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Anae Recruits Mainland’s Height, But Likes Local Talent

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The BYU-Hawaii women’s basketball team’s game against Pacific West Conference rival Chaminade at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at McCabe Gym (on OC-16) deserves an asterisk beside it on the Seasiders’ schedule even if the game isn’t being televised to a statewide audience.

But with all four of Hawaii’s Division II basketball programs still very much in construction mode, having their product on display for a wide audience is as important in some respects as the outcome itself.

“TV games are big for us because of the exposure we receive here on the Island,” BYUH head coach Wendy Anae said last week as her team prepared for a game against Hawaii Pacific over the weekend. “I think it’s a great thing for us.”

In addition to game planning for Chaminade this week, Anae is in the recruiting mode. That never changes, she said.

“It’s challenging, and it’s non-stop and ongoing,” she explained. “I’m constantly juggling people. Someone who may be No. 1 on your list may or may not come. You’re never sure until they commit.”

For her part, Anae has already made her presence known in recruiting circles, attracting players for her current Seasider team from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Las Vegas; Burlington, Wash.; Marino Valley, Calif.; Windermere, Fla.; Okinawa; Suva, Fiji; Provo and Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as three girls from Oahu, including All-American candidate Latoya Wiley.

In many cases, Anae has been able to use BYUH’s academic reputation to attract players. Others, she says, have found BYUH on their own.

“I do a lot of talking and selling of the program. We have a lot of selling points. We offer a great and safe environment. We’re very international (on campus) - we probably have the most diverse campus in the world.”

Although Anae recruits by position and not by region, the West Coast will nevertheless figure big in her plans, she said. Anae spent a year as the coach at Timpview in the talent-rich state of Utah, in addition to a highly successful run as Kahuku’s head coach, and she maintains contacts there. BYUH offers tuition-only scholarships, so the Seasiders are at a disadvantage versus junior colleges and mid-majors in the region who offer full rides.

Because of budget restraints and the limitations that go with living on an island, Anae’s doesn’t include make many home visits, unless it’s a local player.

“I watch a lot of film, although you would like to see them in person and get to know them,” she said. “Long-distance recruiting is a little more difficult.

“It’s good to have solid contacts - they can put in a good word,” she added. “We definitely want to recruit the West Coast. To someone in the Midwest or the East, we seem like a place far away. People on the West Coast have easier access to us.”

One of the reasons for recruiting hard on the Mainland is a lack of height among many of the Island’s prep players, Anae added.I ironically, BYUH currently has one of the best post players the state has produced in senior Latoya Wiley, a former Kahuku High standout.

Most recently, Wiley was named the PAC West Player of the Week for the week (Dec. 15-21) after leading the Seasiders to a pair of wins in the Hoop ‘N Surf Tournament. Wily, who is from Laie, scored 25 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in the Seasiders’ win over Missouri-St. Louis and followed up the next day with 31 points and 14 rebounds in a one-point win over Shepherd. She also shot 54.1 percent from the field for the week and made seven steals in the two games. Wily, who led the entire NCAA II in rebounding two years ago before sitting out last season with an injury, currently ranks second nationally in rebounding at 13.0 per game.

“She’s solid in so many ways,” Anae said.“She provides so much leadership on and off of the court.”

BYUH also features Shaina Siliga, who played at Kalaheo before spending time at Citrus College in California.“She decided to come home, and we’re happy to have her. It’s nice to have girls from the Island on the team.”

Thursday’s game will mark the second televised appearance for BYUH on OC-16. The network also televised the Seasiders’ loss to Hawaii-Hilo Jan. 6. BYUH’s second regular-season meeting with Chaminade, which takes place at the Cannon Activities Center Jan. 29, also will be on OC-16.