RAINBOW WAHINE BASKETBALL
PHOTO COURTESY UH ATHLETICS
Amber Lee has had little time on the court in her career.
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Lee useful off bench for Rainbow Wahine
The McKinley grad has a limited role, but she's not complaining
Amber Lee has spent more time watching the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine play basketball than she has spent playing on the court herself.
The 6-foot-1 senior forward has seen action in 58 of the 98 UH games during her career. And, that action has been limited. Of the 3,970 minutes the Wahine have played since her freshman season, Lee has seen action in 476 of them.
IDAHO AT HAWAII
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Live, KFVE, Ch. 5
Radio: Live, KKEA, 1420-AM
Tickets: All seats general admission. $8 adults, $6 seniors. UH students with valid ID and children ages 4-18 free.
Parking: $3.
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Regrets?
Absolutely not.
"I just stayed positive. I get support from my teammates and I support them. I just take the opportunities that come at you," Lee said. "I try to make my teammates better by pushing them in practice."
She played on the McKinley varsity for four years, earning all-league and All-State honors her last two years as a center.
UH recruited her as a forward. Florida Atlantic and Troy State also were interested.
"UH was my main focus because my mom (Dian) really wanted me to stay home. The only regret I have is that maybe I should have started at a JC and then transferred," Lee said.
"The transition that was hard was being the tallest in high school to not being the tallest in college even though I knew I wouldn't be the tallest."
Lee played 240 minutes, the most in one season so far, as a freshman when another recruit did not meet eligibility requirements, leaving the Wahine with just three post players. The next two years she didn't even reach 100 minutes.
"Amber is in a situation where she doesn't have the height of a true center, but she is a little quicker than most centers. In reality, she is a forward," said Hawaii coach Jim Bolla. "She helps us get the opposing post players in foul trouble. She runs the floor well and comes in when the other people are tired."
She has played the 4 position at times this year and feels comfortable there. She thinks she has improved as a shooter since high school, but doesn't shoot much during games.
"I prefer to be there and make sure everything flows, like passing to a teammate or setting a screen," Lee said. "All I think about when we step on the court for the national anthem is this is my last year. Take it and do whatever you can to help the team out."
An honor roll student at McKinley, Lee has done well academically at UH and will graduate in December with a double major in marketing and family resources. She will be joined by her brother Brandon, who also graduates, at the ceremony.
"My first two years I was focusing on the business side because that's where the money is, but it really didn't interest me," Lee said.
"Last summer I did volunteer community service at Kaimuki High School in the special education department. I really like helping people, helping kids. I'd like to get into social work or special education and that probably means going to graduate school.
"After the basketball season is over, I want to work with the A-Plus program and see where that takes me."