Wahine are eager for game action

The Hawaii women’s basketball team is just two days away from its first game action of the Laura Beeman era.

Anticipation is rising at Rainbow Wahine practices for Friday’s exhibition against Hawaii-Hilo, even if the 7 p.m. contest at the Stan Sheriff Center won’t count in any official capacity.

"I’m excited just to get to play a game, because we’ve been working for a while," said forward Diane Moore, a junior college transfer and one of six new players on the roster. "I want to show the crowd what we are and what we can do."

What they are exactly is still being hammered out after three weeks of practices.

Beeman’s job in that regard has been made tougher by the injury bug.

Two returning starting forwards, juniors Vicky Tagalicod and the recently married Kamilah Martin (formerly Jackson), are out with ailments, as is freshman point guard Marissa Wimbley.

Martin was last season’s top scorer (13.2) and rebounder (10.6).

"If I had to put a starting five on the floor I could, but injuries come into factor," Beeman said. "It’s really going to depend what news I get in the next couple days, to see who’s going to be in that five (vs. UHH).

"With that said, we’re still going to play hard, we’re going to do what we’re going to do. But we’re definitely still a work in progress."

Fifth-year senior Monica DeAngelis, a transfer from Loyola Marymount, is the point guard by default with Wimbley out for now and senior Janelle Nomura’s basketball playing days over because of concussions.

While Kalei Adolpho finishes up the UH volleyball season, the center position is up for grabs between 6-foot-2 junior Pua Kailiawa, a 2010 Ka‘u graduate, and 6-1 freshman Brianna Higgins.

With Tagalicod and Martin presently out, 5-10 forwards Moore and Destiny King are the other frontcourt options.

UH still has plenty of choices on the wings, at least, starting with returning juniors Sydney Haydel and Kanisha Bello. Junior Shawna Kuehu is also back in action after missing most of last season, and redshirt freshman Ashleigh Karaitiana is now eligible to play.

"I’m over the moon," the 6-foot Karaitiana said of her anticipation for Friday. "Honestly, last year killed me. I don’t mind sitting on the side if I get to play, but sitting on the side you can see all the different options that people didn’t see on the court. Now I actually get to go out there and do those things."