[ UH ATHLETICS ]
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii coach Vince Goo waved to the crowd after coaching his final game at the Stan Sheriff Center last night.
Farewell, Coach
After 17 years as head coach,
Vince Goo coaches his last
home game
It has not been a fairy-tale season for the Rainbow Wahine basketball team and yesterday the storybook ending did not materialize for retiring UH coach Vince Goo and senior April Atuaia.
Before an energetic crowd of 1,932 at the Stan Sheriff Center clamoring for a UH win in the home finale, Fresno State stole a 63-54 victory. The Bulldogs (13-15, 7-11) locked up the No. 6 seed in this week's Western Athletic Conference tournament.
The Rainbow Wahine (8-19, 6-12) end the WAC season in eighth place and will be the No. 8 seed. UH leaves today for the tournament and faces Boise State in a play-in game Tuesday.
"We huddled up after the game and I told the players, 'Let's take a deep breath, let it out and let's put it on the back burner and let's think about celebrating for April," said Goo, who had leis up to his glasses. "In athletics, you need an on-and-off switch. You need to know when to turn it off.
"Everyone was playing very hard. They played with a lot of intensity and emotion."
Goo's last game in the Stan Sheriff Center didn't go the way the home crowd wanted, but the ceremony after the game was just as emotional as the game itself, with two tri-captains, Milia Macfarlane and Jade Abele, in tears as they gave their speeches. Atuaia's family presented Goo with a homemade quilt.
"I even cried this afternoon to try to get it all out," said Abele, who finished with 14 points before fouling out with 45 seconds left in the game. "If you listen to everyone's speech, the impact he made most was the personal impact. He just shapes so many people and he made such an impact on everyone. I feel sorry for the freshmen who only get him for one year.
"I wanted to win so bad for him. I had a shocker. We were all trying so hard. At times, we were trying too hard. ... "Our whole team has improved 20-fold over the season. Nevie (Janevia Taylor) is playing phenomenally. Everyone is really falling into a role. We never lose from lack of effort."
Taylor led Hawaii with 16 points.
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii coach Vince Goo hugged April Atuaia during senior night festivities after last night's game against Fresno State. The lone senior scored seven points in her final home game.
That was the heart and effort that Goo inspires in his players. He showed a bit of his heart in the postgame ceremony.
"I've been fortunate to have the privilege to be a part of the Wahine tradition that was made by our former and present players," said Goo, whose voice dripped with emotion. "I want to wish the best of luck to the people returning next year. "
Almost the entire team returns, including seven freshmen.
Hawaii's energy and effort, both staples this season, could not compensate for its inability to make a basket in the second half.
The Wahine shot 31 percent from the field (9-for-29) and their final field goal came with 4:18 left. Taylor's jumper cut the Fresno lead to 55-52. But Hawaii didn't take advantage of its chances from the charity stripe, making only two of six.
The Bulldogs were better from the field (40 percent) and they made their free throws when it counted, going 4-for-6 in the final minute.
"Fresno is very rough," Abele said. "It was a physical game on the both ends.
"We took the lead with those free throws. And then we had a few fouls. We didn't get the bounce we needed."
Aiea alumna Aritta Lane (16 points, eight rebounds) and Chantella Perera (11 points) spoiled senior night for Atuaia and Goo's final home game. His career record at the arena is 129-53.
Hawaii sizzled for the first three minutes of the second half, with Abele knocking down a 19-foot jumper from the top of the arc and a layup by Dalia Solia getting UH within one at 35-34.
But the problem Hawaii has had all season reappeared as the Wahine could not get the ball into the basket. UH couldn't get a shot to drop. Slowly the Wahine fought their way back into the game and two free throws by Abele gave Hawaii its last lead at 50-48 with 5:51 left in the game.
But Perera buried a 3-pointer and hit a pull-up jumper with 4:02 left to stretch Fresno's lead to 55-50.
The Bulldogs have paid back a lot of teams in the second round of WAC play after going 1-8 in the first round. In the last month, Fresno State has won five of its last seven.
"We grew by leaps and bounds tonight," Fresno State coach Stacy Johnson-Klein said. "Our depth and stamina helped us with the game."
Final WAC women's standings
Yesterday
Conference All games W L Pct. W L Pct. Louisiana Tech 17 1 .944 24 2 .923 Rice 16 2 .889 19 8 .704 Tulsa 11 7 .611 18 10 .643 UTEP 10 8 .556 15 12 .556 SMU 9 9 .500 13 14 .481 Fresno St. 7 11 .389 13 15 .464 San Jose St. 7 11 .389 15 12 .556 Hawaii 6 12 .333 8 19 .296 Boise St. 5 13 .294 8 19 .296 Nevada 2 16 .111 3 25 .107
Rice 70, SMU 60
Louisiana Tech 81, Tulsa 57
San Jose St. 81, Nevada 78, 2OT
Fresno St. 63, Hawaii 54WAC tournament
At Fresno, Calif.
Tuesday
Boise State vs. Hawaii, 10 a.m.
Nevada vs. San Jose State, 12:30 p.m.
Fresno State 63, Hawaii 54
BULLDOGS (13-15, 7-11 wac)
WAHINE (8-19, 6-12 wac)
fg fga ft fta min reb a tp Sutherland 0 0 0 0 13 0 2 0 Diggs 3 7 0 0 14 4 0 6 Perera 4 12 1 2 32 4 2 11 Mack 2 4 2 3 15 2 0 7 Moore 1 1 3 4 16 1 2 5 Fleming 3 5 0 1 11 3 0 7 Green 0 2 1 2 5 0 1 1 Plummer 1 8 1 2 31 10 0 3 Lane 6 11 4 6 31 8 1 16 Clark 3 10 1 2 32 11 3 7 Team 4 Totals 23 60 13 22 200 47 11 63
Key -- fg: field goals; fga: field goals attempted; ft: free throws; fta: free throws attempted; min: minutes; reb: rebounds; a: assists; tp: total points.
fg fga ft fta min reb a tp Taylor 6 14 4 8 36 2 4 16 Abele 4 10 5 9 32 10 3 14 Nishimoto 0 2 0 0 7 0 0 0 Sanders 1 2 0 0 16 2 2 2 Solia 3 7 0 0 24 6 1 6 Macfarlane 0 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 Atuaia 2 7 2 2 25 5 0 7 Spooner 0 3 0 0 13 1 0 0 Tambini 2 11 0 0 24 1 0 5 Grice 2 5 0 0 17 6 0 4 Team 9 Totals 20 62 11 19 200 42 10 54
Halftime -- FSU 35, Hawaii 30.
3-point goals -- FSU 4-16 (Perera 2-9, Mack 1-3, Fleming 1-3, Lane 0-1), Hawaii 3-12 (Tambini 1-2, Atuaia 1-2, Abele 1-3, Nishimoto 0-1, Solia 0-1, Taylor 0-3). Personal fouls -- FSU 21, Hawaii 21. Fouled out -- Mack, Abele, Grice.
Steals -- FSU 5 (Perera 2, Sutherland, Plummer, Clark), Hawaii 6 (Nishimoto 2, Abele, Taylor, Sanders, Grice). Blocked shots -- FSU 6 (Clark 2, Plummer 2, Perera, Mack), Hawaii 3 (Grice, Sanders, Abele). Turnovers -- FSU 17 (Clark 3, Plummer 3, Moore 3, Mack 2, Perera 2, Lane 2, Sutherland, Green), Hawaii 12 (Solia 3, Taylor 2, Abele 2, Atuaia 2, Nishimoto, Sanders, Macfarlane). Officials -- Krzesnik, Wells, Westlake. A -- 1,932.
