Sea Warriors play above forecast in preseason basketball poll

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

Not many league coaches thought the Hawai'i Pacific men's basketball team would be any good this season.

The Sea Warriors — who lost eight players, including three starters — were picked to finish fifth in the six-team Pacific West Conference in a preseason coaches poll.

But led by rookie head coach Russell Dung, the Sea Warriors have stunned preseason opponents, posting a 7-1 record, including two upsets against No. 22 Alaska-Fairbanks last weekend. The Sea Warriors play Maryville University-St. Louis at the Neal Blaisdell Center tomorrow.

"We lost a lot of seniors last year, and no one really knew who we were bringing in," co-captain Nic Walters said. "From day one, we knew that we were better than fifth place."

As motivation, Walters placed the preseason poll in the locker room at Mid-Pacific Institute, the team's practice site.

"Every time we walk in and out of there, we see fifth place," co-captain Nate Block said. "We're trying to prove to ourselves and everybody else that we aren't a fifth-place team."

Block said much of the credit goes to Dung and the coaching staff, who have continued a winning tradition left by former coach and athletic director Tony Sellitto, who retired last season. Dung was Sellitto's assistant for 14 years and played under Sellitto at Maryknoll High School more than 30 years ago.

"We would have been a lot different if we had a whole new coaching staff and everybody came in," Block said. "We kept the same coaching staff, so we have the same basis of everything we did last year."

Walters said the fifth-place preseason ranking allowed the Sea Warriors to sneak up on opponents in the beginning of the season, but "I don't think we're going to surprise anybody anymore."

Walters said he believes HPU matches up well against the top two teams in the conference, Montana State University-Billings (6-0) and Brigham Young-Hawai'i (5-1).

"We still feel that we haven't played close to our potential," Walters said. "I think once the season comes around, once we peak, I think we can beat anybody."

The Sea Warriors accomplished their surprising start with a conference-leading defense that has allowed 69.5 points per game. HPU limits opponents to a conference-best 37 percent shooting. HPU has four of the conference's top scorers in guard Walters (18.5, 3rd), guard Marvin Noble (18.4, 4th), center Leandro Maruoka (13.4, 10th) and guard Aaron Abrams (8.5, 21st).

In addition, Maruoka has emerged as one of the best players in the conference in a "sixth man" role off the bench. In two games against Alaska-Fairbanks, the 6-foot-8 Maruoka had 40 points and 24 rebounds. For his efforts, he was named Pacific West Conference Player of the Week.

"Of course everybody likes to start, but it seems like it works for me to come off the bench and help the team win," Maruoka said. "Our coach thinks it's the best for the team. As long as the team wins, I don't mind."

With each victory, Dung said the Sea Warriors are becoming more confident and that bodes well for the upcoming conference season that begins with five road games starting on Jan. 10.

"I think the hardest part for any team, is learning how to win a basketball game," Dung said. "We've been doing that these past eight games. The guys have gained a lot of confidence in the coaching staff as well as their teammates. It has been working out very well."

Last week's results

• Montana State University-Billings 82, University of Charleston 81
• Hawai'i Pacific 69, Northwest Nazarene 50
• Hawai'i Pacific 69, Pacific University 57
• Hawai'i Pacific 90, Alaska-Fairbanks 81
• Hawai'i Pacific 64, Alaska-Fairbanks 51
• Chaminade 84, Northwest Nazarene 68
• Chaminade 89, UC San Diego 83
• Cal State-Stanislaus 85, Chaminade 66

Upcoming schedule

Tomorrow

• Hawai'i Pacific vs. Maryville-St. Louis

Saturday

• Montana State University-Billings at Cal State-Los Angeles
• Hawai'i-Hilo at Cal State-San Bernardino Tourney

Sunday

• Hawai'i-Hilo at Cal State-San Bernardino Tourney
• Chaminade vs. Fontbonne

Monday

• Hawai'i Pacific vs. Carthage
• Montana State University-Billings at Cal Poly Pomona
• Western New Mexico at New Mexico Highlands

Jan. 3

• St. Martin's at Brigham Young-Hawai'i

Jan. 4

• Montana State University-Billings at Chaminade
• Hawai'i-Hilo vs. Drew