FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Jade Abele is Hawaii's second-leading rebounder and leads the team in assists this season.

Abele rings for UH

Jade Abele plays sports for the love of it, not because of her family or some good-looking guys in the stands, but for the love of participating.

Louisiana Tech at Hawaii When: Today, 7 p.m. Where: Stan Sheriff Center Radio/TV: None. Tickets: All seats general admission. $8 adults, $7 seniors. UH students with valid ID, children age 4-18 free. Parking: $3 Notes: The Lady Techsters have won all 14 games with the Wahine. ... In the last meeting Jan. 15, LaTech overcame a two-point half-time deficit to beat UH 68-54 in Ruston, La. ... UH senior Jade Abele is 30 points short of scoring ,000 career points. ... The Wahine are 10th in the nation in blocked shots per game (6.1).

Abele doesn't want to stop playing sports even after her career on the Hawaii women's basketball team is finished, after she has her degree in education, after she returns home to Gold Coast, Australia.

She participated in track and field events, touch rugby and net ball (a sport like basketball, but with no dribbling) while a high school student at Marymount College. But basketball turned out to be her ticket to Hawaii and an athletic scholarship.

She played her club basketball with the Gold Coast Warriors. She was selected to the Queensland state team for the national tournament five times and made it to the championship game on the Under-16 team.

Although it was always in the back of her mind that she would come to America to play college basketball, Abele admits she would not have made the effort to go out and find a scholarship.

"It just fell into my lap when Vince (retired UH coach Goo) came to Australia to recruit Mel Croser," the 6-foot-1 senior forward said as she prepared for tonight's conference game with Louisiana Tech. "He saw me practice and when I went up to him after to say 'hello', he just walked away. I went home and told my parents I must have had an awful practice. I didn't know about the (NCAA) rules that kept him from talking to me. Vince called and explained later."

Abele entered UH for the 2001 spring semester and redshirted. She could practice, but not play in games.

"That six months killed me, but it was big, getting indoctrinated into the system," Abele said. "I was so naive about American culture and customs. I remember my first week telling some football player he forgot to take the comb out of his hair. He just looked at me and walked away. I thought I was being helpful."

Abele came off the bench in 24 games her freshman year, becoming a starter early in her sophomore season. Going back to her first season, she has played in 85 consecutive games, starting the last 74. She leads the team in minutes played this year, did so last year and missed being the leader by 15 minutes as a sophomore.

It took her time to get in shape this year following surgery on her right foot to remove bone chips just before the end of the spring semester a year ago.

"I went to a few practices with my sister's team when I was home, but I needed some quality family time because I wasn't going to see them for another year," Abele said.

"When I returned, we ran an unofficial mile and I had to lose a minute and half off my time."

Three weeks later, she made the 6:40 qualifying time. Then there was the adjustment to a new coach (Jim Bolla), a new philosophy and a new way of doing things.

"I thought I would come back, play my last year and nothing much would change, but it has been a bigger change than I expected," said Abele. "It is a totally different game, so much faster. It's a lot like the game we play in Australia, not as structured. I like it and this year we are more balanced.

"I never cared about stats. but last year they got in my head. This year I was worried about scoring and making All-WAC, but four games in, I told myself to stuff it and have some fun. Then we started winning and other people started scoring and I was still happy."

Bolla has played Abele both at forward and on the wing. She prefers the wing because it leaves her open more, allows her to see the court better.

It's the reason she leads the team in assists.

"I think you just have that knack to see the court. You can't teach it," Bolla said. "Jade is 6-1, so when she is outside, she is not bothered as much because typically the defenders aren't as big as her. Jade knows where the other players are supposed to be and she throws the ball there."

Although she is second in rebounds, Abele said she doesn't like to muscle.

"I'm big, but I'm not the strongest player around," she said. "But I'll go where the team needs me."

Her court anticipation also helps in picking off opponent's passes, giving her 21 steals, second-best for the Wahine.

"Jade has accepted her role of being an all-around player. She has done what we have asked her to do. I think it takes a lot of pressure off her not having to be the big scorer," Bolla said.