Hawaii working
toward big test
The Hawaii women's basketball team has not had its final exam yet.
Yesterday afternoon's exhibition game against an alumnae team was a midterm, taken slightly more than halfway through preseason practice.
"The final exam is when we play Santa Clara," Hawaii coach Jim Bolla said.
UH opens its season against the Broncos on Nov. 26 in the first round of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic.
"This was an exhibition game and it was good the alums gave us their time to come out and play. We went through all the pregame routines, had our pregame meal so we know what it's all about," Bolla said. "This gave us a chance to play against some different faces. It's hard in practice when you go against each other and everyone knows what is supposed to happen."
The Rainbow Wahine won the game 69-59 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Sophomore guard Janevia Taylor led UH with 17 points, while sophomore center Brittany Grice had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Bolla, who used 14 of the 17 players in uniform, set some pregame goals, one way to measure the team's progress and determine what needs work in practice the next two and a half weeks.
"We want to shoot 49 percent or better from the field and we only made 37 percent of our shots today. We have to work on shot selection," Bolla said. "We shot 68 percent from the free-throw line and I want 80 percent. We shoot enough free throws in practice to be able to do that.
"We want 10 turnovers or less and we had 17. Some of that is nervousness and some of it is because we used so many different combinations.
"I want 50 rebounds and we were right there with 53. If we can do all those things, we will win no matter who we play."
Hawaii committed 22 fouls, many on unnecessary reach-in calls, and Bolla says that needs correcting.
The Wahine tied the score at 9-9 on Grice's putback and ensuing free throw, then took the lead on Grice's jumper in the lane off a feed from the right side by Jade Abele with 14:42 left in the first half.
A 3-pointer by Abele, another short jumper by Grice, Taylor's 16-footer off an assist by Dalia Solia, Callie Spooner's jumper and Solia's short jumper put UH ahead 22-9.
Kyla Evers, who had 21 points, broke a 9-minute dry spell for the alumnae with a 3-pointer with 8:41 left in the half.
Nani Cockett led the alumnae with 24 points and nine rebounds. She and Michelle Gabriel each had three steals.
Note: Pam Tambini, a sophomore guard/forward, has a possible stress fracture of the right foot and is in a walking boot. She will rest for three weeks.
Hawaii 69, Alumnae 59
Alumnae: Cockett 8-18 7-14 24, Gabriel 1-2 0-0 2, Evers 6-14 6-7, Odderman 2-8 1-2 5, H. Liu 0-7 0-0 0, Azama 0-2 0-0 0, L. Liu 1-3 2-4 4, Mann 0-2 3-4 3, Cavu 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-56 19-31 59.Hawaii: Abele 1-4 6-6 9, Sanders 4-11 0-0 8, Macfarlane 0-2 0-0 0, Grice 4-9 2-2 10, Toiaivao 3-6 0-2 6, Taylor 7-12 3-4 17, Nishimoto 2-7 0-0 4, Solia 1-2 0-0 2, Cariaga 0-0 0-0 0, Crouch 2-3 2-3 6, Smith 0-2 0-2 0, Spooner 2-8 0-0 4, Aiwohi 1-4 0-0 3, Lee 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 27-74 13-19 69.
Halftime--Hawaii 39, Alumnae 25. 3-point goals--Alumnae 4-15 (Evers 3-6, Cockett 1-5, Azama 0-2, Gabriel 0-1, L. Liu 0-1), Hawaii 2-13 (Aiwohi 1-1, Abele 1-4, Macfarlane 0-1, Grice 0-1, Crouch 0-1, Nishimoto 0-2, Sanders 0-3). Rebounds--Alumnae 37 (Cockett 9), Hawaii 53 (Grice 11). Assists--Alumnae 10 (Evers 3, Azama 3), Hawaii 18 (Grice 3, Solia 3, Smith 3). Total fouls--Alumnae 17, Hawaii 22.
