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Friday, January 28, 2000
Liu plays her
role well for
Wahine
The fifth-year senior has
overcome adversity, including
six knee surgeriesWAHINE PLAYBOOK
By Al Chase
Star-BulletinEveryone likes to kid Wahine basketball player Hedy Liu about how long she has been on the Hawaii campus.
Jackson Wheeler, in his 10th season as a Rainbow men's assistant basketball coach, once told Liu he couldn't remember when she wasn't on campus.
The truth is, Liu has been with the Wahine program for five seasons and six knee surgeries.
Despite the injury setbacks and countless hours of rehabilitation, the 5-foot-11 forward will play in her 91st game tomorrow night when Hawaii visits San Jose State for a Western Athletic Conference game.
Recruited out of University Lab School as a top rebounder and one who could defend opposing power forwards, Liu has performed well in that capacity.
"She's a team player. She's a role player in the sense we're not looking for her to be a big scorer," UH head coach Vince Goo said.
Playing about 26 minutes a game for the last two seasons, Liu averages 5.3 rebounds and 7.3 points a game. She has game career highs of 16 points (twice), four blocked shots (twice) and 10 rebounds (three times).
In December the co-captain reached an even greater milestone. She became the first family member to earn a college degree (family resources). She plans to work with children at risk.
The ability to persevere and battle back from disappointment should serve Liu well working in her chosen field.
"I don't think I ever thought of throwing in the towel," she said. "There were times where I questioned why I was going through all of the pain and rehab, but I knew I wasn't going to quit.
"I think the idea of contributing to the team in the way I had prior to being hurt was a motivation."
With just a few weeks left in her college career, she wants to help the Wahine win a Western Athletic Conference title.
"I would like to see us advance past the first round in the NCAA tournament," Liu said.
Despite the ups and downs, she says her time on the Manoa campus has been a great experience. She appreciates the friendships that have been built and credits the coaches for their support and for giving her a kick when she needed it.
"My dad (Peter) has been a big factor. Mom (Ellie) is comforting, but my dad can relate a little more because he was an athlete. He knows exactly what I'm talking about when I've had a bad day.
"It seems like just yesterday that I was a freshman, feeling like I didn't belong, trying to find my place on the team," Liu said. "Now I'm at the other end of the spectrum. Now I can appreciate what the freshmen are going through."
When the semester is over, Liu will head to the mainland, first to visit with former Wahine Brandi Ashby in Kentucky, then to attend her sister's high school graduation in San Diego. She plans to stay on the mainland to work.
"I want to be on my own," she said. "It's something new, something different and I think it will be a good experience."
WAHINE PLAYBOOK
at San Jose State Spartans
Coaches: Hawaii, Vince Goo, 13th season (253-112, .693); San Jose State, Janice Richard, 7th season (161-48, .770);
By Al Chase, Star-Bulletin
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Ka Leo O Hawaii
