Four Hs give Rebels hope

The four Hs on the UNLV women’s basketball team represent its four returning starters: Sequoia Holmes, Shamela Hampton, Brittany Halberg and Allison Holiday.

But the Lady Rebels, who also will be led by newcomer Dominique Harris, could use helpings of head, heart, hands and health on the court this season.

Health is an issue for Hampton, a 6-foot-3-inch junior center who is recovering from two offseason knee surgeries.

Hampton, who averaged 12.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the 14-15 Lady Rebels last year, underwent reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in March and underwent surgery to repair a defect in her right kneecap in June.

Hampton has been practicing with the team and is expected to start UNLV’s Nov. 9 season opener at home against Long Beach State.

Lady Rebels coach Regina Miller said Hampton is at about 75 percent health-wise and it might take half the season before she’s at 100 percent.

“She’s still one of our more experienced, tougher post players. She won’t play tons of minutes, but she will play,” Miller said. ”She’s worked hard to come back, and she’s done quite well.”

Hampton has been receiving extra treatment on her knees before each practice.

“My knees are getting better. I’m getting used to running again,” Hampton said after practice Monday. “Right now, I feel great.”

UNLV, which went 8-8 and placed sixth in the Mountain West Conference last season, has been picked to finish sixth in its league for the second straight year in a preseason poll.

“The team has improved so much,” Hampton said. “We’re going to be faster, and we have more aggressive players.”

Miller, with a 167-103 record at UNLV, is coming off her first losing season in nine years at the school. The Lady Rebels’ six-year run of playing in the postseason ended.

“Last year was a transition year for us, but it offered an opportunity to start the rebuilding process and develop young players,” she said. “Last year we sacrificed wins, but hopefully we’ll see the fruits of that labor we put in a year ago this season.”

Miller said defense should be the strength of her squad early, as eight newcomers — led by Harris, Raquel Jupiter and Shannon Oberg — adjust to her system. The Lady Rebels, who host Dixie State at 7 p.m. Tuesday in their lone preseason game, plan to play an up-tempo style of basketball.

“Early on, it might be sloppy, because when you play up-tempo, you take chances,” Miller said. “But we’re going to press all over the court.

“If we get more layups than we give up, we’ll be OK.”

Halberg, a junior who averaged close to eight points and three assists per game last year, said the team has high hopes.

“So far this has been the hardest-working, most dedicated team we’ve had since I’ve been here,” she said.

Harris, a junior transfer from Gonzaga who sat out last season at UNLV, is expected to contend for a starting spot at small forward.

“It’s a whole different atmosphere from being on the sidelines last year,” she said.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0354.