Ailing Thomas proves a pain for Pacific
By Leila Wai
Special to The Advertiser
Grimacing and clutching his back, Delano Thomas turned away, then turned around again and faced the net, taking up his front row position.
He moved with the serve from senior Tony Ching, which came back over the net on an overpass. Thomas leapt up and slammed the ball down for a kill.
Game 2, Warriors.
Thomas, who has been suffering from back spasms and wears a brace for support, made Pacific feel his pain in helping the University of Hawai'i to a 37-35, 30-27, 30-27 sweep of the No. 7 Tigers in an MPSF Tournament first-round match last night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"It's sore, but it will be all right," Thomas said. "It's great when I play, as long as I play and keep moving it is all right. Towards the end it got a little sore."
The 6-foot-7 middle blocker injured his back over a week ago, and has been undergoing ice treatments and electrical stimulation. He missed UH's last regular-season match of the season against USC.
Last night he finished third on the team with eight kills, hitting .353, behind Ching (19) and Costas Theocharidis (18).
It was his blocking, however, that may have had the biggest impact on the game. The role of the middle blocker is to at least get a touch on the ball, slowing it down so the defenders have a chance to play it.
"Delano was just awesome tonight," fellow middle blocker Brian Nordberg said. "I think the best thing about Delano's game is that he does it all: everywhere from hitting to blocking to serving, he's just an animal.
"He's really diverse and tonight he just had a great blocking game. It is really fun to watch him."
Thomas finished with seven blocks, including teaming up with setter Kimo Tuyay to give Hawai'i its first lead of the first game at 20-19. His lone solo block gave the Warriors a 31-30 lead in the same game.
He also joined up with Eyal Zimet and Theocharidis for a triple block that ended the match.
"My blocking was on tonight," Thomas said. "I felt like I knew where the ball was going."
Hawai'i coach Mike Wilton said the Warriors ran some blocking schemes and that Thomas made some "nice" reads on the Tigers' hitters.
The team leader in service aces with 40, Thomas added three more against Pacific.
"Serving too, he's just a bomber," Nordberg said.
