Wallace's birthday wish: NCAA berth
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Riley Wallace's heyday as a basketball player came in the '60s.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
He's hoping his heyday as a basketball coach will come in his 60s.
Forward Tony Akpan, left, helps birthday boys coach Riley Wallace and forward Mindaugas Burneika blow out their candles.
If so, it started yesterday, when Wallace celebrated his 60th birthday by conducting a three-hour practice for his Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors.
"During the season, I have no life outside of basketball," Wallace said. "I don't schedule anything that doesn't have to do with this basketball team."
His dedication has resulted in the longest running and most successful coaching tenure in UH men's basketball history.
Entering this season, his 15th as head coach at UH, Wallace has a school-record 216 wins (against 198 losses). Ten of his 14 previous seasons have finished with winning records, including two appearances the NCAA Tournament and four in the NIT.
None of the nine coaches who preceded Wallace at UH have a career winning record, and none stayed longer than 10 seasons.
"It's hard for people to understand how difficult this job really is," he said. "We're so isolated from the rest of the nation that we face problems no other team does. Recruiting, traveling, scheduling ... it's tougher for us."
His peers in the Western Athletic Conference aren't buying it. In a poll of the WAC coaches, the 'Bows were predicted to finish second. Hawai'i was also ranked No. 25 in the country by CollegeInsider.com. Another preseason national publication named Wallace the WAC's "Best Coach."
"No matter where you're picked in the preseason, you still have to work hard and prepare yourself for the season," he said. "From that standpoint, it's better to have more expectations than less."
The predictions appear justified. Eight players return from last season's team that went 17-14, and made a memorable late-season run that resulted in the WAC Tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
"He shows no favoritism," said senior guard Mike McIntyre. "He just wants to win. You can see it in his eyes every day. When you see that, you want to win, too."
Factoring in five talented newcomers, Wallace describes this team as "the best group I've ever had as far as overall attitude."
Perhaps because of that, Wallace has displayed a calmer presence during practices this season, although he insists that he has not mellowed with age.
"The intensity is still the same," he said. "It's just that this group works hard at it and they try to understand what we're trying to do. Other teams I've had in the past have had more physical talent, but didn't work as hard. Those are the teams I tend to yell at a little more."
In any case, Wallace would like to fulfill one lofty goal this season.
"I want to get to the NCAA (Tournament) again and advance," he said. "This group has the potential to do it."
