HONOLULU — A new-look University of Hawai'i women's basketball team delivered a rousing debut at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center with a 90-33 exhibition win over Chaminade on Tuesday.
All 11 active members of the roster contributed to the scoring by halftime and the Rainbow Wahine shot 48.6% percent from the field and hit 11 3-pointers in the first of two exhibitions leading into the Nov. 4 season opener.
Five UH players scored in double figures led by sophomore guard
Kira-May Filemu, who hit four shots from long range to finish with a game-high 16 points. Senior forward
Saniyah Neverson made her first six shots from the field and scored all of her 14 points in the first half. Sophomore forward
Rebecca Moors connected on two 3-pointers and also finished with 14 points.
Freshman guard
Bailey Flavell scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in her first appearance in Manoa and
Teyahna Bond had six assists without a turnover.
Keiara Curtis added five assists and also went without a turnover. In all, the Rainbow Wahine distrbuted 23 assists on 35 made field goals.
Danijela Kujovic contributed 10 points with two 3-pointers in her return from a redshirt year. Senior forward
Imani Perez scored eight points and tied freshman
Fiamma Serra for game-high honors with seven rebounds.
The Rainbow Wahine scored the first 15 points of the game with the freshman backcourt combo of Bond, Flavell and Kujovic hitting 3-pointers. UH held Chaminade to an 0-for-6 start before the Silverswords broke through.
Kira-May Filemu hit UH's fourth and fifth 3-pointers of the quarter and the 'Bows led 24-2 after the first quarter.
UH opened the second period with a 9-0 run capped by
Rebecca Moors' corner 3-pointers. Neverson remained perfect from the field in the first half and scored 10 points in the second quarter. The 'Bows shot 55.6% from the field in the half, including 6-for-15 from 3-point range, and took a 51-10 lead into the locker room.
UH led 63-20 when Filemu came up with a steal at midcourt and took it in for a layup with just under two minutes left in the third quarter. Filemu also scored eight points, draining two 3-pointers, in a span of 41 seconds late in the game in a final flurry.
Chaminade's Julien Parado scored eight points and Alyssa Schuetze added seven to lead the Division II Silverswords.
The Rainbow Wahine next face Hawai'i Pacific University on Oct. 28 in their second exhibition game. The game will be preceded by the annual ice cream social for season-ticket holders.
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