Hawai`i Hilo has a new all-time leading scorer after Mandi Kawaha scored 46 points in two games, leading her team to a pair of wins. She is the PacWest Player of the Week. Ani Tu`utafavia averaged 11 rebounds a game and got her Holy Names team into the win column for the first time this season, earning Defender of the Week honors. Point Loma won their fifth and sixth straight games and clinched a PacWest tournament berth to nab Team of the Week.

2022-23 Results/Schedule
2022-23 Standings
2022-23 Statistics
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Hawai`i Hilo’s Mandi Kawaha, G, 5-2, Sr., Hilo, Hawai`i
Senior point guard Mandi Kawaha of Hawai`i Hilo put up her usual display of big numbers all across the stat sheet last week, but sometime during her 30-point game against Holy Names she scored the basket that would put her atop the all-time leaderboard for the Vulcans. The local product (Hilo HS) now has 1,420 points in her career, surpassing previous leader Allie Navarette. For the week, the 5-foot-2 guard had 46 points to top all conference players, and she also had eight rebounds and nine assists. On the season, Kawaha averages 18.1 points a game (second in the PacWest). It was her third 30+ game this year, including earlier in the season when she set the UHH single-game scoring record against Hawai`i Pacific with 36. Kawaha is also second in the conference in assists per game (4.0), third in free throw percentage (.831) and eighth in treys per game (1.7).

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: Holy Names’ Ani Tu`utafavia, G/F, 5-7, Fr., Alameda, Calif.   
Holy Names freshman Ani Tu`utafavia pulled down 33 rebounds in three games last week, but perhaps most importantly played a big role in the Hawks picking up their first conference victory of the season. Tu`utafavia had a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards in a nail-biting 66-63 win at Chaminade, which included a big free throw on HNU’s final possession of the game. She also had a double-double in a loss to Hawai`i Hilo with 21 points and 13 rebounds, hitting 7-of-9 shots from the field 2-of-3 from three-point range and 5-of-6 at the free throw line. She had another double-figure rebound total against Hawai`i Pacific with ten boards. The Bay Area native ranks 11^th in the PacWest with 6.5 rebounds a game.

SEA LIONS CATCH FIRE: The PacWest Team of the Week is the POINT LOMA SEA LIONS. Point Loma won a pair of narrow contests against Biola (64-61) and Concordia (56-55). The win over Biola moved them past the Eagles in the PacWest standings into fifth place and also clinched a tournament berth for them. A few nights later, they upset second-place Concordia at home, using Haylee Saurette’s clutch bucket with eight seconds left to clinch the win. Saurette had 15 points and eight rebounds against the Golden Eagles and Allie Carreon dished out 10 assists. Carreon had 18 points against Biola, Saurette had 13 points, seven boards and five assists, and Ellie Turk led all scorers with 21 points. The Sea Lions have now won six straight games after losing three consecutive in the middle of January.

PLAYOFF PICTURE BECOMING CLEARER: The PacWest Championship Tournament is now just two and a half weeks away, March 2-4 at McCabe Gymnasium on the campus of Chaminade University. Five teams have clinched berths—Azusa Pacific (15-2), Concordia (13-3), Hawai`i Pacific (11-4), Dominican (13-5), and Point Loma (12-6). Biola is in the sixth spot right now (10-7), with only Hawai`i Hilo (6-10) having a mathematical chance of catching the Eagles. Any combination of a Biola win and a Vulcan loss secures Biola into the sixth spot.

MORE BIG GAMES LOOM: Speaking of big games, Hawai`i Hilo heads to southern California this week and must win ALL games against that gauntlet to stay alive. The trip begins on Thursday against conference leader Azusa Pacific. Other games involving tournament teams this week includes Biola at Concordia (Thursday) and Hawai`i Pacific at Point Loma (Saturday).

PACWEST NEWS AND NOTES: In addition to Point Loma’s big win over Concordia, Biola had a big upset in knocking off leader Azusa Pacific on Saturday in La Mirada. The Eagles had three players in double figures in the Cornerstone Cup win, led by Aysia Johnson’s 18 points. Johnson hit 8-of-11 shots, and was helped by Laila Walker’s 17 points and Jordan Rabe’s 12. Kelly Heimburger had 24 points and four steals for APU…Upset Part 3: Fresno Pacific defeated Concordia in overtime last Monday, 80-77. The Sunbirds scored 30 points in the third quarter to overcome a 44-28 halftime deficit. Rachel Berry had 19 and Maesyn Rix had a double-double for FPU with 16 points and 10 boards. Jasmine Rachal had 23 points for CUI and Tegan Thurman added 15 points and 10 rebounds…Hawai`i Pacific went 2-0 last week, which included an 81-47 win over rival Chaminade and a 76-52 victory over Holy Names. Kalina Obrey had a big week for the Sharks with 25 points against the ‘Swords and 14 points and nine rebounds versus the Hawks. PacWest leading scorer Abby Spurgin did not play against Chaminade but had 30 points against Holy Names. Samantha Zambrano had 18 points and nine boards for HNU. She had 20 points in the win over Chaminade…In addition to Ani Tu`utafavia’s numbers against Hawai`i Hilo, teammate Jazmine Soto had 19 points. In that same game, in addition to Mandi Kawaha’s 30, Vulcan Kamalu Kamakawiwoole had a monster stat line with 17 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block…Speaking of massive numbers, Brittney Cedeno had 19 points and 20 rebounds in Dominican’s only game last week, a 68-59 win over Academy of Art. The PacWest’s most all-around player (editor’s opinion) also had five assists and a pair of steals. Keyonee Neal added 19, and Alisha Wilson had 10 points and 17 boards for the Urban Knights…Chaminade’s Olivia Crigler had a season-high 29 points in the loss to Holy Names, hitting six three-pointers.

REGIONAL POLL LOOKS THE SAME: In today’s D2SIDA West Region poll, Azusa Pacific slips to No. 5, Concordia is No. 8 and Dominican is still receiving votes. 1. CS Dominguez Hills (23-1), 2. Western Washington (20-2), 3. Montana State Billings (21-4), 4. CS San Marcos (19-3), 5. Azusa Pacific (20-4), 6. Cal State LA (17-6), 7. Central Washington (18-6), 8. Concordia 15-6, T9. Cal Poly Pomona 14-8, T9. Chico State 16-8. RV—Dominican 2.