Kuehu's recruiting visits start with USC
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Punahou School senior Shawna-Lei Kuehu, one of the most heavily recruited girls basketball players in Hawai'i history, will take the first of her four scheduled college visits this weekend.
Punahou coach Mike Taylor said Kuehu is scheduled to visit Southern California this weekend, Cal on the weekend of Sept. 14-15 and Gonzaga and Hawai'i later in September.
Kuehu, a 5-foot-10 forward projected to play shooting guard in college, was The Advertiser's State Player of the Year in 2006 after leading the Buffanblu to their second straight state championship. She was an Advertiser All-State first-team selection as a freshman.
Kuehu burst upon the recruiting scene in the summer of 2006 after a stellar performance at the Nike Nationals tournament in South Carolina. After the tournament, she was ranked by one scouting service as the No. 17 overall prospect in the nation for the Class of 2008.
But Kuehu suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury in her left knee during a fall league game last December and missed the entire 2007 season.
Taylor said her recovery has gone well and she is continuing her rehabilitation.
PUNAHOU TAKES NO. 5 KAMEHAMEHA TO LIMIT
Kamehameha's two-time defending state champion girls volleyball team is ranked No. 5 in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com, and defending state runner-up Punahou is not even in the Top 100.
But that could change soon after the Buffanblu took the Warriors to the limit in the Hawai'i Volleyball Invitational hosted by Kamehameha last weekend.
The Warriors won the Gold Division final 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, but only after Punahou led 21-19 and 23-21 in the second game.
"Punahou deserves to be up there (in the rankings)," Kamehameha coach Chris Blake said. "They're a good team, real solid."
Reigning two-time Advertiser State Player of the Year Kanani Herring led the Warriors with 17 kills and libero Cassidee Young added 24 digs.
Kamehameha hosts Punahou again in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu match Sept. 11. The Warriors play at No. 26-ranked 'Iolani Sept. 18.
No other Hawai'i teams are ranked in Top 100.
Read Wes Nakama's blog on prep sports at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.
