SACRAMENTO — Minutes after 'Iolani School sophomore Derrick Low scored 33 points against Kalaheo to help the Raiders win the boys basketball state championship in 2002, 'Iolani coach Mark Mugiishi told the local media, "Someday, Derrick is going to make the state of Hawai'i very proud ..."

That day has arrived.

As the nation's sports focus turns to the spectacle that is college basketball's March Madness, Low will be front and center, in the middle of all the action this morning, leading Washington State (25-7) in its NCAA tournament first-round game against Oral Roberts (23-10).

Tipoff is set for 8:30 a.m. (10 minutes earlier than scheduled) at ARCO Arena, and the game will be televised live on KGMB-9 in Hawai'i ... as well as on CBS for the rest of the nation to see.

"This is everybody's goal, where everybody in the country wants to be," Low, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, said yesterday during a press conference at ARCO. "All those years of preparation comes down to this one game, so we've got to make the best of it."

As usual, Low was the focus of the group of about 20 media members present yesterday. Although he shared the podium with teammate Kyle Weaver, 80 percent of the questions were directed toward Low.

That comes with the territory after leading the Cougars all season in scoring (13.6 points per game), 3-point goals (70) and minutes played (34-plus per game).

It is what Washington State head coach Tony Bennett envisioned four years ago, when he successfully recruited Low as an assistant to father Dick Bennett.

"One thing I sold Derrick on was that we had a quarterback at Washington State, Jason Gesser, who was from Hawai'i and was a big part of getting our football team to bowl games and rankings and places they had never been before," Tony Bennett said yesterday. "That's what I told Derrick: 'I want you to be part of getting us there in basketball. I want you to be the catalyst.' "

Low, a three-time Advertiser State Player of the Year, gave the Cougars a verbal commitment in August of 2003, three weeks before beginning his senior year at 'Iolani. He turned down scholarship offers from Gonzaga, Utah and Hawai'i, among others, to attend Washington State, which had won 13 games in the previous two seasons.

"Everybody was focused on Washington State's past history, but I kind of knew something nobody else knew," Low said. "I wanted a chance to get better as a player and with these coaches, I had a feeling this program would end up here (in the NCAA tournament). I wanted to be part of something special, and it took some time, but we got here."

Bennett said he also knew right away that Low shared his vision.

"Derrick's a quiet guy, but like they say, still waters run deep," Bennett said. "You could tell he wanted to see this program turned around."

After two injury-plagued years, Low has flourished this season. He was named to the Pac-10's All-Conference team, as well as the National Association of Basketball Coaches' District 14 first team and the United States Basketball Writers Association's District IX team.

He scored 37 points in an overtime loss to No. 7-ranked Oregon. And most important, he led the Cougars to a second-place finish in the Pac-10 (after they were picked to finish dead last), a top 10 national ranking (they are now No. 13) and their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1994.

Low also brought college basketball fever to Pullman, Wash., a remote outpost that is home to Washington State's campus.

"I'm the biggest Derrick Low fan," said Megan Cross, one of about 40 WSU students who made the 12-hour drive to Sacramento for yesterday's open practice at ARCO. "I think he's an amazing player, awesome."

Fellow student Logan Toskey agreed.

"As her (Cross') boyfriend, I'm not opposed to that," Toskey said. "We both wear 'D-Low' headbands to all the games."

Toskey said he expects about 100 students to be among the crowd cheering for Low and the Cougars today. Washington State associate athletic director Pete Isakson said each team is allotted 300 tickets to sell, and "we could have sold 1,000."

A group of Washington State fans and alumni gathered at the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Sacramento last night. Low's father, Ken, was scheduled to arrive last night and his older brother, Dustin, was planning to make the 2-hour drive from Reno.

Low's uncle and aunt also flew in from Hawai'i for the game, and he knows many in his home state will be watching on TV.

"I represent Washington State, but I'll always represent the people from Hawai'i, too," Low said. "There's not too many people from Hawai'i playing at this level, on the national scene. So I've got to take advantage of it."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.