Rainbow Warriors work out in privacy

By Dayton Morinaga and Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writers

DALLAS — For its last true dress rehearsal before the "Big Dance," the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team did not want an audience.

The Rainbow Warriors are scheduled to play Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament West Region tomorrow.

Yesterday, UH head coach Riley Wallace closed practice to the public and media at Southern Methodist's Moody Coliseum.

"I wanted to get on them, drive them, make sure they were ready," Wallace explained. "I wanted to get a lot of things done and avoid distractions."

Today, that all changes.

For the first time, the 'Bows will get to practice in the American Airlines Center today. But because all eight teams at the regional site in Dallas will practice there, each team will be allotted just 50 minutes.

All practices today must be open to the public and media, and thousands are expected to attend.

"Today was our last real practice, so we had to keep our focus," Wallace said. "Tomorrow is more of a shoot-around thing because it's so short. But it'll be good to get a feel for the arena and the court and the baskets and all that."

Wallace said the 'Bows worked especially hard on defense yesterday. He is particularly concerned with Xavier's quick point guard, Lionel Chalmers, and its All-America forward David West.

"We worked on stopping (Chalmer's) dribble penetration," Wallace said. "And as far as West, we don't know what we'll do yet. We worked on some straight-up (defense) and some double-down rotation."

The 6-foot-9 West, who averages 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, will be defended primarily by Haim Shimonovich, although forward Phil Martin and reserves Mindaugas Burneika and Tony Akpan could also share the load.

• Injury update: Predrag Savovic's pinky finger on his right (shooting) hand was still swollen yesterday, but he did practice effectively, according to Wallace.

"He looked better than he did (Tuesday)," Wallace said.

Savovic added: "By Friday, I will be fine. Don't worry about me."

It helped that associate head coach Bob Nash showed Savovic a different way to tape the finger to allow less discomfort. "That helped a lot," Savovic said. "It felt more natural when I was shooting."

• Formally speaking: Each team in the regional at Dallas is scheduled to send its head coach and two players to a press conference today.

Wallace said he will likely choose Savovic and Carl English to attend. More than 100 media representatives are expected to attend.

• Recruiting visit: Wallace and chief recruiter Jackson Wheeler spent last night in nearby Weatherford, Texas, where they watched a couple of prospects at Weatherford College.

It is the same school, about an hour's drive from Dallas, from where UH recruited Mindaugas Burneika and Nerijus Puida.

• Texas aloha-style: When UH checked into its tournament hotel near the American Airlines Center yesterday, they were welcomed by a front desk staff wearing artificial lei.

"Did somebody send those to you from Hawai'i?" a visitor asked.

"No," replied a receptionist, "we got them at the Party Company."

• Xavier by 2: Xavier was listed as a 2-point favorite in Las Vegas casinos yesterday.