Senior tri-captains will lead Rainbow basketball

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Hawai'i men's basketball team will run a triple-option attack in the leadership category this season.

Forward Mindaugas Burneika, and guards Mike McIntyre and Predrag Savovic were elected team captains by their teammates yesterday. They are the only seniors on this season's roster.

"I think they all deserve it," head coach Riley Wallace said. "Those are our seniors and they were a big part of our success last year."

All three are currently battling for starting positions. The Rainbow Warriors will play an exhibition game against the EA Sports West All-Stars at 7 p.m. on Sunday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

"As the seniors, we're expected to be the leaders anyway," McIntyre said. "We'll take turns speaking, but I think we're all capable of being leaders."

McIntyre, who is from Long Beach, Calif., is the team's only four-year player. Savovic, who is from Yugoslavia, has been in the program for four years, although he redshirted his first season after transferring from Alabama-Birmingham. Burneika, who is from Lithuania, transferred to UH last year from Weatherford College (Texas).

"We all bring something different," McIntyre said.

Savovic, the team's leading scorer last season, added: "It's not going to be yelling at guys, necessarily, but more pointing things out and leading by example"

The captains may be aided by a talented recruiting class that is quickly learning Wallace's disciplined motion offense.

"There are no bad attitudes on this team," Burneika said. "Everybody wants to learn, so that's going to make our job easier."

But as Wallace noted: "I expect more from my captains, so they'll have to work even harder now."

• Long shot: One fan will be given an opportunity to win $10,000 by making a shot from half-court during halftime at Sunday's exhibition game.

The randomly selected contestant will have only one shot to win the money courtesy of Papa John's Pizza Hawaii.

• Tickets available: Tickets for Hawai'i men's basketball games are on sale at the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office and all Ticket Plus locations, including phone sales hotline 526-4400. Box office hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.

• Individual games (regular season) — $14 lower level (single-seats only); $10 upper level (adult); $7 upper level (students ages 4-18 and UH students).

• Rainbow Classic tournament package — $68 lower level (single-seats only); $52 upper level.

• Exhibition (against EA Sports West All-Stars) — $8 lower level (single-seats only); $6 upper level (adult); $4 upper level (students ages 4-18, and UH students).