The Hawaii women’s basketball team possesses a blueprint for success in 2019-20.
It remains to be seen if the Rainbow Wahine have the tools to build it.
“When it comes down to it, we’re going to have to rely on us getting things done as a team,” eighth-year coach Laura Beeman said Monday. “Minimizing our mistakes. And really following our game plan to take away from teams what they’re going to be good at.”
UH’s various good-but-not-great parts were pieced together by necessity in 2018-19; while losing top scorer and rebounder Makenna Woodfolk from the program due to pregnancy, the Wahine rallied to win 10 of 14 and came within a quarter of constructing a Big West championship before losing to favorite UC Davis. The runners-up made the WNIT and were one-and-done to cap a 15-17 (10-6 Big West) season.
The Wahine open a fresh campaign at 7 p.m. today against San Diego State at the Stan Sheriff Center, looking to recapture the all-for-one magic that saw 10 different players lead the team in scoring in at least one game.
“(That) is kind of weird for a team, because most teams have a dominant few players that they go to, but I think this year is very much similar,” junior forward Amy Atwell said. “Everyone is just really good at their individual thing, and as Coach explained to us, it’s all pieces of the puzzle and we need to put it all together to be successful.”
They’ll have to do it without their graduated All-Big West second-team point guard Tia Kanoa, with one of the team’s four true freshmen, Nae Nae Calhoun, starting in her stead. The Salanoa twins, Lahni and Leah, are gone. Depth is a concern for Beeman at the outset.
Senior guard Courtney Middap is the team’s top returning scorer (8.2 ppg), but she wasn’t totally herself in last week’s 76-71 exhibition win over Hawaii Pacific as she’s still working her way back from an injury.
The Wahine were recently picked to finish fourth in both the Big West coaches and media preseason polls. Davis was picked to repeat as champ in the media poll and UC Irvine was tabbed to win by the coaches.
GUARDS
Kanoa’s program-best career average of 5.0 assists per game will be tough to replace. Calhoun (5-5 Fr.) has one speed — fast. The coaches are working with her on changing gears. Julissa Tago (5-9 Sr., 5.3 ppg), the purest shooter on the team, plans to embrace her green light in her final year. Middap (5-10 Sr.) will play mostly off the ball for her final year. Olivia Davies (5-9 Fr.) showed promise in a few minutes of the exhibition before going down hurt, and is out indefinitely. Savannah Reier (5-7 Sr.) will hustle her way to some minutes. Lamarria Johnson (5-8 So.) appeared briefly in one game last year.
WINGS
The Salanoas blossomed late in their careers, providing stretch shooting to go with their rebounding and occasional playmaking. Atwell (6-0 Jr., 4.8 ppg) will see a dramatic increase in those responsibilities. Jadynn Alexander (5-10 Jr., 3.9 ppg) is a defensive sparkplug on the perimeter and in transition. Versatile Makayla Edwards (5-10 Fr.) could be counted on for production sooner than expected. Kasey Neubert (6-1 Fr.) was slowed by a preseason injury and might have a delayed debut.
POSTS
Myrrah Joseph (5-10 So., 4.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg) seized upon the opportunity of Woodfolk’s absence and made the BWC All-Freshman team. Staying out of foul trouble is paramount for her second season. Lauren Rewers (6-4 Jr., 4.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg) could thrive inside this season with some of her main conference roadblocks like Morgan Bertsch and Channon Fluker out of the way. Barbara Rangel (6-2 Jr.), a junior college transfer, is getting used to the speed and activity of Division I.
