'Bows impressed with Dallas arena
By Ferd Lewis and Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writers
DALLAS — The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team was flying high in the American Airlines Center yesterday.
Practicing in the arena for the first time, the Rainbow Warriors walked away impressed, even though yesterday's session was limited to 50 minutes per team.
"That's the best court I've ever played on," junior point guard Mark Campbell said. "The lighting was good, the rims were good, everything about it was awesome."
The 'Bows will get another 20-minute shoot-around at the arena this morning before their first-round NCAA Tournament game against Xavier.
The arena is only five months old, and the 19,500 seats available for this weekend's games have already been sold out.
"You can just tell it's a great atmosphere for basketball," senior Mike McIntyre said. "It'll be unbelievable when all the people are here."
McIntyre and fellow senior captain Predrag Savovic even got a special tour of the facilities yesterday. As UH's participants in the official press conference, McIntyre and Savovic were escorted by American Airlines Center employees around the arena after their interviews were completed.
McIntyre was especially impressed with the locker room of the Dallas Mavericks. Each player's locker is equipped with a television, DVD player, and Playstation2 video game system.
"It's pretty amazing," he said. "And some guys have a whole bunch of brand new shoes just sitting there. Michael Finley had about 12 pairs of Air Jordans."
Although the Mavericks are out of town this week, their locker room will not be available for use by any of the eight teams in the Dallas regional.
Lucky meal: In what has become a winning tradition, the 'Bows had dinner at a Golden Corral restaurant last night.
Since discovering the restaurant in Tulsa, Okla., last year, Hawai'i is 11-1 when eating there before a game. The Golden Corral offers all-you-can-eat American buffet for $8.
"I think the Golden Corral is a well-kept secret except when Hawai'i comes to town," said Kim Cash of Ward Communications, which handles the marketing for the restaurant. "This Hawai'i relationship with the Golden Corral made the news and was in the newspapers. It was big."
What's in a name? Romain Sato is used to the second looks he says he gets when people look at his last name and expect to see someone of Japanese ancestry.
"They think I'm supposed to be Japanese because I have a Japanese-sounding name," said Sato, a 6-foot-5 guard and native of the Central African Republic.
"A lot of the time, people ask me, 'How did you get that name?' "
His full name is Romain Guessagba-Sato-Lebel and he says the Sato part comes from his grandfather's name.
Sato, who speaks six languages, averages 15.6 points per game this season and will guard UH's Predrag Savovic today.
Hawai'i for sale: Today is the first day that official tournament T-shirts, hats, etc., go on sale at the American Airlines Center and several Hawai'i fans planned to be there when the arena opens at 10 a.m even though UH's game doesn't start until 2 p.m., Central time.
Last year in Dayton, Ohio, all the shirts with "Hawai'i" on them sold out in the first hour.
• Last-minute arrival: UH President Evan Dobelle left Honolulu last night and plans to be in Dallas in time for the Rainbows' tipoff, a school spokesman said.
