McIntyre returning with all-star team to play 'Bows
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team will make a long-awaited return to the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday when it plays the EA Sports West All-Stars in an exhibition game.
But it will be an even longer awaited return for former Rainbow Warrior Mike McIntyre, who will play for the EA Sports team.
"It's going to be a little weird coming back and playing for a whole different team," said McIntyre, who played for UH from 1998-2002. "I have a lot of memories in that place."
McIntyre played in a professional league in Germany from August through October, but he returned to his home in Long Beach, Calif., last month.
"The league was fun and it was a good experience, but the team kind of ran out of money, so I had to make the choice to come home and look for a better deal," he said.
Still, McIntyre said he considered it a short but successful stint with Jahn Freising, which is classified as a "C" level team in Germany.
"I was getting 20-something points a game, and about eight assists," he said. "But the competition level was maybe a little below college."
Being the only American player on the roster was another factor in his return to California.
"I learned a little bit of (German), but it was still hard," he said.
McIntyre said he knew one of the organizers of the EA Sports All-Stars, and joined the team as a way to keep in basketball shape.
"I want to play somewhere in Europe again," he said. "But this is fun for now. We travel around and play a lot of good college teams."
The EA Sports All-Stars are former college players who travel around the country to play exhibition games against NCAA teams.
McIntyre was a senior captain of the 2001-02 UH team that finished 27-6 and won the Western Athletic Conference championship.
He played with the EA Sports West All-Stars last year for one game — a 73-72 victory over Hawai'i.
Another former UH player, point guard Mark Campbell, may join the EA Sports All-Stars for Sunday's game only. Without Campbell, the team is expected to have seven players available, including McIntyre and former Chaminade forward Leon Ballard.
For the 'Bows, it will be their first game in the Stan Sheriff Center since a season-opening loss against UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 21. Since then, Hawai'i went 2-1 in the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
The exhibition — which is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. — was purposely scheduled for this week to bridge the gap between the Maui Invitational championship game on Nov. 26 and UH's next regular season game against Oregon State on Dec. 15.
"It'll be good just to play somebody, even if it is an exhibition," said guard Michael Kuebler, UH's leading scorer at 18.0 points per game.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
