Classic proves to be Haim's time
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Instead of feeling shame and embarrassment, Haim Shimonovich is now dishing it out.
Shimonovich, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound sophomore center, was named the most valuable player of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic last night after leading the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team to the championship of the prestigious eight-team tournament with a 54-44 victory over Georgia.
"I couldn't believe it when they called my name," Shimonovich said. "Guys like me are not supposed to win those kinds of awards."
Guys like him are "the quiet type who just go out and do what they're supposed to do," according to UH head coach Riley Wallace.
Shimonovich certainly made a lot of noise this week with 29 points, 26 rebounds and nine blocked shots in Hawai'i's three Rainbow Classic victories. Last night, he scored just six points, but grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked two shots.
He also limited Georgia center Steve Thomas to 1 point on 0-of-7 shooting from the field, and four rebounds. Thomas, a 6-8 sophomore, entered last night's game averaging 9.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
"If someone scores on me, I feel shame," Shimonovich said. "That's why I try to work harder than the other guy when I am on defense no matter what size they are."
Shimonovich played only 22 minutes last night, including nine in the second half, because of foul trouble.
"I made some stupid fouls," he said. "But only because I was trying to hustle more than (the Bulldogs) were."
Georgia head coach Jim Harrick said the final margin could have been greater if Shimonovich played the entire 40 minutes.
"That big kid created a lot of problems for us," Harrick said. "And it seemed like he grabbed every key rebound."
The most crucial sequence came late in the game, with Hawai'i protecting a 46-41 lead and less than two minutes remaining. Despite playing with four fouls, Shimonovich aggressively went after a missed shot by teammate Predrag Savovic. Surrounded by three Georgia players, Shimonovich came up with the basketball and put it back in the hoop to give UH a 48-41 lead that would not be threatened the rest of the way.
"I wasn't thinking about fouls," Shimonovich said. "All I was thinking about was the rebound."
It has been quite a one-year turnaround for Shimonovich, who is from Rishon LeZion, Israel. During last year's Rainbow Classic, he had to sit on the bench as part of a 22-game NCAA penalty for his past participation with professionals in a league in Israel prior to attending UH.
He was admittedly hesitant about inheriting the starting center position at the start of this season after averaging just 2.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game last season.
"I just wanted to survive on the court," he said. "My main concern was not to hurt the team and embarrass myself."
Instead, he has embarrassed opponents with an average of 10.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots per game.
Now, he is the eighth UH player to win the MVP honors in the 38-year history of the Rainbow Classic.
"It's a week I will never forget," he said.
Teammate Predrag Savovic joined him on the all-tournament team, becoming the first player in Rainbow Classic history to do that three consecutive years. Also on the all-tournament team were Ezra Williams of Georgia, Alex Shorts of Miami (Ohio), Troy Bell of Boston College and Jason Jennings of Arkansas State.
