It was always basketball, always purple and gold.

It was always a test that Ellana Klemp embraced, gaining strength each step of the way. Sometimes, those steps are made before the sun is up during the offseason.

“She calls me before touch ball. ‘Coach, do you mind opening the gym in the morning?’ It’s 6:15, they’re doing skills and drills, that kind of stuff, until 7:15,” Hanalani coach Charlie Hiers said. “Not all the players would go, but she’s leading. It’s like that old TV commercial. When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen. They’re listening to her because of her character, but she also knows she needs help. If teams are box-and-one-ing her, others need to step up.”

Klemp has been steady, reliable, sometimes sensational through her four-year varsity career. This season, the 5-foot-9 senior is averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game against a Division-heavy slate of opponents. Hanalani is 13-4 overall. The small private school in Mililani — enrollment is 340 from seventh to 12th grades — has been a D-II powerhouse for several years now under Hiers. Since winning the Division II state title in 2019-20, the Royals have finished third once and second twice. Last year, the Royals lost to Maryknoll in the final.

“I never really expected this because my freshman year, COVID, was kind of lurking around. To see the progress we’ve made together and individually through club and school season, we’ve come so far.”

This is an era of free birds. Free agents. Equality for the masses, athletes in college free to gain income, free to transfer without the penalty of a one-year sit. High school athletes in the islands transfer on a whim. Free market, free movement.

It just wasn’t Klemp’s thing.

“A couple of people encouraged me to transfer and go somewhere else, but I kind of just chuckle. In my mind I can’t even see myself at a different high school. I love my teammates. I spend my entire day with them. They’re my friends,” she said. “There’s no other place with teachers that encourage me with my walk with the Lord every day.”

By the time other ILH programs became fully aware of Klemp’s talent, she was already a Royal. Transferring to another ILH school would have required sitting out of basketball for one year. Hanalani, though, is home.

“Our preseason trips are where we make some of the best memories. We’re all together, so it’s fun,” said Klemp, who is a senior class officer.

Hiers noted that Klemp is deeply involved on campus.

“She’s been such a blessing, but bigger than basketball, she’s one of our student leaders. That’s what I love to watch, how well-rounded she is,” Hiers said.

The 4.2 grade-point average is possibly more impressive than her on-court achievements. At school, there’s a balance that Klemp cherishes.

“Every single Friday, we have an activity time. Our entire grade gets to play a game together and bond during school,” she said. “Sometimes it’s relay races. Or Pictionary. We played a dress-up game the past couple of weeks. We do a lot of activities and I love it.”

The Hanalani Royals flew home from the Bay Area on Monday night, after playing in the Amber division at the West Coast Jamboree. Hanalani advanced past Ukiah (Calif.) 52-30 and Carlsbad (Calif.) to reach the final. The Royals beat Maria Carrillo (Calif.) 50-41 on Monday to earn the championship.

“It’s a lot of fun showing our skills in another place, showing what our team is made of, and what we’ve been able to accomplish,” Klemp said.

Hiers enjoyed the weekend run.

“Carlsbad is good. They just took us for granted. They have a couple of girls who are 6 feet and can put the ball in the bucket, but they didn’t know what hit them,” he said. “We came out and played our most steady game.”

Prior to Klemp, the best player in the program’s history was probably 6-foot forward Sarah Liva, who transferred as a senior to Mililani. There was talented guard Faith Mersburgh, who switched to Campbell as a senior. The current edition of the Royals includes several year-round basketball players. Piha‘eu Akiona’s versatility as a point guard who scores and rebounds is a great fit. Jayda Okuhara is a catch-and-shoot 3-point bomber with tenacious defense. The length and hustle of Tamilyn Celestino are crucial for Hanalani on the boards and on defense.

Celestino is the classic blue-collar grinder who can impact a game massively without scoring more than a couple of buckets.

The cornerstone is Klemp, who grew up playing for her dad, Kyle, at Trinity Christian in Wahiawa. Away from the microscope in Honolulu, she pumped in 20 points per game in the Christian school middle league with little fanfare.

Maryknoll coach Chico Furtado has had an eye for talent going back to the 1990s, when he guided Kalaheo to a dynastic run in the OIA. His Spartans teams of the past decade have featured many of the top players out of Honolulu’s public middle schools. Even Furtado was unaware about Klemp’s potential until she was already at Hanalani.

“The first time we played her, she was coming off her injury,” Furtado said. “The second time at their place, the thing that impressed me most is she has guard skills in a bigger body. She’s very athletic and uses her body to protect the ball. We were mostly concerned about how we were going to guard her around the bucket. I was really impressed with her when they beat Kapaa in the semifinal game, and her perimeter shooting. She shot the ball really well. That’s the part of her game she’s really developed. She can back people down, but she can shoot the (3-point) shot.”

This season has been a whirlwind of nonconference games, easily the toughest slate Hiers has lined up. The Royals played in four tournaments before heading to the West Coast Jamboree. During the rare gap, Hiers scheduled the best teams available, like No. 1 Kamehameha and five-time Division I defending state champion ‘Iolani. Of 18 games, 14 were against Hawaii teams, and nine of those were D-I or Top 10 opponents.

“If we’re going to play Kamehameha, ‘Iolani, Konawaena, I want it to be a good game. The numbers say we might not win, but not too many people remember wins in preseason,” Hiers said. “I’d rather eventually improve and get ready for our (ILH) season by giving our girls opportunities.”

The Royals have wins over Campbell, Moanalua and Mililani, and a split with Punahou. Hiers knew the journey would have its share of turbulences. Hanalani has double-digit margin losses to ‘Iolani, Kamehameha and Pinewood (Calif.). Since the loss to Pinewood at the ‘Iolani Prep Classic, the Royals have won eight games in a row.

Three of those victories came in league play, including a decisive 53-28 win over No. 10 Hawaii Baptist. Hanalani is at its highest ranking of the season, No. 5, in the Star-Advertiser Girls Basketball Top 10.

“At the ‘Iolani Classic, there were moments we struggled,” Hiers said. “But how does that make us better? Better people, better team, still growing. We may not have 5-star players, but we have players with 5-star character.”

After marrying here, then moving back to the Midwest, the Klemps soon found themselves back in the islands.

“That was 2009, 2010. There weren’t any schools hiring. The recession was big,” Kyle recalled. “We still had connections in Hawaii. I never wanted to come back or thought we would come back, but we felt called by the Lord to bring us back.”

Oldest child Jackson became a cross country runner at Hanalani. Younger brother Trevor is a high-scoring swingman for the Royals’ boys team.

He scored 19 points in a loss to Woodside Priory (Calif.) over the weekend at the Punahou Invitational.

Two years younger than Jackson and one year older than Trevor, Ellana was entrenched in soccer from a young age. She was always around basketball, a toddler bouncing a ball at the annual Fundamentals and Faith basketball camp. She finally started playing organized hoops when she was 9. Then came a left foot injury. When Klemp healed up, she was done with futbol.

“I didn’t want to go to soccer practice anymore. I had been playing for so long and it just felt so robotic doing the same thing. Basketball was newer. I was probably better at basketball, so that gave me confidence in the sport,” she said.

Kyle Kurasaki was a coach in the MCA youth league. Kyle Klemp was also a coach in the league. They both have sons named Trevor, and their daughters are the same age. Brooke Kurasaki is a standout senior guard at Mililani, where Kyle was the head coach until early December.

“I’ve known Ellana since she was in elementary school, since MCA league. She was tall, could shoot the ball and was lanky. To me, she’s a mismatch because she can handle the ball like a guard, and if she has a smaller guard on her, she can post them up. She’s definitely an all-around outstanding player, and super smart,” Kurasaki said. “I’ve seen her compete on the mainland against the best. She can get off her shot whenever she wants. She would’ve fit in with any Division I team.”

Team Aloha coach Mufi Hannemann had an immediate flashback the first time he saw Klemp play.

“I saw her in her freshman year and she immediately made me think of Sarah Liva. Sarah was lighting it up in her freshman year. Ellana had great vision, always hustled. This girl can play,” he said. “On defense she’s asked to play the 5 or 4, and on offense she’s a 2 or 3, and when they are pressed, she’s the 1. A lot is expected of her. She’s a natural 2 and could play 3 depending on the college she goes to. Her passing is excellent. She is cerebral. She’ll figure it out.”

Ellana Klemp never needed prodding. Her mother, Heather, played high school basketball and volleyball before an ACL injury cut her playing days short.

“I remember my dad telling me what to do to get better. It was such a chore. Rolling my eyes,” Heather Klemp said. “It was never like that with Ellana. We had a hoop in our driveway. She was always outside playing with her brothers. She would always find something to work on.”

The closest Ellana has come to a serious injury scare was during the fall of 2023.

“I just wanted to be in really good shape for basketball season. Cross country sounded like a great idea. I wasn’t doing everything the runners were doing, but I was doing more training plus playing basketball every day,” she said.

Her left shin began to flare up. She kept going for six weeks until the pain got bad enough to sideline her for a week. She tried to return, and it was even worse.

“We found out the results that she had a stress fracture,” Heather Klemp said. “I called her and to tell her over the phone. I was near tears.”

Klemp broke the news to her coach.

“Coach prayed over me to calm any worries I had, to give me peace. At the time, I was kind of freaking out. I was getting ready to play. It was two hours before our game,” Klemp recalled. “I think the lesson I learned was when something starts to hurt, take it seriously.”

Klemp credits her therapist and trainer for helping her heal, as well as making small changes like shoe insoles.

“I got the insoles after going to the podiatrist and those have been helping a lot with calf tightness, which is what I think affected my shins,” she said. “I don’t feel that pain anymore, which is amazing.”

Making that comeback and reaching the state final made up for lost time. Hanalani’s loss to Maryknoll in the championship game was a pivot point.

“Coming back to Oahu on the plane, I said, are you ready for this to be your team? Our seniors were going to graduate,” Hiers said. “Ellana was ready to take the reins, to be the vocal leader. The character leader. The accountability leader. Her work ethic is contagious to her peers.”

The grass is greener exactly where she waters it.

“It’s my senior year and I’m just excited to get out there and play with my teammates, especially my senior teammates,” Klemp said. “We’ve made so much progress. I’m trying to enjoy every moment. There’s a lot of work to be done and I’m getting after it.”

Klemp’s dream is to play college basketball, but she will likely get a multitude of opportunities with or without the game.

“I’m mainly looking at smaller schools right now. If there was a Christian school, I do want to play basketball. That’s always on my mind,” she said. “It’s a little difficult. I’m still trying to figure things out.”

Klemp is enjoying each moment day by day.

“There’s so much to look forward to in the future. I’m excited to see where God’s leading me,” she said. “It’s good to just enjoy where you’re at in the present.”

Kyle and Heather have moved on from running the basketball camp.

“Ellana and her teammates run the camp. That’s what I love about it. She starts every morning with a devotion with the kids,” he said. “She ties it into basketball. I’m proud of who she is. She’s so humble. I scream up in the stands, but she never complains about a bad call. She gets up and keeps competing. Like a Barry Sanders. Score a million touchdowns, but I don’t need to spike the ball. She gives the glory to God.”

Ellana Klemp

Hanalani basketball • Senior

Q&A

Did you know?

>> All three Klemp siblings are or were Hanalani student-athletes. Her older brother Jackson (class of 2023) ran cross country and younger brother Trevor (2026) plays basketball.

>> Ellana’s first name is pronounced el-LANE-ah.

Top 3 movies/shows

1. “The Notebook”

2. “Top Gun: Maverick”

3. “Pirates of the Caribbean”

“I used to watch ‘The Notebook’ at least once a week maybe sophomore year of high school. I’d say over 50 times. A couple times with my mom, but normally, I’m alone. My younger brother actually likes the movie, which is surprising. My friends, I’ve forced some of them to watch it.”

Top 3 foods/drinks

1. Dark chocolate from Choco le‘a

2. Doritos (spicy sweet chili)

3. Gatorade (orange)

“Anything chocolate. Reese’s peanut butter cups. Peanut M&M’s.”

Top 3 homemade food

1. Mac and cheese

2. Dad’s chicken legs

3. Grandma’s fettuccine alfredo

“I’ll normally make mac and cheese in a pot. My nanna makes it when she visits sometimes and it’s delicious.”

Top 3 music artists/favorite song

1. Lauren Daigle — “Valuable”

2. Zach Bryan — “Burn, Burn, Burn”

3. Morgan Wallen — “7 Summers”

Favorite athlete: Anthony Edwards

Favorite team: “Don’t really have a favorite NBA team, but I love UConn women’s basketball. They’re just fun to watch. (Geno Auriemma) is still a pretty good coach. His ways are a little more old school, but still effective.”

Funniest teammate: Tamilyn Celestine

“She’s kind of has a dry sense of humor, but it’s also unexpected. She’s kind of the quiet side, but she can say something out of the blue and make you laugh.”

Smartest teammate: Jayda Okuhara and Christina Harrison

“Jayda has a good work ethic and it pays off. Christina spent this summer at a Harvard summer program.”

GPA: 4.2

Favorite teacher: Mrs. (Katherine) Baquero

Favorite class: Exercise science and first aid/CPR

“It’s actually one class. The whole goal of it is to get us certified and trained. The first semester was first aid, then next semester it’s CPR on adults and babies. I really like the teacher. He’s super fun and really good at getting all the details and everything in our heads. That way we can really apply it. A lot of the kids in the class are really good friends, so that makes it fun. We just learned about basic human anatomy.”

Favorite motto/scripture: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” —1 Corinthians 16:13-14

“I love how it’s very easy to understand. A good wanting to be aware at all times because there’s so many distractions in the world. It’s a good reminder to me. Everything in love it’s so important to go about your day with that mindset.”

Hidden talent: Playing guitar

“I do all of it. I help play in my church, and at school chapel. But it’s kind of when I’m exhausted after a long day, I just pull music up and learn a song. I’m still trying to learn ‘Blackbird’ by the Beatles. It sounds really pretty. And ‘Linger’ by the Cranberries.”

New life skill: Just became certified in First Aid

Bucket list: Travel to Paris with my mom

“My mom and I have talked about that for a very long time. Having some coffee, walking around. We just want to experience it together. Sometimes it’s a different experience when the boys are around.”

Time machine: “I would travel to a past summer when I spent time with my family at a lake house in Wisconsin. We do that every summer. The guys do a lot of fishing and we’ll go tubing and water skiing. It’s relaxing, too.”

Youth sports: Club soccer, volleyball and basketball

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?

“Find the joy in whatever you are doing because it makes any experience so much better.”

Shoutouts: ”My family for all the sacrifices they’ve made for me over the years. My team for the joy they bring into my life. All my coaches who have pushed me to where I am now. Physical therapist Jamie Dominguez. Friend and trainer Traci Mccombs.”