UCLA takes down Hawai’i in Rainbow Wahine Showdown title game

UCLA takes down Hawai’i in Rainbow Wahine Showdown title game

Dec 1, 2024

UCLA center Lauren Betts goes up for a shot against Hawai’i center Brooklyn Rewers during the Bruins’ 70-49 win over the Rainbow Wahine on Sunday. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

UCLA takes down Hawai’i in Rainbow Wahine Showdown title game

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED DECEMBER 1, 2024

HONOLULU – To the next. 

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team fell to No. 1 UCLA in the 2024 American Savings Bank Rainbow Wahine Showdown championship game on Sunday, 70-49. It snapped a 15-game home winning streak for UH, marking the first time Laura Beeman’s team had fallen inside the Stan Sheriff Center in over a year. 

Hawai’i (5-2) was without the services of freshman center Ritorya Tamilo for the first time this season while sophomore guard Jovi Lefotu missed her third straight game. Brooklyn Rewers made her second start of the year and first since the season-opener at Portland in place of Tamilo, being tasked with a defensive assignment of UCLA All-American center Lauren Betts. 

The Bruins (8-0) scored the game’s first nine points before Rewers finally got the scoring started for the Rainbow Wahine with a three with 6:31 left in the opening period. Hawai’i continued to struggle offensively, hitting only one more shot from the floor and getting a pair of free throws from Rewers to head into the quarter break down, 18-7. 

Betts picked up her second foul with 7:35 to play in the first half, sending the 6-foot-7 center to the bench with UCLA still leading by 11. A continued defensive effort and extra hustle, sparked by three first-half blocks by freshman Danijela Kujovic and the unrelenting playstyle of Kelsie Imai, helped Hawai’i remain close as the team worked through the offensive struggles. 

“That’s what the number one team in the country is supposed to do, to come out and punch and I thought we took their punch pretty well,” Beeman said postgame. 

Helped by the effort, defense and three 3-pointers in the frame, including back-to-back hits by Jade Peacock and MeiLani McBee in the final two minutes, the Rainbow Wahine closed within three points of the top-ranked Bruins by halftime. In all, Hawai’i totaled five blocks while holding UCLA to 32 points in the first 20 minutes, tied for the lowest first half scoring output all season for the Bruins. 

“I thought that first half was very good,” Beeman reflected. “And I still think we can play better basketball.” 

Daejah Phillips got the action started out of the break, rolling in a layup over the front of the rim to bring the Rainbow Wahine within one before forcing UCLA into a shot clock violation. The Bruins returned the favor on the next possession, forcing a shot clock violation against UH that would ultimately spark a 9-0 run for the nation’s top-ranked team to go back up double digits.  

Lily Wahinekapu ended the three-minute scoring drought for Hawai’i with her first points of the afternoon, drilling a three to make it a 41-34 game with 5:39 left to play in the third quarter. UCLA punched back, rattling off 13 of the next 14 points to take a commanding 19-point lead just before the end of the period. 

“I think that second quarter was about energy, was about our communication. That’s something we have struggled with [and] the third quarter, we got quiet and quiet teams don’t win,” said Beeman of the struggles. 

While Hawai’i’s offense never truly turned on in the final quarter (3-14 FG), the defense bounced back to hold the Bruins to 27% shooting from the floor in the final 10 minutes. UCLA cashed in on 8-of-10 chances from the foul line in the fourth, doubled-up Hawai’i on the glass, 14-7, and ultimately won the frame by just four points as the Bruins stayed unbeaten through non-conference play with a 70-49 decision over the Rainbow Wahine. 

Kiki Rice led the way for UCLA, scoring a game-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting (5-of-5 FT) on her way to being selected to the all-tournament team. Lauren Betts finished the day with 18 points and a season-low three rebounds for the Bruins but was still selected as the tournament MVP after the 6-foot-7 star averaged 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game and led her team to a perfect 3-0 weekend with an average margin of victory of 45.7 points. 

Lily Wahinekapu led Hawai’i with 10 points, all coming after halftime, while Brooklyn Rewers chipped in eight points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks in 28 minutes of work. Daejah Phillips added nine points while Kelsie Imai hustled her way to four points, three rebounds (all offensive) and three assists off the bench for Hawai’i. 

“I thought overall, it was a fantastic weekend for this group,” Beeman said Sunday. “To go 2-1 and to play the way we did on Friday and Saturday, which we did not have our best basketball but found a way to win, [we are] getting better. We got some of our youth some experience that we promised them, and then to show up today and play the number one team in the country the way we did, I could not be more proud of this group.” 

Wahinekapu and Ritorya Tamilo were selected to the all-tournament team for the Rainbow Wahine, who will turn around for a rare December conference game against Long Beach State on Saturday. It will be the sixth game of a 7-game homestand for Hawai’i before wrapping up the non-conference schedule on the continent in the San Diego Invitational. 

“We’re not going backwards from here,” Beeman vowed. “[The players] now know that.”

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64

by | Dec 14, 2024

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64 BY MICHAEL LASQUERO | HSRNPUBLISHED DECEMBER 14, 2024This one turned into a track meet on dry land. Chaminade handled cross town rival Hawai’i Pacific in convincing fashion with a 78-64 win Saturday...

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Alejado’s record-setting evening leads Hawai’i to win on Senior Night

Alejado’s record-setting evening leads Hawai’i to win on Senior Night

Dec 1, 2024

Hawai’i QB Micah Alejado delivers a pass during his first start for the Rainbow Warriors. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Alejado’s record-setting evening leads Hawai’i to win on Senior Night

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED DECEMBER 1, 2024

HONOLULU – Closing one chapter is opening another. 

The University of Hawai’i football team saw the 2024 season come to an end on Saturday night, winning the program’s seventh straight Senior Night game with a 38-30 victory over New Mexico (5-7, 3-4 MWC) to send 23 seniors off as winners one final time. The 38 points came with 586 total yards of offense, both new high points in the Timmy Chang era as 10 different players recorded a reception for the Rainbow Warriors and four had catches for a touchdown. 

While it was a night to celebrate UH seniors, true freshman quarterback Micah Alejado was the star of the show as he stepped in for injured senior starter Brayden Schager and completed 37-of-57 pass attempts for 469 yards and five touchdowns, setting multiple Hawai’i program records for a quarterback’s first start. He added another 54 yards rushing on 10 carries, giving him 523 yards of total offense in his true introduction to college football. 

The 469 passing yards by Alejado were the most by any FBS freshman this year and the most for any freshman since the 2022 season. Looking decisive from the jump, Alejado helped orchestrate the most efficient offensive game by the Rainbow Warriors all year while not getting sacked a single time by the Lobos. 

Hawai’i (5-7, 3-4 MWC) started quickly, forcing a punt from the dynamic New Mexico offense on the game’s first possession before Alejado led the Rainbow Warriors 94 yards down the field and found sophomore Pofele Ashlock for a three-yard touchdown catch. The 12-play, 94-yard scoring drive was the longest of the year for Hawai’i and provided a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. 

The response from New Mexico didn’t come until the start of the second quarter as dual-threat quarterback Devon Dampier scampered his way in from three yards out, but the two-point conversion try failed as UH remained ahead, 7-6. The Rainbow Warriors wasted no time returning the favor as Alejado hit Dekel Crowdus in stride for the second straight week, connecting for a 52-yard touchdown to push the Hawai’i lead to eight with 12:26 left to play in the opening half. 

Alejado ended his spectacular opening half with one more score, capitalizing on a 35-yard punt return by Nick Cenacle that set the offense up inside Lobos’ territory. The true freshman hit Ashlock for a big gain before hooking up with senior wide receiver Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala for a 15-yard touchdown to give Hawai’i a 21-9 lead heading into halftime. 

The true freshman kept the burners going through the break, leading Hawai’i 75 yards down the field on the opening possession of the third quarter and finding Cenacle for his fourth TD pass of the night to give UH a three-score lead. 

New Mexico found some new life after Hawai’i failed to convert on a 4th-and-1 inside its own territory, using the short field to an advantage as Dampier took in his second rushing touchdown of the night with just under seven minutes left in the third to make it a 28-16 game. The Rainbow Warriors responded with a 19-yard field goal, making it a 15-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

The Lobos pulled back within a possession with just under 14 minutes left in regulation with Dampier’s third rushing touchdown of the night, but Hawai’i hit right back as Alejado led his fifth and final touchdown drive of the night. The Rainbow Warriors drained five minutes off the game clock, giving New Mexico less than nine minutes to erase a 15-point deficit as he hit Mokiao-Atimalala for a touchdown for the second time on the night. 

With bowl game hopes on life support, New Mexico worked down the field to bring it back within one score as NaQuari Rogers punched it in from one yard out with only 2:32 left to play. Unfortunately for the Lobos, that would be the closest they could come as the Rainbow Warriors ran out the rest of the clock to secure the victory. 

New Mexico quarterback Devon Dampier finished the night completing 19-of-31 passes for 176 yards through the air. A dynamic dual-threat, he added 101 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground in the loss by the Lobos. 

Spencer Curtis set a career-high with 100 yards receiving on seven catches in his final collegiate game, leading the way for the Hawai’i receiving corps. Nick Cenacle added another seven receptions for 93 yards while Jonah Panoke tacked on 86 yards receiving to end his six-year college career. 

Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala hauled in four passes for 26 yards on the night, catching two touchdowns in his final appearance for his hometown Rainbow Warriors. The Campbell Sabers alum caught the first and final touchdown passes of the 2024 season for Hawai’i. 

Following the game, 23 seniors were honored for their contributions to the program. Many of the players who stuck with the program when Chang first took over said aloha to fans one final time, receiving love from the islands for their efforts.

Hawai’i’s senior class poses for a photo together following a 38-30 win over New Mexico on Senior Night. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

“Taking over this program, a lot of guys left, and we played against those guys for other programs,” Chang said. “These guys stayed, and that’s what matters. The thing that hurts is that we left games out there that we could be playing in our own bowl game here … but these guys laid it on the line and then laid it again [for Hawai’i].”  

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64

by | Dec 14, 2024

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64 BY MICHAEL LASQUERO | HSRNPUBLISHED DECEMBER 14, 2024This one turned into a track meet on dry land. Chaminade handled cross town rival Hawai’i Pacific in convincing fashion with a 78-64 win Saturday...

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Hawai’i takes down UT-Martin on Day 2 of Rainbow Wahine Showdown

Hawai’i takes down UT-Martin on Day 2 of Rainbow Wahine Showdown

Nov 30, 2024

Hawai’i’s bench celebrates after a basket during the Rainbow Wahine Showdown. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i takes down UT-Martin on Day 2 of Rainbow Wahine Showdown

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 30, 2024

HONOLULU – Skyhawks down. 

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team shook off a slow offensive start for the second straight day on Saturday, using a dominant third quarter to ground the UT-Martin Skyhawks (1-6) on Day Two of the American Savings Bank Rainbow Wahine Showdown, 47-39. The win marked the 15th consecutive time that the Rainbow Wahine have emerged victorious at home and gave the team its best six-game start to a season in head coach Laura Beeman’s 13-year run with the program. 

Lily Wahinekapu was the lone UH player to reach double figures on the afternoon, scoring 10 points while pulling down a career-high 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the year and second of her career. Ritorya Tamilo added nine points and 10 boards while Daejah Phillips chipped in eight points all in the second half for the Rainbow Wahine. 

It was another slow offensive start for Hawai’i (5-1), shooting just 27 percent from the floor through the opening 10 minutes but holding a two-point advantage thanks to seven turnovers by UT-Martin that led directly to 10 points for UH. After pushing the lead to six with a 3-pointer from freshman Danijela Kujovic for her first college points, the Rainbow Wahine offense stalled out completely as the Skyhawks ended the half on a 13-0 run to take a 24-17 lead into the break. 

Wahinekapu came bursting out of the break, scoring or assisting on six straight points for Hawai’i to begin the third quarter before Imani Perez’s finish on the move gave the Rainbow Wahine the lead back by one with 5:46 left in the frame. A short jumper from UT-Martin guard Daejah Richmond broke a six-minute scoring drought after the break, but Phillips came sprinting back with a left-handed layup of her own to get the points back before Kujovic drilled her second triple of the night to make it a seven-point game with 3:28 left in the third. 

“I thought both [Kujovic] and [Rebecca Moors], I don’t want to forget about what Bex did,” Beeman said speaking of multiple members of the UH freshman class. “[Moors] didn’t hit shots today, but she did everything I asked her to do … Dani got on the court and got a good look at the basket that really slowed her shot down and defensively, I think it was a pretty good matchup. Dani is a pretty physical kid and so she was able to execute in that full court press.” 

Frustration with the officials boiled over for UT-Martin head coach Kevin McMillan a minute later after Daejah Phillips appeared to get away with a travel right in front of the Skyhawks’ bench, shouting at the referee before quickly getting a technical foul. 

Phillips stepped to the line and drilled both free throws and buckets by Tamilo and Wahinekapu to close the quarter capped off a 22-4 thrashing in the frame by the Rainbow Wahine as UH entered the final 10 minutes leading by double digits, 39-28. 

“I thought the third quarter was outstanding for us, both defensively and offensively,” Beeman said after the game. “It’s something this team is capable of doing for four quarters and for whatever reason, we’re just coming out to some slow starts and not really focusing on the execution.” 

The Skyhawks cut into the margin to begin the fourth, scoring first four points before another circus finish by Phillips restored the 11-point lead for Hawai’i with 6:01 to play. The Rainbow Wahine held that double-digit cushion into the final minute before UT-Martin guard Kenley McCarn snuck in four points to close the gap right before falling after the final buzzer, 47-39. 

Anaya Brown led the way for the Skyhawks, tallying 11 points and four rebounds while knocking down 5-of-8 free throw attempts in the loss. Daejah Richmond added eight points on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting from the floor, hauling in six rebounds and a steal too. 

The Skyhawks will face off against Fresno State in the second-to-last game of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown on Sunday, tipping off at noon and playing the role of opener for a true tournament championship game for Hawai’i and national No. 1 UCLA, which will tip around 2:30 p.m. HT. 

“Overall, we’re 2-0 in a really difficult tournament. I couldn’t be more proud of these kids and their effort, how hard they’re playing, the adjustments that they’re able to make … Really proud of where we are right now, we’ve got our hands full [on Sunday] but it’s a wonderful opportunity for our program,” Beeman stated. 

UCLA snapped defending national champion South Carolina’s 43-game winning streak last Sunday in dominant fashion, rising to the number one spot in the AP Poll for the first time in program history. It will be the second meeting between programs in the last two years and 11th matchup between the Rainbow Wahine and Bruins all-time, a series led nine games to one by UCLA heading into Sunday. 

The matchup will be Laura Beeman’s first against the nation’s top team since 2012, her first year on the job when Hawai’i hosted Baylor in November of that year. The Bruins are led by 6-foot-7 standout Lauren Betts, who was shooting 71 percent from the field entering the tournament while averaging 19.4 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. 

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64

by | Dec 14, 2024

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64 BY MICHAEL LASQUERO | HSRNPUBLISHED DECEMBER 14, 2024This one turned into a track meet on dry land. Chaminade handled cross town rival Hawai’i Pacific in convincing fashion with a 78-64 win Saturday...

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Saint Louis snaps Kahuku dynasty in return to the summit

Saint Louis snaps Kahuku dynasty in return to the summit

Nov 29, 2024

Hawai’i football commit Titan Lacaden holds up the trophy following Saint Louis’ 17-10 win over Kahuku in the 2024 First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA D1-Open Division State Championship game. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Saint Louis snaps Kahuku dynasty in return to the summit

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 29, 2024

HONOLULU – Crusaders’ coronation.  

Saint Louis (9-3) returned to the pinnacle of Hawai’i high school football on Friday night, defeating three-time defending state champion Kahuku (9-5) in the First Hawaiian Bank/ HHSAA D1-Open Division State Football Championship. Senior running back and Hawai’i-commit Titan Lacaden shouldered the load for the Crusaders, totaling 31 carries for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Saint Louis dominated the time-of-possession battle, 31:42 to 16:18. 

The win marks the eighth state title in program history for the Crusaders and first since the 2019 season for the Brotherhood. The loss snapped a streak of three consecutive state championships for Kahuku, who played without defensive standout Falealii Atuaia after the senior was ejected from the state semifinal against Mililani for committing a targeting penalty. 

“Just a flood of emotions,” Crusaders star Titan Lacaden said immediately after the win. “Just grateful. It’s been a long year for me, for the team, for the parents … Just to be able to finish the mission and stay the course like Coach [Tupu Alualu] says, it’s just God’s doing.” 

Lacaden started strong as Saint Louis received the ball first, running for 45 yards to get his squad deep into Kahuku territory. A direct snap to Lacaden on a fourth-and-1 resulted in a first-and-goal for Saint Louis, but a holding penalty backed the offense up before Kahuku star Mana Carvalho came flying off the edge on fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line to force a turnover-on-downs. 

The teams traded defensive stops as Kahuku went three-and-out on its opening drive before Saint Louis kicker Makena Kauai’s 43-yard field goal attempt came up just short to begin the second quarter. The Red Raiders’ second possession looked nearly identical to the first, running three plays before punting the ball back into the Crusaders’ possession. 

After forcing a punt for the first time all evening, Kahuku finally found some success on the offensive side of the ball while a pair of 15-yard penalties pushed the Red Raiders into Saint Louis territory. A false start after a three-yard loss stalled the drive, but Carvalho booted a beauty of a punt to pin Saint Louis on its own 1.  

Needing to go the distance of the field didn’t matter to the Crusaders, seeing Lacaden and quarterback Nainoa Lopes help lead a 99-yard scoring drive for the game’s first points. Lacaden punctuated the drive with a strong 1-yard run, helping Saint Louis capitalize on a 12-men-on-the-field penalty against Kahuku that gave Saint Louis a fresh set of downs with a 7-0 lead with 1:38 left in the half. 

Saint Louis RB Titan Lacaden powers through the Kahuku defense for a touchdown in the 2024 D1-Open State Championship. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

The Red Raiders’ offense awoke for the final drive of the half, going 62 yards in just over a minute to tie the game, 7-7, heading into the break after Carvalho beat everyone to a rainbow ball from Matai Fuiava for a 34-yard touchdown catch. 

That momentum did not carry over through halftime, seeing Kahuku turn the ball over on downs on its own 42 on the first possession out of the break. Saint Louis once again capitalized on a Kahuku miscue, using the short field to help re-take the lead with 3:43 left in the third quarter as Lacaden rolled into the end zone for his second score of the night. 

“It wasn’t easy,” Lacaden said of shouldering the load while facing the Kahuku defense. “My line, my receivers, the defensive guys, the special teams – man, they played lights out … I give them the credit; I just try to do my job for them.” 

Saint Louis snatched the ball back two minutes later, seeing sophomore defensive lineman Stone Ah Quin come up with a juggling interception of Fuiava to give the Crusaders the ball on the Kahuku 43 and a chance to take a two-possession lead. The ILH champions did exactly that after draining five more minutes off the clock, seeing Kauai connect on a 22-yard chip shot with 8:39 left to play. 

Kahuku responded with a quick drive of its own that resulted in a 37-yard field goal from Manoa Kahalepuna, bringing the game back within a touchdown with 7:04 remaining, 17-10. Saint Louis was able to let four more minutes tick off the clock on the next drive, but the Red Raiders’ defense stood tall and forced a punt with 2:30 to play to give the offense one last chance to tie or take the lead. 

The Red Raiders would drive 87 yards to the Saint Louis 8-yard line with just under a minute left to play, but the Crusaders stood tall. After trading timeouts with 38 seconds left before the fourth-and-7 try, the ILH champion defense locked down the field one more time as Fuiava’s pass dropped to the turf and Kahuku turned it over on downs.  

Fuiava finished the night completing 17-of-34 passes for 206 yards while tossing one touchdown and one interception in the loss for the Red Raiders. Bohdi Kaanga led all receivers with 101 yards on seven catches for Kahuku while Mana Carvalho chipped in four receptions for 66 yards and a score. 

The win by Saint Louis ensured that the Brotherhood would remain the only Hawai’i high school football program to win four straight Open Division state championships for at least another half-decade. The Crusaders have appeared in all but two Open Division state title games since the classification’s creation in 2016. 

“I feel grateful,” said Saint Louis head coach Tupu Alualu following the win. “First of all, I want to give God the glory. We started this journey – it was God’s plan, and it didn’t matter who believed me … my boys believed me, my coaches believed me, my family believed me, and I thank the school for giving me an opportunity to be the head coach.” 

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64

by | Dec 14, 2024

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64 BY MICHAEL LASQUERO | HSRNPUBLISHED DECEMBER 14, 2024This one turned into a track meet on dry land. Chaminade handled cross town rival Hawai’i Pacific in convincing fashion with a 78-64 win Saturday...

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Hawai’i clips Fresno State in first day of Rainbow Wahine Showdown

Hawai’i clips Fresno State in first day of Rainbow Wahine Showdown

Nov 29, 2024

Hawai’i C Ritorya Tamilo goes up for a shot during the team’s 50-47 victory over Fresno State on Day 1 of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i clips Fresno State in first day of Rainbow Wahine Showdown

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 29, 2024

HONOLULU – Come back and close it out. 

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team snuck by Fresno State (5-2) on Friday afternoon, erasing a 13-point third quarter deficit to take down the Bulldogs for the first time in the last 14 meetings, 50-47. Freshman center Ritorya Tamilo filled up the box sheet once again, leading all scorers with 16 points to go along with seven rebounds and three blocks to help spark the comeback for UH on the first day of the 2024 American Savings Bank Rainbow Wahine Showdown.  

Lily Wahinekapu added 12 points and four steals for Hawai’i, producing six points in the final 10 minutes of action to help push the Rainbow Wahine over the top. After seeing the team struggle from the field over the first three quarters (13-of-52 FG), UH hit 6-of-8 shots in the final stanza while holding Fresno State to three total made field goals to earn the program’s first win over the Bulldogs since 2007. 

The defense was outstanding for Hawai’i (4-1), producing 10 steals and 10 blocked shots as a team while holding a Fresno State squad that had been hot under 60 points for the first time this season. The Rainbow Wahine also forced 14 turnovers by the Bulldogs, helping lead to 11 points. 

“I think all of us bigs (Brooklyn Rewers, Imani Perez, etc.) did a good job of just not fouling,” Tamilo said of the defensive effort protecting the paint. “Our length comes in handy, definitely.” 

Both teams started slowly from the field, seeing a backdoor cut and reverse layup finish by MeiLani McBee as the game’s only points through five minutes of action. After the first media timeout of the day, Fresno State rattled off five straight points to jump in front for the first time before Hawai’i guard Mia ‘Uhila drilled a triple to tie things at five with three and a half minutes to play in the opening quarter. 

Wahinekapu sent the Rainbow Wahine into the second frame with a two-point lead after finishing on back-to-back buckets, mercifully closing out a first quarter that saw the two sides combine to shoot 6-of-30 from the floor and nine turnovers. Tamilo’s first bucket of the game opened the second quarter, extending the Hawai’i lead to four before Fresno State knotted things at 11 with under seven minutes to play in the half.  

The teams traded buckets back and forth before Fresno State defrosted from deep to end the half, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers to take an eight-point lead into the locker room, 28-20. Hawai’i shot just 26 percent as a team, getting beaten on the boards through 20 minutes by the Bulldogs on both the offensive and defensive glass. 

“Our energy was a little flat in the first half,” admitted UH head coach Laura Beeman after the game. “Not bad attitudes or bad energy, just flat energy [offensively].” 

Fresno State grew the separation a game-high 13 points with five consecutive points out of the break as Mia Jacobs drilled her second three of the game just over a minute into the third quarter. Tamilo got the scoring started again for Hawai’i on the next possession, sparking an 8-2 run over the next six minutes that pulled UH back within seven with 3:50 remaining in the quarter. 

Tamilo continued her takeover with three more buckets and a pair of blocks to help Hawai’i pull within one by the end of the third quarter, 37-36. Along with the 6-foot-5 freshman getting in rhythm, UH’s full court press gave issues to offense that was humming for Fresno State. 

“We couldn’t find things offensively, so we had to up our intensity on defense,” Wahinekapu said of the change to full-court pressure. “We were able to get some scoring off of our defense, so I thought that was really good.” 

Daejah Phillips continued the momentum into the final frame, delivering Hawai’i’s first lead since the first half with a mid-range jumper just a minute and a half into the fourth. Wahinekapu extended it to six-point Rainbow Wahine advantage with a finish in transition and a steal on the inbound, forcing a timeout from the Bulldogs with 3:35 to play. 

Tamilo added her final bucket of the day to maintain the six-point lead with 1:38 left as Phillips found the center with the shot clock winding down. Fresno State brought it back within one with 13 seconds to play as Mariah Elohim drilled a three and Jacobs hit a pair of free throws after an Imani Perez travel. 

Confusion between the officials and table regarding the foul count against the Bulldogs took off a made free throw by Wahinekapu and forced Hawai’i to inbound the ball to the lead guard one last time. The strange series of events did not impact the senior as she stepped to the line and calmly drilled both to put Hawai’i back up three, 50-47. 

The Rainbow Wahine held on with one final quality defensive stand, forcing Mia Jacobs’ desperation 3-point try to bounce off the iron as Hawai’i completed the 13-point comeback to tie the all-time series against Fresno State at 26 wins apiece. 

Jacobs finished with 14 points and a game-best 18 rebounds in the loss for Fresno State, who will face off against national No. 1 UCLA on Saturday afternoon. No other player finished with more than eight points for the Bulldogs as the team shot 28 percent throughout the contest. 

Daejah Phillips added eight points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Rainbow Wahine before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Hawai’i will turn around and take on UT-Martin on Saturday afternoon, looking to extend its home winning streak to 15 games ahead of a Sunday bout against the top team in the country. 

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64

by | Dec 14, 2024

Silverswords cruise past the Sharks, 78-64 BY MICHAEL LASQUERO | HSRNPUBLISHED DECEMBER 14, 2024This one turned into a track meet on dry land. Chaminade handled cross town rival Hawai’i Pacific in convincing fashion with a 78-64 win Saturday...

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