He was the younger brother, but in the heart and mind of Allen Allen, Masui was more like a son. After their father died, Allen Allen became the family patriarch and his role with his four siblings changed.

It wasn’t until the two became beach volleyball partners that Allen Allen rediscovered a brother as well as a friend. The former University of Hawaii All-America volleyball player lost both on Tuesday when Masui died in San Diego of cancer-related complications.

Masui Allen, an honorable mention All-American for the Rainbow Warriors, was 47.

The two traveled the globe, hoping to qualify for the 1996 Olympics, the inaugural Games where beach volleyball would be contested. The qualification process was complicated and expensive, but the experience was priceless for the brothers originally from the village of ‘Amanave, American Samoa.

“It was the first time I thought of him as an equal,” Allen Allen said. “We bonded and I began to appreciate who he was.

“He was a fighter.”

That was evident the past 19 months.

Masui Allen was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in December 2016. After surgery, doctors discovered it had spread to his lungs.

When chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants were unsuccessful, he sought alternative treatment in Mexico. On the second day of treatment in Tijuana, doctors discovered internal bleeding and Allen was moved to a San Diego hospital for a blood transfusion. He developed complications and died on Tuesday.

Allen leaves behind his wife, Etta, and 10 children: Tainea, Tyreana, Tynoa, Tyrus, Tymane, Tyleani, Tynuhea, Tytus, Tycen, Tyten.

“He was with me my first two years (1993-94),” retired Hawaii coach Mike Wilton said in a phone call from Utah. “Besides being a wonderful athlete and volleyball player, he was a fabulous team guy. His concern was always about the team, not himself. That was very refreshing.

“Even in this era, I think he would still be an outside hitter (Allen was listed at 5-foot-11). He played left side for us, but because of his athleticism, I think he would have been devastating on the ‘bid.’ (3-meter attack by a right-side hitter). Sure, he could have been a libero — he was a very good passer — but even in today’s game, he’d still be able to play front row.”

Wilton last saw the Allen brothers during a club volleyball tournament in February and “Masui was so upbeat,” Wilton said. “It’s just who he was.”

As a senior, Allen was named All-MPSF third team as well as honorable mention All-America. The Warriors were 14-14 that season.

“Everyone called him ‘Sui’,” said Jason Olive, Allen’s teammate from 1992 to 1994. “He was the most fluid player I ever played with or against in college. His combination of flexibility and explosive power was just really rare.

“The other thing was he was tenacious. Sui had the most easygoing and friendly nature … until the whistle blew. Then he transformed into the prototypical Rainbow Warrior. He set the tone for us as a team that was unwilling to concede anything.

“What truly saddens us all is the amazing family that we all knew he’d have. I just always imagined old-man Sui on the porch watching his family of 30 or 40 having a picnic, playing grass volleyball with a big smile on his face. God had different plans.”

Services are pending and will be held in Anaheim, Calif., where the Allen family resides.

Allen also is survived by mother Faliu; brother Stahl; sisters Margie, Dolores, Lupe and Faliu; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A GoFundMe page originally set up to defray medical expenses remains open to help cover funeral and related expenses: https://www.gofundme.com/help-for-masui-allen.