Smaller lineup pays off big for Rainbows

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

TULSA, Okla. — A small lineup came up big for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team last night.

With its two tallest players on the bench in foul trouble, the Rainbow Warriors turned to a hybrid lineup that rallied them to a 90-82 victory over Tulsa last night at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

"We had to change everything," said senior Predrag Savovic, who was one of the key contributors and position-switchers. "But you have to accept different roles sometimes if it's going to help the team win."

With 12:24 remaining in the game, 6-foot-8 power forward Phil Martin picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench. With 11:22 remaining, 6-10 center Haim Shimonovich picked up his fourth foul and was also removed from the game.

That left 6-7 Mindaugas Burneika to play center, while the 6-6 Savovic was moved to power forward. The rest of the lineup consisted of 6-5 Carl English, 6-4 Mark Campbell and 6-3 Mike McIntyre.

"There was no time to worry," Burneika said. "We just had to go out and do the job."

That combination has never practiced together. Still, they out-scored the Golden Hurricane, 36-25 over the final 11 minutes of the game. When Shimonovich went to the bench, Hawai'i trailed 57-54.

"In our offense, it doesn't matter who's out there because everybody has to make cuts inside and outside," Burneika said.

But as Savovic noted: "Being smaller also made us quicker."

As proof, Savovic scored 13 of his 20 points in the game's final eight minutes. Because he was playing one of the post positions, he was guarded by taller, but slower, Tulsa defenders.

"I think Savo was the key," English said. "He was running all over the place and their big guys couldn't stay with him. He was either open or somebody (from Tulsa) had to go over and help and that left one of us open."

Despite the success of the makeshift lineup, UH head coach Riley Wallace said he has no intention of using it again this season. At least not intentionally.

"No, we need Haim and Phil in there," he said. "We were fortunate tonight that the shooters we had out there were all hot."

As Savovic said: "It was great that we won, but I hope we don't have to use that (lineup) anymore."

• Winning tradition: Picking up on a superstitious belief that started during last season's memorable run to the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship, the 'Bows ate dinner at the Rib Crib on Friday, and then had their pre-game meal at the Golden Corral yesterday.

"Boy, it's getting better every time," Wallace said. "I wish somebody from there would pay me to endorse it."

The Golden Corral, which has restaurants throughout the midwestern United States and offers all-you-can-eat American buffet for $7.99, has been especially good. When Hawai'i eats a pre-game meal there, it is now 6-1, with the only loss coming to Syracuse in last season's NCAA Tournament at Dayton, Ohio.

"If it feeds us and the superstition, I'm all for it," English said.