Mia ‘Uhila’s return home to use her final year of eligibility to play for the University of Hawaii is truly a full-circle moment.
The 5-foot-8 point guard, who joins a crowded group of guards on this year’s Rainbow Wahine basketball team, was a talent simply too good for coach Laura Beeman to pass up.
‘Uhila entered the transfer portal after finishing her third season at Portland State, where she led the team in steals, was second in assists and fourth in scoring while averaging more than 30 minutes a game.
Her Rainbow Wahine career began two weeks ago back in the Pacific Northwest. She logged her first minutes against Portland and then scored her first points for Hawaii against her former team, finishing with two points, six rebounds and two assists against the Vikings.
It was a weird feeling, but one that left ‘Uhila happy with her decision to come home.
“The opportunity to play back home is bigger than basketball. I’m just grateful to be a part of this community,” ‘Uhila said last week. “I was kind of nervous (against Portland State), but it really was full circle for me. Playing against my old team, it was a lot fun.”
Beeman has nine guards officially on the roster, but many of them bring different primary skill sets to the team.
‘Uhila can handle the ball, putting her in direct competition with returning seniors Lily Wahinekapu and Kelsie Imai.
She knew finding minutes wouldn’t be easy, but was up for the challenge.
“This team is more diverse and everyone is more like a family. Basketball and our lives off the court are two different things,” ‘Uhila said. “The (coaches) will be our coach and then they will be our best friends. The girls are just like teammates and sisters. We rely on each other and we have different personalities from different places, which is fun.”
‘Uhila grew up on Maui until high school watching her sister, Kalo, play varsity for Lahainaluna.
‘Uhila never got the same opportunity as her family moved to Alaska.
She was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Alaska her senior year and went on to play in 84 of 91 possible games over three seasons at Portland State.
‘Uhila scored a career-high 20 points last December against Oregon and shot a career-best 33% (27-for-82) from the 3-point line for the season before she finally made it back home, to a place she never wanted to leave.
“I wanted to stay on the islands just because there is nothing like the islands on the mainland, but I accepted it and I kind of got more exposure in Alaska, so I am grateful for the opportunity, but nothing beats home,” ‘Uhila said.
She always wanted to follow in her sister’s footsteps, but moving to Alaska allowed her to create her own path to playing Division I basketball.
Once she survived her first winter in Alaska, things became easier.
“From paradise to winter, it was so cold,” ‘Uhila said. “Had to adjust to wearing winter clothes, No more shirts and sandals.”
She said it would get dark between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. It was always too cold to play basketball outside, but there was always a gym.
Now home in Hawaii, ‘Uhila can play basketball all day long without worrying about the cold.
Although she wasn’t on the team for Hawaii’s semifinal loss to UC Davis in the Big West Championships in March, that loss fuels her, she says, just as much as everybody else on the team.
“I think going back and finishing their unfinished business from last year and winning a championship is the most important thing,” ‘Uhila said. “I think everyone is motivated by that especially, because it’s a veteran team of eight seniors and everyone else returning. They preach that if we want it, we’ve just got to work toward it and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
IN THIS SERIES
>> Lily Wahinekapu
>> MeiLani McBee
>> Mia ‘Uhila
>> Kelsie Imai
