Breathers are in short supply for the bigs of the Hawaii women’s basketball team.

What’s good about a thinned-out post rotation? Well, more practice repetitions, for starters.

"It’s definitely been hard. Just a three- and four-player post rotation is hard," senior forward Kamilah Jackson said. "The guards have so many rotations. But you know, it just gets us better. Getting a lot of reps, being (on the floor) day in and out."

UH’s shortage was underscored more than ever at Wednesday’s practice. UH was down to nine available players with five out — mostly due to illness — including absent forwards Shawlina Segovia and Angelina Smith.

Seniors Pua Kailiawa and Diane Moore rotated with Jackson. Almost by default, all three were on the court most of the time, working against the team’s male scout players.

"What we’re trying to do is find combinations," second-year UH coach Laura Beeman said. "In the offense we’re running, we’re going to be able to have some of our posts step out. Pua, Diane can hit a 3. You saw Mia (Jackson) get a rebound and push the ball. It’s not my favorite thing, but she can do it. So we’re trying to let the post players have a little bit more freedom to make it a little bit more difficult to guard them."

A big part of the reason for the shortage of bodies? One of the three players signed for this season out of Mt. San Antonio College, Ashley Burchfield, did not academically qualify for UH and thus did not report for duty this fall. The 6-foot-2 center was expected to be an integral part of the post rotation.

"She just wasn’t able to make it," said Beeman, who said she could not comment further.

While it’s possible Burchfield could join the team next season, the present Wahine have some major question marks beyond the established Jackson, who was an All-Big West first-team selection last year. The 5-11 forward carries a double-double career average.

Junior center Kalei Adolpho, who is on a basketball scholarship, watched Wednesday from the sidelines. Just like the past two seasons, she won’t be available until after UH volleyball season ends.

This time around, there is no stopgap solution like former-softball-star-turned-enforcer-center Stephanie Ricketts, who was available for a one-year grad-school pickup in Beeman’s first season. Ricketts was awarded team MVP honors in helping body up opponents’ beefiest players during UH’s 17-14 (13-5 Big West) campaign.

Kailiawa, a 6-2 center out of Ka‘u High on the Big Island, doesn’t have the same frame as Ricketts, but has an outside touch.

"I’m trying to build up my mental toughness more," Kailiawa said. "I know my offensive game is there. Coach tells me a lot I have a pretty shot. I love to shoot the ball. But I need to work on my defense and my confidence."

It will come down to spacing, Beeman said. If Kailiawa, the 5-foot-10 Moore and the other posts can successfully draw their defender out of the paint, it will free up Jackson to go to work.

"We want Shawna (Kuehu) and Mia with the ball. We want Ashleigh (Karaitiana) with the ball," Beeman said. "We want our scorers touching the ball. We’re trying to teach these guys to get that type of spacing, then we’ll be in good shape."

Beeman and the Wahine will host a Special Olympics event at Kamehameha’s Kekuhaupio Gym on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Their preseason exhibition against Hawaii-Hilo is on Oct. 30 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Wahine hoops, soccer teams go bowling

The UH women’s soccer and basketball teams will collaborate with a "Bowling with the ‘Bows" fundraiser event on Nov. 2 at Aiea Bowl.

Participants have the opportunity to meet players and coaches from both teams. Pricing packages begin at $25 and run to $5,000. Raised funds will be split evenly between the two programs. For information, contact director of basketball operations Alex Delanian at 956-4507 or email delanian@hawaii.edu. The registration form is available at hawaiiathletics.com.