Posted on: Saturday, May 11, 2002

Kuebler to get UH basketball scholarship

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The good news is Michael Kuebler will be offered a scholarship to play for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

The bad news is the scholarship became available yesterday when Emigijus Lukosius signed a letter of intent to play for Southwest Missouri State.

Lukosius, a 6-foot-6 forward, averaged around 23 points and 11 rebounds at Weatherford College (Texas) last season, and was a second-team junior college All-America selection.

Like former 'Bows Mindaugas Burneika and Nerijus Puida, Lukosius went to Weatherford from Lithuania.

"I think it would have been better for him to come to Hawai'i, because we are all here," Burneika said.

Lukosius' teammate at Weatherford, 6-6 guard Vaidotas Peciukas, signed with UH last week. He is also originally from Lithuania.

Burneika hinted that Lukosius "didn't have too much choice." He was referring to Lukosius' girlfriend, Emily Nash, who apparently put Southwest Missouri State at the top of her list. Nash, a starting wing player for the Weatherford women's team, also signed with Southwest Missouri State yesterday.

"She signed first, so you figure it out," said Burneika, who served as host for Lukosius' Hawai'i visit last month.

In any case, Kuebler is expected to officially sign with Hawai'i next week. He committed to UH on Tuesday, and was willing to walk-on if Lukosius took the last available scholarship.

Kuebler's signing will complete UH's recruiting class. The others are: Peciukas, 6-10 forward Dane Dmitrovic, and 5-10 guard Jason Carter.