Kaupena Yasso is packing his considerable basketball skills, a cooler of food, and the aloha spirit to Vermont, where he’ll play ball for Castleton University.
Never heard of it?
Well, neither did the recent Kamehameha graduate, until coach Mea Wong hooked him up with the Division III school more than 4,900 miles away from home.
Yasso got in touch with the coaching staff, sent a highlight video and landed an academic scholarship from the Spartans, who finished 4-21 during the 2019-20 season.
The Spartans liked the 6-foot-2 guard’s scoring ability — his range to shoot 3-pointers and post work in the paint. But still, Vermont is on the East Coast and gets in the single digits in January.
Aloalii and Jodi Yasso had a bit of concern about their son, who’ll major in business management and marketing, being so far from home. It’s a 13-hour plus flight to a state famous for its covered wooden bridges and skiing.
The Spartans even have alpine skiing, ice hockey and nordic skiing teams. If Hawaii is famous for its surfing on the North Shore, then Vermont claims ice.
“At first, they were hesitant because of the location,” said Yasso, who made the All-BIIF first team as a junior in 2020. “But after talking with the coaches, that helped me with my decision, and they saw it as a big opportunity for me.”
His dad is 5-10, and his mom is 5-4, but Yasso is blessed with height and a lifetime coach because Aloalii played ball on Maui. Yasso started basketball at 7 years old with the Keaau Chargers, coached by his dad.
By the fourth grade, he joined Randy “The Helicopter” Apele’s Hoop Dreams club team and traveled every summer to mainland tournaments.
“Ever since I was a kid, my dad gave me a mental edge,” Yasso said. “He made me a tougher player and basically taught me everything I know.
“Since playing for coach Randy’s team, I’m a lot smarter basketball player and learned to play better team basketball. He helped improve my passing and court vision. Kiai Apele (UH-Hilo’s guard) is like my brother and best friend. He really pushes me at practice, and we go at it. He’s helped my intensity.”
When Yasso was under Wong’s wing, he sharpened one other important intangible.
“I improved my leadership skills,” he said. “And basketball skills training every day,” he said. “I never lifted weights until I trained with coach Mea. I’ve gotten a lot stronger over the years. My dad taught me all my post moves. The one he drilled me on the most was a simple drop step.”
Boston Celtic great Kevin McHale once said that your best move should always have a counter. So Yasso does have McHale’s up-and-under move in his back pocket.
The last time Yasso played ball was against Hawaii Prep back in February during the short high school season. Since then, he’s been practicing with Hoop Dreams, which will leave July 26 for a tourney in Las Vegas.
On the team are Kaukahi Alameda (Hilo); Emery Eberhard (Honokaa), who signed with UH-Hilo; Koby Tabuyo-Kahele (Kamehameha); Jake Iwasaki (Kamehameha), an upcoming senior; Braedy Yamada (Kamehameha), an upcoming senior; Kaleb Guerrero (Kamehameha), an upcoming sophomore; Jaden Hall (Saint Louis from Oahu); and Kiai Yasso (Kamehameha), an upcoming freshman.
Yasso’s younger brother already is 5-11 and has the ball-handling skills to play guard.
“He’s a lot more athletic than me. But that’s it,” said Yasso, dishing out praise but making sure the youngster works hard to earn more.
One of Yasso’s basketball highlights was meeting this hoops idol. His favorite team is the Minnesota Timberwolves because he likes guard D’Angelo Russell, so he and UHH guard Darren Williams, who also likes Russell and the perennial woebegone ’Wolves, can compare notes.
“I met him one time at an NBA summer camp,” Yasso said. “He was playing in the NBA summer league as a rookie (in 2015) in Las Vegas. He’s a cool guy.”
Yasso will head up to Vermont on July 18 with his parents. They’ll help him settle in and enjoy a mini-vacation.
There’s no one from Hawaii on the roster, but Yasso plans to introduce his teammates to Spam musubi and Hawaiian music, particularly his favorite local artist, Fiji.
Yasso didn’t visit the campus, so he’s still researching and learning about Vermont. But at least he already knows one critical thing.
“I need to stock up on my winter clothes,” he said.