Kuebler has a boyish appearance but a manly jump shot. He has a quiet demeanor, but his statistics speak loud and clear.

His name is misspelled on the back of his jersey, but he has already become a recognized player for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

"He's been a pleasant surprise," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "A lot of people said he was a good player when we were recruiting him, but so far he's been better than what I thought."

Kuebler, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, made a successful debut as a Rainbow Warrior two weeks ago. In the first two games of his UH career, he recorded 29 points, including 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range, 10 assists and six rebounds.

Hawai'i will play for the first time since Nov. 24 when it hosts Hawai'i-Hilo in an exhibition game tomorrow at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The 'Bows opened the season 2-0 in winning the championship of the Hawaiian Airlines Tip-Off Tournament. Kuebler, who came off the bench in both games, was named to the all-tournament team.

"I know what I can do and which ways I can contribute on the floor, so that's what I'm trying to focus on right now."

What he can do is shoot the basketball. In the first two games, he attempted a team-high 25 field goals, making 10.

"The guys were getting on me about that, calling me 'Gunner,' but all the shots I took were because I was open," he said. "I should have made more than I did."

Wallace agreed. He even scolded several 'Bows this week for not passing the ball enough to Kuebler during practice.

"He's the best shooter we got," Wallace said. "If we get him the ball every time he's open on the perimeter, I trust him to make that shot as much as I do a layup."

Kuebler proved that at Clackamas last season, when he averaged 22.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists. He committed to UH last April, and was willing to walk-on if a scholarship was not available.

"It was one of those things where I just knew this was the right place for me," said Kuebler, who was eventually awarded a scholarship. "And it's been even better than I expected."

Wallace said the feeling is mutual. Kuebler maintained a 3.79 grade point average at Clackamas, and is on pace for similar grades as a business major at UH.

"He's the perfect example of a college athlete," Wallace said. "He's a good student, a good person, and does what ever you ask of him on the court."

Perhaps the only thing keeping Kuebler out of the starting lineup is his position, shooting guard. Carl English, UH's All-America candidate, is the unquestioned starter at that spot.

UH senior captain Mark Campbell said he has not been surprised by Kuebler's early success. They were teammates at Clackamas during the 2000-01 season.

"That's how I averaged 10 assists a game that year," Campbell said. "He was out there bombing away. He's a scorer and he knows how to get his shots off."

Wallace is quick to point out that Kuebler is not a one-dimensional player.

"I didn't think he'd be as tough a kid as he is," Wallace said. "He's really a gritty player. He'll get after it defensively, and he goes hard on (rebounds)."

Campbell added: "He looks like a young kid, but I'd take him into battle with me in any game."

Kuebler credits much of his success to a basketball upbringing in Salem, Ore. He said he spent much of his free time shooting baskets, and learned the game "the right way," at South Salem High from Barry Adams, the winningest high school basketball coach in Oregon.

The winning ways continued under Cliff Wegner at Clackamas. Two other players from the 2000-01 team, Nate Block and Marvin Noble, are now playing for Hawai'i Pacific.

"You come all the way to Hawai'i not expecting to see anybody you know, and all my friends warned me about how I was going to be called haole and all that," said Kuebler, 20. "But there's four of us from the same junior college in Hawai'i. It's pretty cool. It's definitely helped me to have Mark around."

What's more, Kuebler has been joking with teammates and coaches that the "real" Michael Kuebler hasn't even appeared yet because the name on his game jersey is spelled KEUBLER.