'Bows lost more than just Savo
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Columnist
How many times prior to the start of this University of Hawai'i men's basketball season did we hear the phrase, "UH lost only one starter from its NCAA Tournament team," as if the Rainbow Warriors were certain to pick right up where they left off?
It was an accurate statement, up to a point, of course. UH did see one starter, Predrag Savovic, depart from last year's 27-6 team. But the statement overlooked the loss of two valued senior reserves, Mike McIntyre and Mindaugas Burneika.
To say they lost "just" one starter or "only" one regular was to underestimate the depth of the void. The Rainbows lost a lot in terms of scoring punch, maturity and leadership when those three seniors moved on.
Few who followed the Rainbows' journey of the past two seasons thought the three would be instantly replaceable even with four-fifths of the starting lineup returning. But who knew it was going to prove this difficult?
Closing in on the midway point of the Western Athletic Conference season, we've come to fully appreciate their many contributions of a year ago as well as better grasp what their absence means this season. This knowledge has been gained the hard way in an 11-5 start that has made UH's hope of a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance a long shot.
Nowhere has it been underlined more than in the Rainbows' road play this year. A year ago at this time UH was 4-1 on the road in the conference. Right now it is 1-4 (1-5 including non-conference loss to San Diego State).
Not by coincidence, the Rainbows, who practically led the conference from start to finish last season, find themselves in the middle of the pack (4-4) in the WAC standings entering this week's home games with Rice and Tulsa.
Much of the difference is felt in the loss of the three seniors, what they gave UH on the road and what the Rainbows are lacking this year.
How many times did Savo will the Rainbows to a road win or create a victory out of the thinnest of opportunities? Recall that h-o-r-s-e 3-point bank shot from the top of the key to win at Boise State last season.
How often did Mcintyre come off the bench firing 3s or Burneika step in to hit an opportune jumper? They are the kind of performances, especially from the reserves, the Rainbows have been painfully lacking this year.
With the exception of Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan, the bench hasn't been the kind of help it could — or should — have been to this point. So much so that increasingly, it seems, there has been a reluctance to go to the reserves in favor of staying with well-worn regulars.
While the Rainbows' starting lineup hasn't changed all that much from last season, their record says the departures have been significant all the same.
