Posted on: Saturday, March 16, 2002

Big man's limited play hurt Rainbows

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

DALLAS — No "Big Daddy" meant no more "Big Dance" for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

Plagued by foul trouble throughout the game, Haim Shimonovich was limited to 17 minutes and held scoreless in a 70-58 loss to Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament West Region yesterday at the American Airlines Center.

"That was a big difference," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "When we're running our half-court offense the way we're supposed to, who's our best passer? Haim."

With Shimonovich on the bench for most of the second half, the 'Bows struggled on both ends of the court.

He committed his fourth foul of the game with 16:35 remaining in the game and sat on the bench for the next 10 minutes. When he exited the game, Hawai'i held a 40-35 lead. By the time he returned, the 'Bows trailed, 52-45.

"It was hard watching the lead slipping away and not being able to do anything about it," said Shimonovich, a 6-foot-10 sophomore. "It sucked."

Making matters worse, Shimonovich said the fourth foul assessed to him was questionable.

"I know when I foul," he said. "And I don't think I fouled anybody on (the fourth) one."

Shimonovich, nicknamed "Big Daddy" by his teammates, did not score in the game, but contributed five rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals before fouling out with 1:09 remaining.

It was the sixth time he fouled out this season. The 'Bows went 2-4 in those games.

"I keep fouling out, so I must be doing something wrong," he said. "It's something I have to work on for next year."

He proved his value in the opening five minutes of the game, when he blocked three shots, grabbed two rebounds and stole one pass.

"He does so many little things that help us," Wallace said. "When he goes out, it probably hurts us more than anybody else because we don't have anybody like him we can put in."

During his 17 minutes of action, Shimonovich was able to neutralize Xavier star David West.

"I thought Haim more than held his own," Wallace said.

West, a 6-9 junior and a second-team All-America selection, finished with 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting, and 11 rebounds.

"When Haim goes out, it changes our whole defense," forward Phil Martin said. "He's our biggest guy and he's able to take up so much space inside."

Martin even said the 'Bows should have turned to Shimonovich more often on the offensive end. Shimonovich attempted just three field goals and zero free throws.

"We weren't feeding him the ball in the low-post like we normally do," Martin said. "That might have been a difference, I don't know. That might have opened things up on the outside a little more."

Shimonovich, who is from Rishon LeZion, Israel, added: "It was a bad loss but a good season. I don't feel good today, but I think I will feel better later when I think about this whole season and everything we did."

The loss ended Hawai'i's season at 27-6. Shimonovich finished as the team leader in rebounding (6.6 per game) and blocked shots (1.9 per game).