahara in her 1985-88 UH playing days) worked as an administrative assistant and learned all she could from her former college coach.
But when the Moanalua girls' varsity basketball team opens its Oahu Interscholastic Association season Friday at Campbell, Dias will be back "home" - on the Menehune sideline.
Goo said he wasn't surprised to see Dias return to her former position as Moanalua head coach.
"High school coaching is her livelihood," Goo said. "When she came to us, she already had a lot of coaching experience. She contributed a lot with her expertise in basketball and coaching in general."
Dias, a special education teacher and assistant athletic director at Moanalua, is starting her second stint as head of the Menehune program. She coached Moanalua from 1991-95 before taking the UH post.
In 1992, she led the team to the OIA title and the state tournament championship game, earning coach of the year honors. She coached Moanalua to four straight unbeaten divisional seasons, state tournament appearances in all five seasons and three state final-fours.
Despite those achievements, Dias feels better equipped after her break from high school coaching.
"Vince (Goo) taught me a lot," she said. "I'm stealing a lot from what they've done (at UH). Our practices are similar and we try to run the same kind of scheme. The five years I spent at UH have a lot to do with how we're running the program now."
Also rejoining her are two assistants who worked with her the first time around - Peter Kim, and her husband, Roy.
Chris Bertao and Pohai Frank, both former Moanalua players, are also assistants. Both graduated in 1995.
Moanalua went through the preseason undefeated until losing to Kamehameha in the championship game of the Menehune Preseason Peek Tournament last Saturday.
The Menehune run an up-tempo offense.
"We've been trying to push the game a little faster," Dias said. "I think our strength is speed-oriented so we're trying to play what the girls are capable of."
Dias said she is getting used to coaching without a shot clock again.
"If you take a look at how we play, you would probably assume we play on a shot clock, too," she said. "Without the shot clock there are so many more options. You can stall. You can work for a good shot.
"We like to push (the tempo) and create things and that's what makes our team fun to watch, and it's fun for the players."
A huge factor in Moanalua's favor this year will be its experience. All five starters are seniors, and two more seniors come off the bench.
"The seniors have been together for quite a while and in essence they're playing for this year, their last year before going on," said Dias. "I anticipate really nice seasons for the seniors."
Dias is also happy about the depth of her squad, saying she feels comfortable with all of her players.
That was evident when Moanalua played Kalani in the semifinals of the Preseason Peek Tournament last week. Dias substituted liberally, sometimes three or four players at a time.
"I think this year we're blessed to have good players 1-through-12 so we're lucky in that sense that we can put in almost anybody (and they'll get the job done)," she said.
