Seasiders are dressed for success
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
Reds on the road.
That's the game plan — uniform-wise — for the Brigham Young-Hawai'i men's basketball team, which plays at conference foes Montana State Billings and Western New Mexico this week.
The Seasiders (10-5, 1-1 PacWest) have never lost a game in their red uniforms this season. The only time they've lost on the road this year they wore white jerseys.
"So far we're perfect in red," said BYUH head coach Ken Wagner. "Maybe we should start wearing them at home."
What they've been wearing lately is confidence. After suffering their first conference loss to a red-hot Hawai'i-Hilo team (14-3, 4-1), the Seasiders, coming off a 20-day break, rebounded to beat the Vulcans, 83-78, Saturday. BYUH snapped Hilo's 12-game winning streak.
"We needed to win because we can't afford to lose two home games," Wagner said. "I was proud of the way we came back."
The Seasiders led by 10 in the first half, before Hilo went on an 18-2 run, reminding BYUH who the conference leaders were. Down 40-38 at the half, the Seasiders regained composure and took the lead for good (after nine lead changes) with just over eight minutes left.
"They are such a scrappy team — the scrappiest I've played against in a long time — that it took a little while for us to come back and beat them," said BYUH senior forward Keli'i Naihe, who had 20 points, six rebounds and four assists without turnovers in the game, earning him conference Player of the Week honors. "They fought the whole game."
Defense made all the difference.
In their loss the night before, the Seasiders allowed the Vulcans to shoot 50 percent. Hilo guards Scott Prather and David La Qua combined for 47 points, sinking 8-of-11 3-point attempts. The Vulcans outplayed the Seasiders in nearly every category, dominating on defense with six blocks and eight steals. BYUH shot a disappointing 37.7 percent, 34.8 percent from beyond the arc. In their win, the Seasiders held the Vulcan guards to 16 total points.
"We had to come out strong (the second night)," Naihe said. "They're that good."
Hilo has been the most talked-about team in the conference. Despite returning only two starters from last year's squad, which finished 16-11 and recorded the program's first winning season since 1994, the Vulcans have vaulted to the top of the conference standings behind local talent and fierce competitiveness.
"I think Hilo is playing better than what people had anticipated," Wagner said. "I felt that with HPU having a lot of seniors coming back they would be the team to beat. And they still might be. It really turned out that everyone (in the conference) has a really good team and it'll be a battle in the end."
The Seasiders play Montana State Billings, which led the conference until it lost a pair of PacWest games to Chaminade and Hilo.
"They're a very good team, known for their 3-point shooting," Wagner said. "But I feel like when their inside people are playing well, that's when they will really hurt you. So you have to make the decision to take away their 3's or their inside game."
Or to wear red.
MORE BASKETBALL
• By the numbers: All four Hawai'i PacWest teams are among the Top 10 in the NCAA Division II West Region poll released yesterday: Hilo is No. 5, BYUH No. 6, HPU No. 8 and Chaminade No. 10.
Though leading the nation in points scored (97 per game) and 3-pointers made (10.8 per game), Montana State Billings dropped out of the poll. It was No. 9.
BYUH boasts three players among the league's national leaders. Point guard Yuta Tabuse is ranked 15th in the nation in assists with six per game. Forward Alexus Foyle is 23rd in scoring, averaging 20.7 points per game. And center Scott Salisbury, with 10.3 rebounds per game, ranks 20th.
Chaminade's Albert Powell is 19th in 3-pointers made with 3.3 per game; HPU's Nash Subotic is 30th with 3.1 per game.
Volleyball
• Chaminade signees: Hilo High standouts Poli Olevao and Kanani Yockman signed national letters of intent to play volleyball for Chaminade.
Both middle blocker Olevao and opposite Yockman were members of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Vikings and named to various All-State teams.
This week's schedule
Tomorrow
HPU at Western New Mexico, 4 p.m. Hawai'i time, Branchcau Gym (Silver City, N. M.)
BYUH at Montana State-Billings, 5 p.m. Hawai'i time, Alterowitz Gym (Billings, Mont.)
Saturday
HPU at Western New Mexico, 4 p.m. Hawai'i time, Branchcau Gym (Silver City, N.M.)
BYUH at Montana State-Billings, 5 p.m. Hawai'i time, Alterowitz Gym (Billings, Mont.)
Monday
HPU at Montana State-Billings, 4 p.m. Hawai'i time, Alterowitz Gym (Billings, Mont.)
BYUH at Western New Mexico, 4 p.m. Hawai'i time, Branchcau Gym (Silver City, N. M.)
Chaminade at Hawai'i Hilo, 7:15 p.m., Afook-Chinen Civic Center
