Posted at 5:23 p.m., Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Honoka'a hoops star, 2 others signs with Wahine
Advertiser Staff
Honoka'a's Keisha Kanekoa, a two-time All-State first-team player, is one of three players to sign with the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team, the school announced.Kanekoa, a 5-foot-6 guard, will be joined by guard Alishia Barfield (5-7, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Ariz.) and center Katie Wilson (6-3, Governor Simcoe Secondary School, Canada).
"We have three quality players, two freshman and a junior college transfer, who fill our needs at the point and in the post." UH coach Jim Bolla said. "We're excited about each of them joining the program and we expect them to help us take the program to the next level."
Kanekoa is a three-year starter for the Dragons. She was the Big Island Interscholastic Federation's Player of the Year last season, averaging 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game. She chose UH over Denver and Pacific.
Bolla on Kanekoa: "Keisha is the perfect point guard for our system. She pushes the ball well, has excellent court vision and has a knack for getting her teammates the ball at the right places. If she can't get the ball her teammates, she's highly capable of scoring on her own. She is a great floor leader, plays tough defense and should excel in the up-tempo game."
Barfield attended Chandler-Gilbert CC the past two seasons, leading the Coyotes to a 24-10 overall record in 2005-06, including a division title in Region I and a berth in the NJCAA Nationals.
Bolla on Barfield: "Alishia is a great athlete who comes from a solid junior college program. She give us depth with her ability to play both guard positions and depending on how quickly she picks up the system, we hope to get her on the court soon."
Wilson has led the Lady Redcoats to two straight provincial championships, including a 35-6 record last season while earning Most Valuable Player honors in two tournaments.
He is averaging 15 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots per game. She was recruited by Gonzaga and Vermont.
Bolla on Wilson: "Katie is a raw talent who we'll look to develop. She's very physical and can bang inside. She's in the same mold of our current post players, Tanya Smith and Brittany Grice. Both have improved significantly over the last few years and we hope to see the same type of success from Katie."
UH has a total of five remaining scholarships available for next season. The 2006-07 Rainbow Wahine roster currently has 12 scholarship players, made up of six seniors, three juniors and three freshmen.
