[ WAHINE BASKETBALL ]
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Freshman point guard Janevia Taylor has found a comfort level at Hawaii -- both on the basketball court and in the classroom.
Taylor’s game
going as designed
Janevia Taylor wants to run her own business after she graduates from Hawaii.
Right now her business is in the classroom and having a decent grasp of how to run the Rainbow Wahine offense as a point guard.
When finals ended Friday, Taylor was satisfied with her classroom accomplishments, and her playing time, 19 minutes a game, indicates she is experiencing comfort with the Wahine system.
"The first thing the coaches tell you when you visit is about the academics," said Taylor, who also made an official visit to Nevada-Las Vegas, though she did not start thinking about attending college on an athletic scholarship until her senior year at San Bernardino (Calif.) High School.
"I just kept my grades up and felt I would go to college and play for the fun of it," said Taylor, who made her official visit to the Manoa campus in March after her prep season finished.
Taylor thought UNLV was cool, but the business program there was not what she wanted. The UH coaches made the business college her first stop on her visit and what Hawaii offers fit her needs.
Taylor's goal is to operate her own business designing and selling her line of clothes. She likes to sketch articles of clothing and, with the help of a family friend, designed her own prom dress.
"I loved that dress," said Taylor.
Taylor's comfort with UH as a school has helped her make an easy transition from high school to college. She said it hasn't been that big a change.
"You have to be more responsible, but you look forward to that, being on your own. It didn't take me long to make up my mind after my visit. At first, I said 'Hawaii, that's far, way far from home.' But, I'm playing something I love and that's basketball. I was pretty cool about the decision. My mom wasn't too cool, but she got used to the idea."
Taylor's playing time is a reflection of how quickly she has picked up the Wahine offense and defense, especially coming from a prep program that had one or two plays and did a lot of freelancing.
"Janevia has point-guard mentally. She sets the offense and runs what you want," said UH coach Vince Goo. "She listens very carefully and is very open to corrections and adjustments.
"She comes in on an optional basis to watch game film. I think she is a student of her game. That's why she is going to be a good one because she is willing to put in the extra time studying herself and studying the team."
This is not a new habit for Taylor. She used to borrow her high school game tapes to further study at home.
"I look for things I need to improve on so I can adjust and do something about it. I try to figure out what happened when something going well changes," said Taylor. "I don't get hard on myself. I'm pretty patient.
"Here the system is way more organized. They have more plays. It was pretty hard at first, with all these plays, then there are options off every play and I have to know them all."
Taylor will replay a game in her mind, but not for long.
"Man, you've got to move on. You can't get down on the past," said Taylor.
Taylor lettered three years in basketball at San Bernardino and averaged 19.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.6 steals her senior season.
Ala Moana Hotel Paradise Classic
When: Today, Northern Iowa vs. Tennessee Tech, 5 p.m.; Hawaii vs. Fairfield, 7 p.m. Tomorrow, Fairfield vs. Northern Iowa or Tennessee Tech, 3 p.m.; Hawaii vs. Northern Iowa or Tennessee Tech, 5 p.m.Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Hawaii games live, KFVE, Channel 5
Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM
Tickets: All seats general admission. $7 adults, $6 seniors, $4 for children (age 4-17) and UH students.
Parking: $3
Probable starters
HAWAII (2-5) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Milia Macfarlane (Jr.) 5-5 5.3 2.0 1.6 F April Atuaia (Jr.) 5-10 10.1 5.3 2.0 F Pam Tambini (Fr.) 5-10 4.9 5.0 0.6 F Jade Abele (Jr.) 6-1 16.9 5.9 3.0 C Callie Spooner (So.) 6-3 4.3 3.0 0.1 Notes: UH coach Vince Goo (328-151 in 17 seasons) and Fairfield coach Dianne Nolan (469-347 in 30 seasons) were on the USA coaching staff at the 1993 World University Games at Buffalo, N.Y. ... The Wahine lost their only previous meeting with Fairfield 63-61 on Dec. 21, 1999. ... UH beat Tennessee Tech 51-49 on Nov. 19, 1999, in the only previous game between the schools. ... UH and Northern Iowa have not played before. ... The Wahine have won the Ala Moana Hotel Paradise Classic seven times in 11 tries.
FAIRFIELD (2-5) Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Janelle McManus (Jr.) 5-6 7.9 2.1 3.0 G Marybeth Chartier (Sr.) 5-5 6.7 2.6 2.7 F Schrene Isidora (Sr.) 5-11 11.9 3.4 1.7 F Candice Lindsay (Fr.) 5-11 9.7 6.1 1.4 C Ivana Podrug (So.) 6-5 7.0 4.1 0.3
