Hawai'i returns to court after layoff

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

After back-to-back losses against two top 15 teams, the Rainbow Wahine basketball team hopes to rebound this weekend against Kentucky in the opening round of the Hawai'i Invitational.

Against then fourth-ranked Connecticut and 12th-ranked North Carolina two weekends ago, Hawai'i learned first-hand that rebounding can be the difference between winning and losing.

Connecticut scored 16 points off offensive rebounds in a 60-53 win, and North Carolina scored 13 second-chance points in a 61-50 win.

"Rebounds and free throws are kind of minute things, but they're really not," Hawai'i center Christen Roper said. "They're the little things that make the big things possible, like winning the game or beating your opponent who seems unbeatable."

Roper has done her part, averaging a team-high 10.2 rebounds per game. But the 6-foot-5 Roper, who sometimes boxes out two opponents on plays, needs help.

"Everybody has to box out," Roper said. "If only four out of five people box out, then their fifth player on offense can come in nice and easy. It's a team effort to get the ball."

Hawai'i forward Natasja Allen said head coach Vince Goo "really gets on us" about rebounding. Allen said Goo has hounded players more following the games against Connecticut and North Carolina.

For Allen, solid rebounding is a way to muffle opposing offenses.

"If they don't have the ball, they can't score," Allen said. "As long as we can stop them from getting second shots, that will make our lives a whole lot easier."

Goo said Hawai'i has done a good job on defense, forcing opponents to take difficult shots, but his team needs to finish defensive possessions by boxing out, rebounding and not giving opponents extra scoring chances.

Offensively, Hawai'i plans to unveil an improved multi-option play called "32 Quick" that features less dribbling and more movement off the ball.

The play, according to players, is designed to confound opponents who plan to deny Hawai'i's offensive players and trap them inside halfcourt.

"We're going to pull a little rabbit out of our hat for this weekend, and surprise teams with a new play," Allen said. "The whole team loves this play. I even told Vince that I think this is your best invention yet."

Goo said the 13-day layoff allowed the team to recuperate from playing five games in nine days. The layoff also allowed junior guard April Atuaia to rest her injured left knee.

Atuaia hyperextended her knee in the first half against North Carolina, but returned in the second half and finished with 10 points.

Opponents

• Kentucky (2-3) has dropped its last three games after starting the season with wins over Southern Illinois and Pacific. Senior guard Rita Adams leads the team in scoring along with sophomore forward Sara Potts at 15.4 ppg. Kentucky defeated Hawai'i, 66-57, in the only meeting between the teams in 1998.

• Long Island (0-5) is looking for its first win. Freshman guard Amber Wirth leads the team in scoring at 11.4 ppg. Hawai'i has never played Long Island.

• UNLV (4-1) is led by All-American candidate Constance Jinx and her 23.2 ppg average. UNLV defeated St. Mary's, Cal Poly, UTEP and Texas A&M this season. The Running Rebels lost to UCLA, 72-64, this season. UNLV holds a 30-13 advantage in the series against Hawai'i.