Alika Smith, a former Big Island basketball coach, was sentenced Wednesday to four years of probation after admitting he stole money collected from Waiakea High School basketball parents to cover gambling debts. The 50-year-old, also known as Justin Alika Pekelo Smith, pleaded no contest to second-degree theft and negotiating a worthless check in a case involving gambling addiction in a state where virtually every form of wagering remains illegal.
A Trip Fund Diverted to Cover Debts
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Smith collected $3,627 from the parents of Waiakea boys basketball team members to pay for hotel arrangements tied to a 2022 preseason trip. Smith had arranged the accommodations through Sports Travel Hawaii LLC at a cost of $3,788.75, the paper reported, but instead of covering the full bill, he paid only a $500 deposit and kept the rest of the money for himself. He then wrote a check for the remaining balance knowing it would bounce, and it did when presented for payment.
Smith's case involved gambling debts. Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota sentenced Smith to one year in jail with credit for time served, with the remainder held in abeyance, plus 250 hours of nonsports-related community service.
Victims and Advocates Weigh In
Deputy Attorney General Thomas Michener had asked the judge to impose 400 hours of community service and to deny Smith deferred acceptance of his plea, per the same account. Kalei Namohala wrote that the loss of trust was most painful for the Waiakea community, while Kalei Hanawahine said the theft and deception took time away from serving other clients. Smith's attorney, Kai McGuire, described the case as an unfortunate misunderstanding and said Smith tried to correct the mistake after realizing it, asking the judge to impose 200 hours of community service instead.
Smith was ordered to repay Sports Travel Hawaii LLC.
Hawaii remains one of only two states in the country, along with Utah, that bans all forms of gambling outright — including online sports betting, casinos, lotteries and daily fantasy sports — with knowingly participating in gambling classified as a misdemeanor, according to Action Network. Legislative efforts to loosen that prohibition stalled in 2025 when House Bill 1308, which had advanced through both chambers, collapsed in conference committee after lawmakers failed to agree on tax rates and oversight fees, the outlet reported.
From Rainbow Warrior Standout to Kalaheo Coaching Legacy
Smith's fall is especially jarring given his standing in Hawaii basketball lore. He started in the University of Hawaii backcourt with Anthony “AC” Carter in the mid-to-late 1990s, a pairing ESPN analyst Dick Vitale once called the best guard tandem in the nation, according to Hawaii Tribune-Herald. During his four-year career in Manoa from 1994 to 1998, Smith scored 1,415 points, placing him third on the Rainbow Warriors' all-time scoring list, according to University of Hawaii Athletics. Hawaiʻi beat Kansas in the Rainbow Classic championship game.
Carter went on to a 13-year NBA career after two years at UH, and the university retired his No. 23 jersey on a Saturday.
Smith's coaching resume carries its own family weight. His father, the late Pete Smith, coached Kalaheo to a 2001 title. Alika Smith played for his father at Kalaheo. The school won titles in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
