Not a bird, not a plane, but Aiva Arquette can really fly.

He doesn’t need a cape. The Saint Louis senior is one of the top baseball players in Hawaii, a 6-foot-4 shortstop with elite range who can hit for average and power. Last winter, he also emerged as an elite basketball player during the Crusaders’ 13-game exhibition season — in lieu of the canceled hoops schedule. Rather than settle for 3-pointers and pull-up jumpers, Arquette would take off like a jet and dunk on opponents.

Arquette’s parents had seen it all from their son since his halcyon days in the Kailua keiki basketball leagues. Finesse was his game. But as of junior year in 2020, after months in the weight room, so was power.

“The first time we saw him dunk was the live stream. The first game. I forget who they were playing,” his mother, Marisel, recalled. “Athens (his father) and I looked at each other. Oh my gosh.”

This winter, Hayden Bayudan is running the point, 6-3 freshman Pupualii Sepulona is dominating on the block, the versatile AJ Bianco is back from a lengthy football season and backcourt glue guy Shoncin Revuelto provides savvy, skill and experience.

“I personally know everything’s the same. I’ve gotten stronger. That’s a neat thing in my game,” Arquette said. “We’re just trying to keep the flow. Our team, we’re young, you know? I think we’re feisty. Everyone is goal-oriented and no one slacks off. That’s what matters. Work hard, show up at every practice, make each other better. We have a solid team coming into the season.”

Saint Louis is 6-0 in preseason. Several of their opponents were depleted by injuries and illnesses, and a few games were canceled, but Mililani was the one foe that matched the Crusaders. Saint Louis got 18 points from Bayudan and 17 from Arquette in a 63-61 overtime win at the James Alegre Invitational.

“That was an awesome game. Out of all the games, that was the one to see where we were. We were down in the fourth quarter. It was good to see where our team was with their competitiveness and will to win,” Arquette said. “Our team is getting more disciplined day by day.”

The Crusaders open ILH regular-season play against another powerhouse, Kamehameha, on Jan. 13.

“He’s a great athlete. You have to worry about him not only as a deadly shooter, but someone that can attack you off the bounce and create his own shot,” ‘Iolani coach Ryan Hirata said. “Because of his size, he’s a tough matchup for a lot of teams.”

Kamehameha coach Larry Park agreed.

“He’s extremely athletic and an agile shooter and scorer. Great size and length for a perimeter player. He’s not afraid of the moment,” Park said.

Mid-Pacific coach Robert Shklov compared Arquette to some talented players of yesteryear: Micah Christenson (Kamehameha), Eliet Donley (Moanalua) and JB Kam (Punahou).

“Aiva is a two-sport star with leadership qualities that you see exuded on the court. Coach Dan (Hale) puts a lot of responsibility on him as the clear leader on that team and it shows,” Shklov said. “He looks like Eliet, a sturdy build capable of being an inside-out threat, and equally adept at leading the break, filling the lanes and battling inside. Aiva’s shot release is like JB’s, a quick catch-and-shoot type with a high arc and finish. Flawless and repeatable technique.”

When the state’s high school leagues canceled winter sports last year, Saint Louis managed to play exhibition games against clubs and schools. Arquette averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per game, teaming up with Jydon Hall and Bianco as the Crusaders went 13-0 under Hale.

“Aiva is such an inspirational guy. Every year, he’s come back stronger and bigger,” Hale said. “He’s so coachable, such a pleasure to coach.”

The transition back to baseball during the 2020 stretch of the pandemic was seamless for Arquette, who usually does baseball workouts on off days during hoops season. He cranked the baseball with a newfound authority, his fifth tool. His motor was already almost unparalleled in the minds of some at Kalaepohaku and beyond. There just aren’t a whole lot of basketball/baseball athletes in the upper echelons of talent and production.

“He has great range. He makes the plays look easy,” longtime Mid-Pacific baseball coach Dunn Muramaru said. “The backhand doesn’t look like he’s struggling. He gets to balls and he always seems to get the good hop. Offensively, he’s dangerous. He’s got really good speed, hits it on the ground, beats it out, and hits for power. He’s improved his hitting a lot from when he was young. He’s a pretty good basketball player, too. That’s kind of a rare combination, really.”

Hale goes back to the old school for a comparison.

“Guys like Boy Eldredge, who I played with. Mark Beavers ended up being a pitcher at BYU,” Hale said. “For Aiva, baseball is his ticket, for sure. He’s plenty good enough to play basketball at the next level, but with baseball, there’s such high potential. It’s great for him. He’s put in a lot of work in basketball over the years.”

Saint Louis went 8-2 in ILH play, winning the league championship.

Arquette isn’t a social media content provider, but he was more than willing to show his wares. Not long after the ILH’s abbreviated spring baseball season, he became a barnstorming athlete, traveling several times to the mainland. He played with the stacked Hawaii Baseball Group team that won a major Perfect Game tournament in Iowa, advancing to the final PG event in Jupiter, Fla.

“For our trip, we kind of basically let them play and showcase themselves,” said Hawaii Baseball Group assistant coach Daryl Kitagawa, who is also head coach at Kamehameha. “Aiva is humble, very respectful. A soft-spoken kid, not the rah-rah type who pounds his chest. I wish him the very best.”

The exposure to college recruiters and MLB scouts was off the charts.

“He’ll probably get drafted,” Muramaru said. “You can see the upside, and more room to get more physical. He’s already got the speed and agility. He’s got the frame to put it on.”

There was a break during early summer between baseball events. Arquette told Hale that he wanted to practice and play with the Crusaders basketball team. Hale, the former state-championship player and coach, would have enjoyed that. The answer, however, was no.

“I was traveling for baseball almost the whole summer. I guess it was just safer,” Arquette said. “Trust me, I wanted to (play), though.”

In this era, specialization is often king. Sometimes, Arquette seems to be in three separate universes. With a 3.7 grade-point average, he signed with the University of Washington during the fall to play baseball. Training for baseball never quite stopped as he added muscle and hit the scale at 205 pounds, well above his 180 or so as a sophomore two years ago.

“Baseball’s kind of different, doing specific kinds of lifts, more lower body,” Arquette said. “Lunges, dead lifts and stuff.”

He and his teammates trained under the watchful eye of college counselor/trainer Markus Kimura.

“This class of seniors, he’s one of the leaders along with (Nuu) Contrades and (Xander) Sielken and Cody Antone,” Crusaders baseball coach George Gusman said. “They’re very self-driven. They’re good leaders. They get in the weight room and just work. I just sit in the corner and let the trainer take care of them. They’re all focused and they’ve always been like that. We’re very fortunate to have players like that.”

At Washington, Arquette will don the purple and gold with his pals from Kailua — Beau Sylvester (Kamehameha) and Zac Tenn (‘Iolani).

“Everyone that signs with UW from here has that gut feeling that I have,” Arquette said. “That we want to be there.”

AIVA ARQUETTE

Saint Louis

>> Height, weight: 6 feet 4, 205 pounds

>> Class: Senior

>> GPA: 3.7

Did you know?

>> Aiva signed with Washington, where he will rejoin old friends Beau Sylvester (Kamehameha) and Zac Tenn (‘Iolani) on the baseball team. The three grew up playing sports together in Kailua.

>> “Major League 2” and “Field of Dreams” are his top two movies. Aiva and his Hawaii Elite teammates visited the Dreams site in Dyersville, Iowa, last summer. “It was really cool to see where that movie was filmed at.”

>> Favorite food: Steak. “This holiday season I ate a lot of prime rib. My dad (Athens) and mom (Marisel) are great cooks.”

>> Favorite beverage: Coconut water. “I think it’s better than Gatorade. My grandpa (Addison Arquette) always brings me coconut water after games.”

>> Favorite music artists: Polo G, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Lionel Richie. “‘Martin & Gina’ (by Polo G) gets me going before a game.”

>> Favorite class: Economics