It was a stressful and turbulent night in the history of the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine as Division II coach, Laura Beeman, and her young team survived a harsh ordeal against the St. Martin Saints in an overtime close call. The island of Hawai would win 46 to 41, although it took it eight points to excavate itself out of a hole at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Freudal Warfare & Martin’s Close Escapades.
The Saints were aggressive as they employed long ball-pressure and zone defence that shook the Hawaiian’s normally solid offense. The shooting ills of Hawaii were pointed at by failing to make it 1-for-26 at three-point range. The lethargy was kept up until late, when desperation commenced to work against it.
The Comeback& Clutch Freshman Donations.
Though Hawai’i made 30 giveaways, the team scored only seven points on those giveaways by St. Martin. The Saints’ offensive momentum hit a snag in the fourth quarter, and they failed in their last 14 field goal attempts since that time.
Bailey Flavell, a freshman guard, was the highest scorer in Hawai’i with 15 points and eight rebounds in her first two official college games. She was supported by fellow freshman Keiara Curtis, who scored 14 points and seven boards. These two players have come to the rescue in a big way as the more-experienced players are sidelined by injury.
Game-Changing Incidents & Overtime Heroes.
St. ″Martin had a 2421 halftime margin and was on the verge of stealing the victory. This was, however, the case in the fourth quarter as the Saints flattened down, and Hawai’i took advantage. Drives to the basket in overtime by Flavell also contributed towards creating a critical six-point lead. She capped the victory with a free throw in the last minute that provided the Wahine with some breathing space.
What This Implicates in the Future.
The victory gave Hawai’i an opportunity to be 2‑0, a start that they had not had since the 201516 season and the third in the tenure of Coach Beeman. However, the win highlights much bigger problems that must become an issue:
Offensive inefficiency: The 1-26 3-point display is not sustainable and will be taken advantage of by more challenging players.
Turnover discipline: Although the defense held its own on this occasion, 30 possessions cannot be trusted to win big games.
Depth of roster and health, the freshman class had to play significant roles sooner than expected due to the absence of key players. Their reappearance during the season and the formation of younger players on the team will be vital.
What is to be done? Future Problems and Possibilities.
Their following tests will be the Bank of Hawaii Classic, where they will have to contend with more competition and a tougher environment. Coach Beeman admitted that her team is still young, and this may be true until such a time that they can always defeat good teams when they are placed under pressure.
In the case of the St. Martin game, it does not appear in their records of Division I (they considered it an exhibition), but it is a sign that they are capable of playing with Division I opponents. The resilience of the system by Coach Natalie Marlowe and her squad will most likely be an added momentum into the subsequent matches.
Final Take
Hawai may have avoided it tonight, but the victory was in the shape of a warning. In the middle of the level, the crisis was close to breaking out. The good news? New visages glistening came. The task at hand: develop on this, refine the implementation, eliminate errors, and demonstrate stability. When they do, they can make the Wahine make this fright a springboard to the season ahead.
