The offseason recruiting process for the UH-Hilo women’s basketball team was a homespun exercise, about as organic as it gets in the team building business.
Vulcans coach David Kaneshiro signed a player he’s had his eyes on for a years, Hilo High graduate Sharlei Graham-Bernisto, a fire cracker perimeter player well-known to her new teammates.
“There’s a lot to like with her from a physical standpoint,” Kaneshiro said of the aggressive 5-foot-2 point guard. “She’s very quick, she handles the basketball pretty well, and she has a very high motor.”
The Vulcans return a veteran lineup, one Kaneshiro anticipates will be healthy for the new season, after finishing 10-15 a year ago, slowed by a 1-6 start. A four-game win streak toward the end of the season left UHH with a chance to gain the playoffs in the last regular season game, but it came up short.
Kansehiro said he’s watched Graham-Bernisto since she was a sophomore and thinks she’ll fit right in.
“I’m looking forward to coaching her,” he said.
Graham-Bernisto was hopeful of a college experience on the mainland, but the offers she got didn’t match what Kaneshiro had waiting.
“It’s not like it’s a disappointment,” she said. “I was like a lot of people, you get the idea in high school that you need to get off the rock, but I’m so grateful to coach Dave, just to be playing, that’s what I’m feeling now, really looking forward to it.
“I know a lot of (the Vulcans) already. Alexa, Vanessa Mancera, Lauren Hong, we’ve met in clinics and things, I’m really happy to be able to play more with those guys.”
Graham-Bernisto would fit neatly into Kaneshiro’s post-perimeter style offense that relies on an unified approach and understanding.
“Other than set plays, like out of bounds plays, we don’t concern ourselves much with individual positions like point guard, off guard or whatever,” he said. “It’s more about perimeter players and post players and understanding what your role is.
“We could have four point guard types out there at one time, but we would think of them as just perimeter players doing what they need to do.”
Graham-Bernisto said she will be entering a nursing program, but she’s concerned about the time that requires in the final two years.
“I can’t say for sure I’ll stick with it,” she said. “I just want to find something to sort of pursue that I love. That’s what it’s about for me, doing what you love, and that’s why basketball has been so important to me. When I was thinking of going to the mainland, I didn’t care if it was NAIA, DIII, DII, whatever, I just wanted to be able to play.
“It’s an escape and a big motivation for me. I can’t wait to get out there and get to work with older, more experienced players who can teach me things, and maybe I can show them something. When I’m out there on the floor, everything else fades away, all the little or the big issues of the day drop off and you just get to play. We will go after each other, I’m sure, there might be heads bumping here and there, but it will all be for the team, to make us better.”
Kaneshiro hopes the new team comes together quickly to avoid a repeat of last year’s start and also because the Vulcans play eight of their first 11 conference games at home.
