Wahine open practice
aiming for a fast start

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

The University of Hawaii women's basketball team starts practice tomorrow with the need to be ready early. Seven schools that reached the NCAA tournament last year are in the four tournaments the Wahine host before they start Western Athletic Conference action.

Hawaii also opens earlier than past years, with the four-team Hawaiian Regent Aloha Classic, Nov. 21 and 23. The Wahine play St. Bonaventure, then go against either Oklahoma State or Louisiana State, an NCAA Tournament participant last season.

The annual eight-team Rainbow Wahine Classic, Nov. 28, 29 and 30, has NCAA Tournament teams Alabama and Iowa State.

"I suspect Alabama will be rated in the top five," Wahine head coach Vince Goo said. "We also have rival California and Indiana in that tournament. We open with Cal and like to play the Pac-10 schools because we recruit against them."

The Hawaii Invitational follows Dec. 7-8 with UH opening against Arkansas State, then playing either DePaul or the University of San Francisco, both coming off NCAA Tournament seasons.

The final tournament before New Years is the Ala Moana Hotel Paradise Classic, Dec. 19, 20, 22, which features NCAA qualifiers Michigan State and UC Santa Barbara. The Wahine and Gauchos have a long history from the days when UH was in the Big West Conference.

And, when Western Athletic Conference play begins in January, UH has two games against NCAA-tested San Diego State.

Fortunately for Goo, there are four returning starters -- guards BJ Itoman and Nani Cockett and forwards Brandi Ashby and Raylene Howard -- to build this year's team around.

Center Kendis Leeburgh has graduated and the leading candidate to replace her is 6-foot-3 freshman Sarah Petersen.

"We'll be tested right away, but our returning starters are more experienced," Goo said.

"We plan to change our offense, going with one post player instead of two. This way, we can take advantage of our better 3-point shooting and spread the floor.

"We have four skilled freshmen who will learn and have to give us some minutes."

Goo also reported that Hedy Liu, the 5-11 sophomore forward who injured her right knee in a pick-up basketball game in September, is making excellent progress in her recovery and may be ready to play in January.

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1997-98 Rainbow Wahine Basketball
Schedule and Record

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