Campbell has assisted in Rainbows' success

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	UH men's basketball WHO: Texas-El Paso (5-22, 3-14 WAC) vs. Hawai'i (16-10, 8-9 WAC) WHEN: 7:05 tonight WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center ADMISSION: $15-16 lower level; $11-12 upper level (adult); $8 Super Rooter; $7 upper level (ages 4-18 and UH students). TV: Live on K5, 7 p.m. RADIO: Live on 1420-AM, 6:45 p.m.

Because of his fancy passing, Campbell has earned a spot among UH's all-time great point guards.

"He's done everything he could to make us a winner," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "When it comes down to it, that's all you can ask for."

Campbell will play his final regular-season home game as a Rainbow Warrior tonight. Hawai'i will take on Texas-El Paso in a Western Athletic Conference game at 7:05.

The 'Bows are 16-10 overall and 8-9 in the conference. They need a win tonight and a loss by Louisiana Tech to become the No. 5 seed for next week's WAC Tournament (otherwise, UH can finish no lower than the No. 6 seed). UTEP is in last place in the WAC at 5-22 overall and 3-14 in conference.

Campbell will undoubtedly do his part to assist.

"My enjoyment comes when I see the other guys make shots after I pass them the ball," said Campbell, who is 6 feet 4 and 180 pounds.

Even with a modest scoring average, Campbell has made his point as a two-year starter at point guard. He is averaging just 5.7 points per game this season, and 4.6 per game for his career.

Not surprisingly, he has more assists than points. This season, he leads the WAC and is among the top 20 in the nation with an average of 6.2 assists per game.

Equally important, he is averaging just 2.4 turnovers per game. His 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio also ranks him among the nation's best.

"I'm obviously not as good as Jason Kidd, but that's the style I try to imitate," Campbell said.

His self-admitted flaw is his minimal scoring numbers.

"There's a reason why I'm not going to make it to the NBA, and that's because I'm not aggressive from a shooting aspect," he said.

Still, Wallace said he wouldn't trade Campbell for any other point guard in the conference, and not just because of the assist numbers.

"To be the perfect point guard, he needs to take more jump shots and knock it down," Wallace said. "Otherwise, I can't imagine a more perfect point guard for our system. He's like a coach on the floor. He can make calls with our offense and it'll be exactly what I want."

Not bad for an accidental recruit who honed his basketball skills in a barn.

Campbell transferred to UH from Clackamas Community College (Ore.) before last season. UH associate coach Jackson Wheeler started recruiting Campbell only after watching him outperform another player UH originally wanted to recruit.

"I have to thank Coach Wallace for letting me be his point guard," Campbell said. "But if it wasn't for (Wheeler), I don't know where I'd be."

Wheeler said: "I had never seen or heard anything about him before that. But I'd say it worked out."

Campbell has solidified his game by working out with a close-knit family.

Growing up in Mt. Vernon, Wash., Campbell would tag-along to pick-up games with his older brothers, Scott and Lance. Many of the games took place across the neighborhood in a barn belonging to family friend Jerry Blanker.

"The horses and cows were on the bottom, and you had to climb a ladder to get to the court," Campbell said.

Blanker is a long-time basketball coach in the area, and he had a full court installed in the barn several years ago. Last summer, Campbell returned to the barn to play a few games with his brothers.

"We'd drive over there and play all night," Campbell said. "We'd play 3-on-3 to 100 points."

Scott is 10 years older than Mark; Lance is eight years older.

"Mark was always studying his older brothers," said their father, Larry Campbell. "He always wanted to play with them and they never let up on him. I think that's where he became so competitive."

Campbell also got married last summer to Ashley Smith, a former star point guard at Vanderbilt. He credits the marriage for much of his success this season.

"You would think we talk about basketball all the time, but it's actually the opposite," he said. "After games, we try to go to a movie or just hang out. I think that's helped me mature."

Campbell is expected to graduate in December. Predictably, he would like to become a basketball coach, if not a pro player, after getting his degree.

"What it comes down to," he said, "is I love basketball."

Final shots: UH's three seniors — Campbell, Ryne Holliday and Lance Takaki — will be honored after tonight's game, and will each get to take one final shot.

Takaki, a 5-4 walk-on, is promising "something above the rim" for his shot.

"People have to come out and see it," he said. "It'll be a surprise."

Free tickets: The first 500 UH students to attend tonight's game will receive free admission.

Head coach—Billy Gillispie (5-22, 1st season at UTEP)

Notes: The Miners are coming off a 74-73 overtime loss at San Jose State on Thursday. The loss assured UTEP of finishing as the No. 9 (last) seed for next week's WAC Tournament. ... The Miners have lost 24 consecutive road games, including all 10 this season. UTEP's last road victory came Feb. 4, 2001, at Rice. ... John Tofi scored a season-high 25 points in the loss at San Jose State. ... Justino Victoriano leads the WAC in rebounding. ... Chris Craig leads the Miners with 3.6 assists per game. ... UTEP ranks last in the WAC in scoring offense with an average of 62.8 points per game. ... Omar Duran ranks fifth in the WAC with 68 3-pointers. ... UTEP leads the all-time series with Hawai'i, 31-15. The Miners are 13-10 against the 'Bows in games played in Honolulu. ... Giovanni St. Amant scored a season-high 26 points in a 64-52 loss to Hawai'i on Jan. 2 at El Paso, Texas.

Head coach—Riley Wallace (259-214, 16th season at UH)

Notes: The Rainbow Warriors are coming off a 68-65 home victory over Boise State on Thursday. ... Phil Martin led the 'Bows with 18 points in the victory. It was the third consecutive game he has led the team in scoring. Over his last seven games, Martin is averaging 15.6 points with a .608 field goal percentage. ... Carl English ranks second in the WAC in scoring and fourth with 72 3-pointers. He is seventh on UH's career scoring list with 1,156 points. ... Mark Campbell leads the WAC and ranks No. 17 in NCAA Division I with 6.2 assists per game. ... Haim Shimonovich, a 6-10 junior center, will sit out his third consecutive game because of a sprained right ankle. ... Hawai'i is 14-1 at home this season and 2-9 on the road. The 'Bows have won 37 of their last 39 games in the Stan Sheriff Center. .. Hawai'i has won the last three meetings with UTEP, including a 64-52 victory at El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 2.