Rainbow Wahine savored senior night

Destiny King acknowledged some nervousness about senior night.

The Rainbow Wahine forward was fine through the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team’s 68-47 win over Cal Poly on Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center. Jumping in with the Polynesian dance group performing in her honor after the game had her a bit more jittery.

“I haven’t danced since middle school, so that was really a shocker to me,” King said through lei piled up on her shoulders. “I didn’t even know I was supposed to dance.”

King’s dance was part of another rousing senior night ceremony that included Ashleigh Karaitiana’s father performing a haka and a Native American dance in tribute to guard Marissa Wimbley.

Wimbley’s mother is of Native American descent and former UH assistant coach Wendy Anae helped set up the performance.

“It was an honor to have the Native American dancers here just to honor my culture and show the respect, so I really appreciate that,” Wimbley said.

Wimbley hit three of her four shots from the field in her final home game and was among six UH players who scored at least eight points in a balanced night heading into the Big West tournament. The Wahine earned the second seed and a double bye with Saturday’s win and will open the tournament in the semifinals on Friday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

“That is Hawaii basketball,” Wimbley said. “Everybody contributes, you never know who’s going to come and score on any given night. We have so many different weapons and threats, when we play like that we’re pretty hard to beat.”

Wimbley and King had watched three senior ceremonies before being recognized in Saturday’s festivities while Karaitiana and Kalei Adolpho were among the honorees for a second time.

Adolpho had her first senior night in 2014 with the Wahine volleyball team and returned to the basketball team this season after redshirting last year. She said Saturday’s ceremony was as meaningful as her first.

“Different sport, different group of girls, different experience so I think it’s the same kind of emotions, same kind of feeling,” Adolpho said.

For Karaitiana, the feeling was somewhat different compared to last year, when she was recognized as part of the senior class along with Shawna-Lei Kuehu, Morgan Mason and Shawlina Segovia. She was granted another year of eligibility this season and Saturday’s game brought with it a sense of finality.

“For me it was a lot more emotional, just knowing that even though it was the second time around I know that I’m done for sure this time,” Karaitiana said. “Last year I was really excited and happy about the whole thing. This year I cried just because I know I’m done. I thought it was going to be easier, but it was definitely harder.”

Centers Connie Morris and Brianna Kennedy were also honored for their two-year contributions to the program after turning in productive performances in their Sheriff Center farewells. Kennedy scored four points in 10 minutes and Morris added nine points on 4-for-6 shooting and grabbed three rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.

“It was so much fun just to be able to go out there and be like ‘this is going to be the last time I’m going to be on this court,’ just to be able to enjoy that moment,” Morris said.

“There were no nerves, it was prepared and ready to have fun.”

After the final buzzer, the fun was just starting.

“No one does senior night like Hawaii,” Morris said. “It’s special to be a part of just to see all the people that have supported you, your friends and family. Then to be able to celebrate the other five people you’ve worked so hard with it’s something special. It’s unforgettable.”