Louisiana Tech stops Wahine basketball team

Hawai'i's Jade Abele drives past Louisiana Tech's Ayana Walker during their game at Stan Sheriff Center. Louisiana Tech defeated Hawai'i, 67-55. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

About the only thing that went right for the University of Hawai'i Wahine against No. 11 Louisiana Tech last night was holding their opponent's leading scorer to just 10 points.

Of course, that left an on-fire Cheryl Ford open to score a season-high 24 points (ties a career-high) in the Lady Techsters' 67-55 win at the Stan Sheriff Center in front of 1,693 fans.

Hawai'i's Christa Brossman can only watch as Louisiana Tech's Amber Obaze goes to the hoop in their game at Stan Sheriff Center. Obaze finished with 22 points as the Lady Techsters won 67-55. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

"This is definitely the best team we (have) played all season," said senior point guard Janka Gabrielova, comparing Louisiana Tech to nationally ranked Stanford and Baylor, which handed Hawai'i its other two losses.

The Lady Techsters bolted out of the starting blocks, going on 7-0, 8-0 and 9-0 runs in the first half, leading by as much as 21 points with 2 minutes, 16 seconds remaining.

By the second timeout about halfway through the first half, the Lady Techsters were out-rebounding the Wahine, 10-2. They made 8-of-13 from the floor, compared to Hawai'i's 2-of-10. Ford had already amassed 11 points and six rebounds enroute to a career night.

Down 21-9, Hawai'i needed a spark. Enter forward Kim Willoughby.

No stranger to clutch plays and fierce competition, Willoughby was part of an entire lineup change that brought in backup point guard Michelle Gabriel and defensive specialist Christa Brossman. In 27 seconds, Willoughby attacked the basket, sinking a quick jumper. She scored all of her four points in the first half.

"The great thing about my position is that I'm not a starter, so I can sit on the bench and watch," said Willoughby, who returned after being sidelined due to severe abdominal pains earlier this week. "I went in and posted this big girl up, and just so happened to score. ... I think we have to be a little more confident in shooting. But if (Louisiana Tech) gave us a little more space, it would have made a difference."

"Our defense has been great," said Ford, who pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds, 10 off the offensive glass. "Coach (Leon Barmore) kept saying defense is what we have to do and the offense will come. And that's what we did."

Louisiana Tech put on a rebounding clinic. Four players grabbed at least five rebounds. Out of the team's 45 total boards, 22 were offensive. As a team, they average 47.8 rebounds per game, 50 against WAC opponents.

Though held to 10 points, senior forward Ayana Walker, named to every preseason first-team, finished with eight rebounds and two blocks — a day's work for the team's leading scorer and rebounder.

"They're tall and very athletic," Gabrielova said. "There's no way we could jump like that."

Down 40-24 at halftime, the Wahine returned with resilience. Timid and tentative in the first half, Hawai'i got aggressive, getting the ball down low to posts Christen Roper and Natasja Allen.

In foul trouble early, Roper played just four minutes in the first half. But she started the second with two quick hook shots that, along with a 3-pointer by Gabrielova and a jumper by Allen, narrowed the deficit to nine points with 16:18 left.

That was as close as Hawai'i could come.

"If you compete hard, concentrate and control the game, you'll win. And we did all that," Willoughby said. "But they got ahead and that made a difference. They got a head start. ... If you took away the first half, we would've won the game."

NOTES: Dainora Puida scored 23 points as the White defeated the Green, 67-63, in the University of Hawai'i Wahine alumni game, which preceded the Hawai'i-Louisiana Tech game.

Jerry Busone, who coached the University of Hawai'i Wahine to their inaugural postseason appearance in the early 1980s, coached in the alumni game.

Busone returned to the Mainland after two seasons as the Wahine coach. He moved back to Hawai'i in May and is the Vice President and Regional Manager for Automatic Data Processing, one of the largest producers of payroll and human resource systems in the world.

"I still bring the same passion, compassion and enthusiasm to work everyday," Busone said. "And, I'm still leading 15 people —- teaching them to communicate, shoot and move."

Busone's daughter, Carly, who was born here, moved back with her father and is a UH freshman.

Other players who participated in the alumni game were Nani Cockett, Kyla Evers, Jill Nunokawa and Hedy Liu.