(Exhibition) Game Night: Wahine face UH Hilo

Laura Beeman won’t have a whole lot of lineup options tonight when the Rainbow Wahine basketball team faces UH Hilo in its lone exhibition game prior to the season opener at USC.

Injuries will limit the UH rotation to just seven players for the 7 p.m. exhibition at the Stan Sheriff Center.

“It’s a little nerve wracking going into a game where you have only seven players,” Beeman said after Tuesday’s practice.

All five returnees — senior Briana Harris, junior Sarah Toeaina and sophomores Olivia Crawford and Lahni and Leah Salanoa — are slated to suit up along with freshmen Julissa Tago and Taylor Donohue.

Donohue is the only true post player of the group and Beeman said Lahni Salanoa can move to center when Donohue needs a break.

“If we have to go super small I’m OK with that too,” said Beeman, who noted the possibility of a combination of Crawford (5-foot-5), Leah Salanoa (5-10), Harris (5-7), Toeaina (5-11) and Tago (5-9).

“It’s a very small lineup as far as the post area but I’ll take our length and what we can do from our wings,” Beeman said. “Those are five young ladies who can drive the ball and shoot the ball.”

The Wahine should still have a height advantage at most spots against the Vulcans, who have three players at 6-foot. But Hilo’s outside shooting is the more pressing concern for Beeman.

“That’ll be our biggest challenge, getting out and really guarding the 3-point line,” Beeman said.

“It’s a good matchup as far as size, it’s not a good matchup as far as what they run offensively. It’s a tough offense to navigate man-to-man and then just the depth for us is going to be tough.”

Sophomore guard Kim Schmelz led the Vulcans with 12 points per game last season and his 29 of 84 3-pointers. Senior Lauren Hong was UHH’s leading 3-point shooter with 36.

UH will have just as many players on the bench as they’ll have suited up for tonight’s game. Forwards Keleah-Aiko Koloi and Makenna Woodfolk and guard Courtney Middap, all freshmen, will sit out the exhibition. The hope is they’ll be ready for the opener on Sept. 11 at USC. Freshman forward Amy Atwell will redshirt this season while rehabbing from knee surgery last spring. Center Adrienne Darden becomes eligible in December as a mid-year transfer last season. Guards Tia Kanoa and Rachel Odumu will sit out this season due to transfer rules.
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8:45 — Hawaii 84, UH Hilo 63 final. UH finishes with 11 3-pointers. Harris with 17 points, Lahni Salanoa and Toeaina with 16 each.

8:30 — Tago has cooled off a bit from her second-quarter run, but is on the verge of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Lahni Salanoa get her double-double with 16 and 10. UH up 75-52, 5:01 left.

8:25 — UH takes a 67-47 lead into the fourth quarter and Harris knocks down UH’s 10th 3-pointer of the night to open the final period. Schmelz carrying the UH Hilo offense with 13 of the Vulcans’ 14 second-half points.

8:16 — Leah Salanoa gets on the board with UH’s eighth 3-pointer of the night. Toeaina having a rough shooting night (4-for-15) but goes coast-to-coast for a layup to give UH a 63-43 lead. Toeaina has 12 to give UH four players in double figures. Timeout UH Hilo 1:50 third quarter.

8:12 — UH up 56-41 at the third quarter media timeout. Taylor Donohue finishes in the post on consecutive possessions and has 8 points. Kim Schmelz heating up for UH Hilo and has nine points, seven in the period.

8:07 — Harris picks up her third foul 5 seconds into the second half. Wahine getting a little loose with their passes and Kim Schmelz converts a steal into a layup. UH up 52-36, 6:36 Q3.

7:45 — UH 48, UH Hilo 33 halftime. Harris leads UH with 14, Tago and Salanoa with 11 each. Sydney Mercer and Asia Smith 10 each for UHH. UH 7-for-14 from 3-point range. Wahine shot 10-for-16 in the second quarter, 18-36 overall. UHH at 37.5 percent.

7:41 — UH Hilo fighting back a bit after UH’s 21-4 run. Sydney Mercer hits a 3 from the left side and Beeman calls timeout with UH leading 45-31, 2:08 Q2.

7:37 — Briana Harris gets hot from outside and knocks down two 3-pointers. She then scores while being fouled and Lahni Salanoa converts a steal into another bucket while drawing a foul. UH leads 43-22. 4:25 Q2.

7:31 — Tago hits another 3 from the right corner and is 3-for-3. She drives for another jumper to give UH a 33-20 lead early in the second qtr. Tago has 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting.

7:28 — Tago and Toeaina open the second quarter with 3-pointers. UH now 4-for-8 from long range leading 28-18.

7:24 — UH 22, UH Hilo 18 end first quarter. UH shooting 40 percent. Lahni Salanoa leads all scorers with 9. UH Hilo at 36.8 pct.

7:20 — UH Hilo battles back to tie it up 16-16 on Alexa Jacobs’ three-point play and Asia Smith’s putback. UH answers with a Harris putback and Julissa Tago’s 3 pointer to take a 21-16 lead.

7:16 — Beeman said she wanted Lahni Salanoa to look to drive more after the Green and White scrimmage. Salanoa is looking to get to the basket tonight and has 8 points in the first 6 minutes. UH leads 15-9 at the first media timeout.

7:05 p.m. — UH starters vs. UH Hilo: Taylor Donohue, Lahni Salanoa, Olivia Crawford, Sarah Toeaina, Briana Harris.

6:55 p.m. — Middap and Woodfolk are suited up and participated in warm ups, giving UH nine. But seems unlikely they’ll play without practicing in the week leading up to the game. UH Hilo is almost equally shorthanded with eight players suited up.