Thursday, January 24, 2002
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All-around Atuaia April Atuaia did not want being named Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year to create any added pressure this season.
The sophomore guard has rebounded
from a slow start shooting the ball to
become a major force for UHBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comBut it did, just a little.
"It was at the back of my mind, but this year is a new season, a different one with new faces. It's old news," said the 5-foot-10 sophomore shooting guard from Laie.
Yet, Atuaia seemed to struggle for the first two or three games. The shooting in shooting guard was missing. This puzzled Atuaia, who knew she would have to increase her contributions to the offense this year.
"Coming into the season, most of the teams knew I was a penetrator. I really wanted to work on my shooting ability, especially from the perimeter, being that's expected from my position," Atuaia said.
But, no matter what she did early in the season, nothing seemed to want to go in.
UH coach Vince Goo candidly pointed out that Atuaia was consistently around the rim. More often than not, the ball would swirl around the rim, then drop out, skipping the net part.
"It was frustrating, so I looked for other ways to score," said Atuaia.
One was to grab a rebound and get two points on a putback. Slowly Atuaia regained her shooting eye. She recorded her first career double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds in the third game of the season against Wyoming. In the third-place game of the Panda Travel Rainbow Wahine Classic, she had a career-high 17 points against Oklahoma State.
However, offense is just one part of Atuaia's game.
"April understands the offense better. She's No. 2 in assists and has been a good rebounder for us. She's like three rebounds behind Christen Roper in conference (45 to 42) and we're talking about 5-10 vs. 6-5," said Goo.
"When we went on the road, she held her girl to 1-for-6 from the field at Rice and to 1-for-8 at Tulsa. She is playing very good defense. She doesn't stand out in numbers with points scored, but she does a lot of other things."
Atuaia says rebounding was never really a part of her game, but, "If I see the ball bouncing I might as well keep going in and get it."
She enjoys being Janka Gabrielova's partner in the backcourt. Midway through their second season together, they have their own mutual admiration society.
"Janka controls the whole team when she pushes the ball up. We always know what the other is going to do," said Atuaia. "She really wants to push this team to the WAC championship and into the NCAA tournament. It was not a good feeling last year when we didn't get into the NCAA."
As a perimeter player, Atuaia is always looking to pass inside when she has the ball. That's the Wahine game. If that option isn't available but there is an opportunity to drive the baseline, she takes off and doesn't mind challenging taller opponents to stop her move to the basket.
She has improved her assist-to-turnover ratio from 1-to-1 as a freshman to 1.7-to-1 this season, best on the team.
"April is playing real smart for even being in her second year. And, you know, she is really unselfish. She can take being on the floor. She can take being on the bench. I think she puts herself way behind, in priority, behind the team success," said Goo.
Asked what she considers having a good game is, Atuaia said, "If we come out with a win."
An elementary education major, she plans to join her parents, Logotaeao and Fatu Atuaia, who will retire and return to Western Samoa after April's graduation.
The youngest of six children, Atuaia says she doesn't speak Samoan the way her older brothers do and is taking language classes because Samoan and English are used in the schools in Western Samoa.
When: Today, 7 p.m. Wahine Basketball
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Live, KFVE, Channel 5
Radio: Live, KCCN, 1420-AM
Internet: kccn1420am.com
Tickets: All seats general admission. $7 adults, $6 seniors, $4 for children (age 4-17) and UH students.
Parking: $3
Probable starters
Hawaii (11-4 overall, 4-2 WAC)
Ht. Pts. Avg. Reb. G Janka Gabrielova (Sr.) 5-6 10.7 2.9 4.6 G April Atuaia (Soph.) 5-10 8.1 7.3 3.5 F Natasja Allen (Jr.) 6-2 12.7 5.9 1.1 F Karena Greeny (Sr.) 5-11 7.9 5.2 1.9 C Christen Roper (Jr.) 6-5 10.9 8.1 0.5 NEVADA (6-10, 3-4 WAC)
Ht. Pts. Avg. Reb. G Laura Ingham (Jr.) 5-4 7.0 4.3 6.3 G Ashley Bastian (Jr.) 5-6 6.9 2.3 1.4 G Crystal Williams (Sr.) 5-8 6.4 3.2 1.2 F Katie Golomb (Sr.) 6-1 10.8 5.8 1.1 C Kate Smith (Jr.) 6-2 14.8 6.8 1.4 Notes: The Wahine lead the series 13-2. In the last meeting, Feb. 11, UH prevailed 74-52, at Reno, Nev. ... Hawaii leads the WAC in field-goal percentage defense (.336) and in most defensive rebounds per game (31.13). ... Wahine point guard Janka Gabrielova is second in the WAC in 3-point field-goal percentage (.397 on 23-of-58). ... UH center Christen Roper is fifth in the nation in blocked shots, averaging 3.27 per game.
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