Just over 100 Big Island youth basketball players joined the University of Hawai`i HIlo camp staff for the 44th Vulcan Basketball Camp with Coach Jimmy Yagi on Monday morning at the UH Hilo Gymnasium.

The camp will run Monday through Thursday at Panaewa Gym from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Monday morning, head UH Hilo men's basketball coach GE Coleman (and co-camp director) addressed the players and parents at the UHH Gym, before the camp moved to Panaewa for the remainder of the week.

Coleman shares the director duties with Vulcan women's head coach David Kaneshiro. A number of local high schools coaches are also serving as camp teachers, and along with UH Hilo women's basketball players Mikayla Tablit, Mandi Kawaha and Chyann Gabriel. Coleman's Vulcans working the camp include Jordan Graves, Kaleb Gilmore, and Kupaa Harrison, along with 2014-15 UHH alum Yevgeniy Dyachenko.

Local basketball players ages nine through 17 will receive quality instruction all week, and also walk away with a basketball, camp t-shirt, camp photo and a free lunch each day.

Legendary Coach Yagi, a member of the UH Hilo Vulcan Hall of Fame, has led camps and clinics around the world. Unofficially, he is known as the "Father of Small College Basketball" in Hawai`i. He was the first Vulcan coach, compiling a 252-126 record with 11 winning seasons in 12 years. 

"This has been a Big Island tradition for over 40 years," said Vulcan Athletic Director Patrick Guillen. "We are pleased with the turnout and especially grateful for the the many volunteer coaches that help us put on this great event. Coach Yagi greatly enjoys the opportunity to coach and teach again, and work with this terrific group."