Konawaena’s finest are back for more island glory. Big Island basketball alumnae Lia Galdeira and Dawnyelle Awa make an anticipated return to Oahu hardwood when Washington State takes on Hawaii on the first day of the Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic today.
Galdeira and Awa, WSU sophomores, led Konawaena to three state titles in four years from 2009 to 2012 at the Blaisdell Arena. Galdeira was a three-time state player of the year, and the two were all-state regulars for four seasons. Both were 2012 Hawaii Hall of Honor inductees.
They’ve continued to be integral pieces for WSU (1-1), which is playing in their home state three times in three days. The two starting guards aren’t lacking for confidence going against the hometown Rainbow Wahine (1-1).
"We’re very excited. But we’ll play any team, it doesn’t matter," said Galdeira, a Pac-12 All-Freshman team honoree last season. "It’s home team, away team, ranked No. 1, ranked No. 20, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to come out and play hard."
Awa said: "Everyone expects us to win, so hopefully we get to come out and smoke ’em."
WSU was 11-20 overall in 2012-13 but WSU coach June Daugherty realized the Big Island tandem would be a solid foundation to build on. One of the Cougars’ wins came in the Pac-12 tournament.
"They’re extremely competitive young ladies," Daugherty said. "They play very well together and off of each other. I just think they bring a lot of confidence to our team. They’re very skilled players, and very bright about basketball."
Galdeira had the second-highest scoring average in the country for a freshman at 14.8 points per game — she missed the top mark by just 0.2 ppg.
Her 459 points set a Wazzu freshman scoring record and was good for 10th in single-season scoring by any Cougars player. She was first or second in a host of other team categories.
Meanwhile, Awa led the team in assists (68), the second-highest mark among Pac-12 freshmen, while adding 38 steals.
Galdeira scored a game-high 19 points in WSU’s 81-72 win at Seattle on Tuesday, while Awa added five points and six assists.
"Galdeira can get her points whenever she wants to," UH coach Laura Beeman said. "Obviously she does a good job running that team on the floor. Those are two young ladies I would die to have. They were signed, sealed and delivered before I walked in the door. Don’t know if I could have kept them anyways, but just unbelievably great players. We have our hands full with them and as well as a couple other players on that roster."
One of the more interesting aspects of tonight’s game will be the crowd split. Galdeira, of Kamuela, and Awa, of Kailua-Kona, are expecting a large amount of support from the Big Island.
"It’s real exciting," Awa said. "I think we’re going to have more fans than UH Manoa. But yeah, I’m excited to play."
In May, Galdeira was invited to attend the 2013 National Team Trials for the FIBA U-19 World Championship Team, one of 34 players in the country to receive that honor.
"It’s a shame she didn’t make the team, she was very close to making the team but I think what it did is motivated her all the more," Daugherty said. "She’s in the best shape she’s been in in the two years that we’ve had her."
Galdeira said she and Awa have settled in nicely to the rural scene of Pullman, Wash., where they realize they are being tracked from afar.
"What does it mean to carry Hawaii with me?" Galdeira said, echoing a question lobbed her way. "I mean, I’m representing, like everybody else, where they’re from. However far."
There will be a third Big Island native on the court in UH senior Pua Kailiawa, a Kau graduate.
