ANAHEIM, Calif. » In the midst of Hawaii’s most disappointing loss of the season, a freshman from suburban Seattle staked her claim on the future.
Megan Huff not only amassed career bests of 16 points and 14 rebounds in the top-seeded Rainbow Wahine’s 67-60 loss to second-seeded Cal State Northridge in Saturday’s final of the Big West Conference women’s basketball tournament. The native of Federal Way, Wash., demonstrated her personality on one play: a 3-point shot with three seconds left.
Though Huff missed that shot, UH coach Laura Beeman did not miss its significance.
"She’s a competitor," Beeman said. "She’s not afraid to step out and take a 3. She had a double-double in a championship game as a freshman who came in at midseason."
The 6-foot-3 Huff joined the basketball team in December after playing 16 matches as a reserve middle hitter for UH’s volleyball team. At Beamer High School in Federal Way, Huff started all four years and earned all-league honors in both sports.
Adjusting to the intensity of collegiate competition, however, proved difficult.
"Coming from high school, it was really low key," Huff said. "You didn’t have to be at your highest all the time. Now in college, it’s been a struggle to maintain the mind-set of giving 110 percent every time."
Nevertheless, Huff’s performance enabled her to make the All-Big West freshman team and to become a scourge against Northridge.
In her fourth game, the freshman accumulated career bests of 15 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in a 53-46 loss at the Matadome on Jan. 10. Three weeks later at the Stan Sheriff Center, Huff equaled her personal high in blocks while scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for her first double-double in a 64-49 victory.
On Saturday, Huff made six of 10 shots, secured 10 of her 14 rebounds on the offensive end and added three blocks.
"Her IQ in basketball has grown since she’s been on the team," senior guard Shawna-Lei Kuehu said. "She’s more comfortable making plays that she didn’t handle at the beginning of the year, and she’s getting more aggressive."
Huff made such an impression that Kuehu believes her teammate can achieve the Big West’s ultimate individual honor.
"She might be player of the year one year, as a junior or senior," Kuehu said. "She’s that type of player. The more she plays basketball, the more she gets better. I’m really excited to see what she has coming in the future."
As Kuehu was speaking, Beeman was nodding in agreement.
"We’ve been fortunate to have her as part of our family," the UH coach said, "and we’re going to keep her."
