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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, December 6, 2009

BYU blitzes Rainbow Wahine


By Stanley Lee
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Julita Bungaite

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LÄ'IE — Brigham Young's press was suffocating and its offense sealed the outcome against Hawai'i early.

The Cougars scored 31 of the game's first 33 points and their press yielded few options for the Rainbow Wahine in yesterday afternoon's 81-44 win at the Hukilau Invitational at the Cannon Activities Center.

By the time the 'Bows (3-5) found some composure, the Cougars were well in control.

"That's not how we play and we were off today," said Julita Bungaite, who led Hawai'i with 10 points. "I don't know what happened. We weren't making our shots."

In the tournament's other game, Division II Brigham Young-Hawai'i upset San Francisco, 69-61.

BYU (5-2) attacked from the start with an intense press that threw a double team in the backcourt and sharpshooting that led to a 23-0 run and a 31-2 lead with 7:42 left in the half. The press gave Hawai'i few opportunities to run their offense, much less looks at the basket, and helped force 20 turnovers for the game.

"That press really took us out of our game, didn't allow us to set up in our halfcourt set and we took shots, but we took shots we weren't comfortable with and we did things that we don't normally do," Hawai'i coach Dana Takahara-Dias said.

Hawai'i ended an 8 1/2-minute scoring drought on Briauna Linton's free throw that made it 31-3 with 7:29 remaining. Keisha Kanekoa followed with a three-point play on the next possession and her 3-pointer made it 34-9 with less than six minutes remaining.

The Rainbow Wahine shot 5 of 23 (21.7 percent) in the first half, and trailed 48-16 at intermission.

"Once we pressed, we got back and did a good job of containing them and not letting them get to the ball so easy and giving them a lot of easy baskets, which I saw the last couple of games," BYU coach Jeff Judkins said.

Jazmine Foreman scored 21 points and Coriann Wood added 11 for BYU, which finished 2-0 in the tournament.

BYUH PULLS OFF UPSET

Mahina Gago scored 23 points and Mina Romito added 13 to help BYUH upset San Francisco, 69-61.

"I thought we proved a lot to ourselves, that we can be good and we have a lot of potential," said Felisita Ika, who had eight points in the win. "No one is going to give it to us, we have to go out there and earn it."

Ika played with her right bicep wrapped and said it hurt to raise her arm over her head. She hit two key baskets late in the game after the Dons (3-7) cut a 12-point deficit to three with 1:46 left.

Ika scored to make it 66-61 and Dara Tompkison and Gago hit three free throws in the final 47.2 seconds for the Seasiders (2-2).

"The key tonight was them believing in themselves and believing that working will make a difference," BYUH coach Wendy Anae said.

Rheina Ale had 18 points for USF.

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