Hawaii Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
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Smith signs with Australian team
Former Hawaii basketball player Tanya Smith has signed a professional contract with the Townsville Fire of the WNBL in Australia.
Smith, a two-time All-WAC selection, signed a one-year contract with the Fire. The forward led the Rainbow Wahine by averaging 12 points and 11.8 rebounds as a senior.
"I'm excited to start my professional career after a great experience at UH," Smith said in a release from the school. "It's an unbelievable opportunity to play in my home country and at the highest level."
"Smith was a member of Australia's gold-medal team at the 2007 World University Games.
Smith has been playing with the Knox Ford Raiders in the SEABL, a professional winter league in Australia, and recently earned a player of the week award.
Big weekend for local surfers
Hawaii surfers combined to win nine individual titles and one team title at the National Scholastic Surfing Association's National Championships which concluded Sunday off San Clemente, Calif.
Elite Element Academy (E2A) became the first Hawaii school to win a national high school title when it defeated Carlsbad (Calif.) High in a surf-off at Lower Trestles. Representing E2A in the surf-off were seniors Kaimana Jaquias and Coco Ho, and sophomore Kiron Jabour.
Winning two divisions each were Granger Larsen of Maui and Kauai's Leila Hurst and Koa Smith.
Larsen won both the junior and men's explorer divisions while taking second, a half-point out of first, in the open men's division. Larsen, expected to turn pro this year, finished his amateur career with six NSSA titles.
Hurst won the girls and women's explorer divisions and was third in open women. Smith won the open boys and explorer menehune titles.
Also winning their divisions were: Kelia Moniz (high school girls); Kalani David (open mini-groms); and Keanu Asing (explorer boys).
The nine-day contest featured more than 500 surfers from around country.