LOWER LAKE >> Boys will be boys. But sometimes — although it is indeed rare — they will be phenomenons.
Such a boy is Hokulani Wickard, a 14-year-old freshman at Lower Lake High School, who, during the recently completed basketball season, played havoc with the Lake County varsity record book. This was just after a season in which Wickard demonstrated the poise of a veteran quarterback with the Lower Lake junior varsity.
Are you listening Colin Kaepernick?
And it was just before ”Hoke,” as he is known by the Trojans, begins playing baseball for the first time since sixth grade.
But — get this — Wickard’s star shines the brightest in the classroom, where he carries a 4.2 GPA.
Hoke’s record-setting basketball performance this season was spectacular enough to set off sirens. It was quite simply the best season ever by a freshman at the varsity level in Lake County. His point total of 336 included 43 3-point field goals and gave him an average of 12.9. No other freshman playing varsity basketball — boy or girl — ever did better.
Kelseyville’s Kyle Ellis previously held the freshman scoring record for boys with 251 points, which was set last season. Wickard not only bested that but he beat the all-time mark held by Upper Lake’s Laura Wilder, one of the best basketball players ever produced by Lake County. Wilder scored 319 points as a freshman during the 1990-91 season. A four-year starter for Upper Lake, Wilder moved on to Washington State University on a full-ride scholarship and started for the Cougars in the Pac-10. She is Lake County’s all-time career scoring leader with 1,897 points (Kelseyville boys’ basketball coach Scott Conrad is next at 1,717).
“When Hoke and I talked before the season we set our goals pretty high,” said Lower Lake coach Tim Biasotti. “He worked hard during the summer and played in some summer league games. So we was varsity-ready.
“We knew he was going to be able to contribute immediately. One of his goals was to score 300 points,” Biasotti added.
But Biasotti was as surprised as anyone when he learned that Hoke had the best freshman year ever in terms of points scored in Lake County varsity basketball.
Wickard’s brilliance is comprised of an uncommon confidence, an unmatched work ethic and an uncanny taste for challenges.
“Hoke’s a pretty balanced player,” said Biasotti. “He practices for games pretty well and he really works to develop all aspects of his game. I think that one of the amazing things about Hoke is that we never forced the ball to him. We never ran plays for him to get points. He did it in the flow of the game.
“When we needed it, there have been times when he was able to play post for us. He had perfected it to where he could score on guys who were bigger than him. He worked on his moves and perfected them so that he can score and he works on his dribble … so he can play against guys who are quicker and faster. He just blows by them because of his hard work and ability.”
Biasotti talked about times when he was watching a televised game with Wickard’s father, Damien, while his young protege studied his next opponent.
“He’s working with his little iPad watching film,” says Biasotti. “He always wants to get better. He studies the little details and picks up on a lot of stuff. Older kids don’t like watching film. It’s what he does as a hobby.”
Wickard’s practices invariably consist of shooting a lot of 3-pointers.
“I put up a lot of shots in practice,” he says, “because I know I can always do better with my shooting. I dribble a lot and work on all the aspects of my game.”
His favorite drill is the crossover from which he can shoot or pass.
“I feel like if I don’t pass to my teammates they’re not going to want to play with me,” Wickard said.
While he is not inclined to boast he is aware that he is a born leader and is not reluctant to discuss that role.
“I think a lot of people look up towards me,” he says. “They see how I act in practice or in a game and if I’m doing a good job they say, ‘Oh, I can do that, too.’”
Most coaches have a mental checkoff list for starting a freshman phenom.
Kelseyville coach Scott Conrad, who has experienced both sides of the issue, having been a freshman player on the Kelseyville varsity in the mid-1980s and now being the coach of Kyle Ellis, who started at the varsity as a freshman last season and just recently completed an even better sophomore season.
“First of all you’ve got to ask yourself is the kid disciplined? How’s he going to fit in with the character of the older kids?”
Conrad believes that having an outstanding freshman year does not automatically guarantee a great sophomore season.
“Kyle did improve,” he said. “He led our team in rebounding and scoring this season.”
Middletown coach G.J. Rockwell weighed in on the matter.
“I think he (Wickard) is definitely on the right path,” he said. “What I saw is someone who has spent time on the court. He has a good basketball IQ. He can play inside and out.”
Rockwell lost two North Central League I games to Wickard and the Trojans this season. Did he make any adjustments from one game to the next?
“I just wanted the guys to be aware of where he was because he’s a good shooter,” said Rockwell.
How Wickard plays out the next three high school seasons is indeed a topic of discussion.
“I know that playing sports isn’t a realistic goal because there’s only so many people who can play a pro sport,” Wickard reasoned.
And, despite his record-breaking freshman year, he doesn’t, for the moment, see himself as a college basketball player.
“I’ve talked to my father about this,” he said. “More quarterbacks are my height than NBA or college players are,” Hoke said. “So, the possibilities of me playing quarterback at a high level are a lot better than they are for me in basketball.”
But then again, Biasotti says, “I feel like every time I see Hoke he’s an inch or two taller.”
And, after all, basketball is Wickard’s favorite sport.
Perhaps the best measure of Hoke’s prowess on the court was offered by Middletown’s junior varsity coach Jon Hoogendoorn.
“I’m just glad I didn’t have to coach against him,” he said.
