Nothing has been promised to these seven, but a lot will be asked of at least some.
When you consider that the University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s basketball team is looking to replace eight of its nine leading scorers, there is no other way around it.
In many ways this is not your garden variety recruiting class. For one, it includes a Ka’u graduate, Pili Kailiawa.
Coach David Kaneshiro started following Kailiawa’s career at Umpqua when he was recruiting Hayley Reynolds – one of the eight that must be replaced – at the community college in Oregon.
Also, of the seven newcomers, two will be incoming freshmen, Kim Schmelz and Patience Taylor.
There are three 6-footers: Asia Smith is the center of the group, while Kailiawa and Taylor are more comfortable at forward.
Vanessa Mancera was an all-league point guard at a former stop, and Lauren Hong showed proficiency as a three-point shooter.
Of the five transfers, Sydney Mercer is the highest scorer.
All come to Hilo from winning programs.
• Hong, a 5-4, transfer from Cypress College, led the California Community College Athletic Association in 3-point field goal percentage at 52 percent and averaged 11 points, four rebounds and three assists per game. She was a two-time second-team all-Orange Empire Conference selection.
“Lauren is a competitive player and a true ‘gym rat,’” Kaneshiro said in a university release. “Her outstanding shooting this past season was the result of a lot of hard work throughout the year.”
• Mercer is a 5-10 forward and a transfer from Columbia Basin College (Pasco, Wash.) who averaged 15 points, six rebounds, and two assists per game. She was a two-time first-team all-Northwest Athletic Conference East Region selection (2013-14 and 2014-15).
“Sydney is a hard-working, smart player, with a versatile skill set,” Kaneshiro said. “She was effective this past season both on the perimeter and in the post.”
• Kailiawa averaged two rebounds per game and shot 42 percent from the 3-point line.
“Pili is a very unselfish player with a nice shooting touch,” Kaneshiro said. “We are very excited that she chose to return to the Big Island to continue her college career.”
• Smith is also a transfer from Umpqua, averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds per game in the 2013-14 season.
She earned second-team NWAC South Region honors and named to the NWAC Postseason All-Tournament Team.
“Asia will bring a strong post presence to our team,” Kaneshiro said. “She is a physical player who can score in the low post and rebound effectively.”
• The 5-6 Mancera, a transfer from College of the Sequoias (Visalia, Calif.), averaged 10 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals per game while earning first-team All-State honors and named Central Valley Conference Most Valuable Player.
“Vanessa is a competitive guard with a good feel for the game,” Kaneshiro said. “She has the ability to get into the lane and is effective scoring or setting up her teammates.”
• Schmelz, a 2015 graduate of Pleasant Grove High School (Elk Grove, Calif.), was named Delta League Player of the Year and first-team All-Metro.
A 5-9 guard, she averaged 18 points, five rebounds and two assists per game while hitting 53 percent of her shots from the field and 50 percent from the 3-point range.
“Kim is a good shooter who can score in a variety of ways,” Kaneshiro said. “She is a smart player who plays with a lot of poise.”
• Taylor, a 2015 graduate of Mira Costa High School (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), was a first-team Bay League selection while averaging six points, five rebounds, and a block per game.
“Patience is an athletic, active forward who can impact a game in a variety of ways,” Kaneshiro said. “We think she will develop into a very versatile and effective player for us.”
