Wahine hoops geared to run

Ask the Hawaii women’s basketball team about the blur at the Stan Sheriff Center last Saturday and the replies come through clear: That was no mirage.

These Rainbow Wahine are fast, and they know it. A chance to prove it again to the public comes on Friday at 7 p.m. when UH hosts Brigham Young-Hawaii in a second and final exhibition of the preseason.

UH ran down Hawaii Pacific 88-59, behind 18 points apiece from freshman point guard Alissa Campanero and sophomore guard Sydney Haydel and several fast-paced complementary efforts.

“We plan to be a running team this year, and we’re working our butts off running, conditioning, getting in shape,” Haydel said. “I think it really shows in everybody on the team this year.”

The Wahine sizzled at 57.1 percent shooting, an impressive number even in a game that didn’t officially count. It was a far cry from the 73-70 overtime exhibition win UH eked out over HPU two years ago, in Takahara-Dias’ first year as coach.

“That’s the direction we want to move towards, but more importantly we believe we have the personnel to run 94 feet,” the third-year coach said of the running game.

In her first game suited up as a UH player, sophomore guard Kanisha Bello had a solid game with 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting.

“This kind of offensive style, it’s a lot of running up and down,” Bello said. “We want to keep it uptempo. We know if we get tired, we know our opponents are as tired as we are. It’s a good thing.”

Succeeding consistently with that run-and-gun style lends itself to deeper teams. UH can’t yet be considered one of those with several players still sidelined or ineligible. Among the team’s eight newcomers, freshmen guards Malia Cravens (shoulder injury) and Ashleigh Karaitiana (ineligibility) aren’t expected to be available against Hiram Akina’s Seasiders. Sophomore wing Shawna Kuehu is also questionable.

Cravens is “day to day,” Takahara-Dias said. The 6-foot Karaitiana’s situation is a bit murkier after a prep career in New Zealand that featured plenty of international games.

“At this time, based on NCAA rules, she’s ineligible,” said Takahara-Dias, who didn’t offer a date that Karaitiana could play. “That precludes her from the mix, but she’s working very hard with the team (in practice) and she’s still an integral part of this unit. We’re looking forward to the chance for her to suit up and play a really solid game for us.”

USC transfer guard Vicky Tagalicod won’t be available until Dec. 18, and freshman center Kalei Adolpho will be with the UH volleyball team until the end of that season.

“Pretty soon we’re going to throw in coaches to have a full scrimmage,” the coach joked.

The regular season opens Nov. 11 against Hawaii-Hilo.