HONOLULU – The short-handed University of Hawaii men’s basketball team will open its season Friday with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. ADVERTISING HONOLULU – The short-handed University of Hawaii men’s basketball team will open its season Friday
HONOLULU – The short-handed University of Hawaii men’s basketball team will open its season Friday with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The game at the Stan Sheriff Center is part of the 50th Annual Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Rainbow Classic and will be televised live statewide on OCSports and broadcast live on radio via ESPN 1420 AM and 850 AM in Hilo and 790 AM in West Hawaii.
Rainbow Warriors head coach Gib Arnold and assistant Brandyn Akana were relieved of their duties on Oct. 28, and top returnee Isaac Fotu announced his withdrawal from school and intention to turn pro on Nov. 3. Top recruit Sammis Reyes also announced his decision to transfer.
Former associate coach Benjy Taylor was named interim head coach for this season, and the lone senior and returning starter, shooting guard Garrett Nevels, will serve as co-captain.
Hawaii still has six other returnees, including veteran junior point guard/co-captain Quincy Smith and athletic sophomores Michael Thomas and Aaron Valdes. The team also features highly regarded transfer Negus Webster-Chan and two top recruits in Roderick Bobbitt and Isaac Fleming.
UH will continue play in the Rainbow Classic at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Cal State Bakersfield and then an 11:59 p.m. Monday game vs. High Point; the Monday game will be televised live nationally on ESPN2 as part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon.
The Rainbow Warriors held off Hawai‘i Pacific, 62-55, in an exhibition game at the Stan Sheriff Center on Nov. 6. Thomas scored a game-high 15 points and Valdes added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
FOOTBALL WARRIORS AT SAN JOSE STATE: The UH football team will try to break its 17-game road losing streak Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. (Hawaii Time) contest at San Jose State.
The game will be televised live statewide on Oceanic Pay-Per-View and Hawaiian Telcom Pay-Per-View, and broadcast live on radio via ESPN 1420 AM and KKON in Kona and KHLO in Hilo.
The Rainbow Warriors are 2-8 overall and 1-4 in the Mountain West Conference; San Jose State is 3-6, 2-3. UH has lost four games in a row, and the Spartans have dropped three straight games.
RAINBOW WAHINE BASKETBALL OPENS ON ROAD: The UH women’s basketball team opens its season at Colorado State on Friday and Denver on Sunday.
Both games are set for 4 p.m. Hawaii time.
The Rainbow Wahine are coming off back-to-back seasons ending in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament and return seven players from last year, led by All-Big West Conference senior Shawna-Lei Kuehu and Big West Sixth Woman of the Year Ashleigh Karaitiana.
SOFTBALL TEAM PLAYS ALUMNAE: The UH softball team will play an Alumnae Game at 6 p.m. Saturday at Rainbow Wahine Stadium, celebrating the program’s 30th anniversary.
The game will be preceded by an Alumnae vs. Alumnae slow-pitch game at 4 p.m.
Thirty-nine alumnae are scheduled to participate in the doubleheader, including recent standouts Kelly (Majam) Elms, Jessica Iwata, Stephanie Ricketts, Kate Robinson and Tyleen Tausaga.
