In a decisive showdown at the Bank of Hawaii Classic, the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team showcased their prowess by clinching the title with a 67-55 victory over Eastern Washington. The Sunday game, held at the Stan Sheriff Center, witnessed the Rainbow Wahine dominate the court to secure a 3-1 season standing and an unblemished 2-0 tournament record, as reported by KHON2.
Despite sharing a similar tournament slate, Saint Mary’s also ravished with a 2-0 record, it was Hawaii's superior point tally that crowned them as champions; as KHON2 reports, Hawaii amassed 136 points to Saint Mary’s 127. Riding a wave of success, Hawaii’s MeiLani McBee matched Megan Tinnin’s record for second-most 3-pointers in the program’s history, netting 12 points in the process. Her four from beyond the arc were pivotal in boosting her to this commendable accolade.
Complementing McBee's sharpshooting, Imani Perez chipped in with 11 points and three rebounds, and Lily Wahinekapu made a statement, securing the tournament’s Most Valuable Player with her nine-point, eight-rebound, and four-assist performance. The contributions of freshman Ritorya Tamilo, who added eight points and who was named to the All-Tournament Team, cannot go unnoticed as well, as per Spectrum Local News.
Moving beyond the classics, Hawaii is ramping up for the American Savings Bank Rainbow Wahine Showdown, a tournament set to be a higher rung on the competitive ladder with Fresno State, UT Martin, and No. 5 ranked UCLA in the lineup according to Spectrum Local News. UFO begins this gauntlet on Friday at 2:30 p.m., starting with a match against Fresno State.
Eastern Washington, meanwhile, found a standout performance in Peyton Howard, who tallied 14 points. The Big Sky Conference team, now at 1-5, must regroup and rebuild as the season presses on. For Hawaii, further challenges await, as they aim to harness the momentum from their Bank of Hawaii Classic triumph and face down a field of formidable opponents in the upcoming showdown.
