Athlete of the Week: Capuchino’s Melesungu Afeaki

What makes the Daily Journal Athlete of the Week so special, though, is her chops from the outside. Afeaki is a force in the paint, sure, but she and senior teammate Hailey Hoff form a double-edged sword from the outside. Hailey Hoff, notorious as a 3-point shooter, splashed down five times against Burlingame. Afeaki was right there with her, knocking down four 3s.

“What our objective was, even when she was young, was to give her guard skills,” Capuchino head coach Steve Hoff said.

Steve Hoff has coached the core of Cap’s varsity squad since the current crop of seniors was in grade school. And it was clear, even then, Afeaki was navigating a path toward a special basketball career. She has since committed to play collegiately at University of San Diego.

“It’s her speed at that height,” Steve Hoff said. “She can move like a guard. When you’ve got a kid who is 6-2 and has some guard skills, she is such a tough matchup.”

Rounding out her game didn’t come naturally to Afeaki, who has been the tallest player on the court for as long as she can remember.

“For me, I was completely content with playing in the post,” Afeaki said. “I was so scared of shooting or air-balling … so it was honestly a confidence thing.”

Now, she’s got game not just with her natural left-hand, but as an ambidextrous ball-handler and shooter. Steve Hoff said, at this point, she is a better finisher with her right.

Collegiately, in a world where 6-2 players aren’t nearly as rare, it was Afeaki’s developed skill set that helped get her recruited.

“I think it was the biggest thing, because when I talked to coaches it was: ‘We’re talking to you because of your versatility,’” Afeaki said.

Hailey Hoff helps bring an extra dimension out of Afeaki’s game as well. The two have played together since grade school, are best friends off the court, and pose a choose-your-poison presence to opposing defenders.

“I think both of them, they kind of feed off each other,” Steve Hoff said. “But I think what [Afeaki] has been able to do is pretty awesome.”

Hailey Hoff has had her awesome moments as well. She is averaging 19.6 points per game and enjoyed a 50-point epic Dec. 3 in a non-league victory over St. Joseph Notre Dame.

At that early juncture of the season, Afeaki was on the injured list and wouldn’t get her season rolling until Dec. 21. The Mustangs were 3-4 at that point and would finish their non-league schedule with a sub-.500 record, meaning they had to go .500 or better in Peninsula Athletic League South Division play in order to qualify for the CCS postseason.

Cap clinched its postseason bid Monday night with a 57-40 victory over Menlo-Atherton.

“The difference is with her is we’re way better,” Steve Hoff said. “Everything we do, we kind of run through her. So, when she’s on the court it makes it easier for everyone else because she draws so much attention.”

With four daughters, Steve Hoff nearly has a girls’ basketball team unto himself. With Afeaki such a regular around the Hoff household, though, she would make an obvious choice to round out the mythical Team Hoff.

“I’m recruiting her to be on the team for sure,” Steve Hoff said.