Co-captain back on court ... on third team

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Co-captains get no preferential treatment on the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

SHIMONOVICH

Shimonovich missed the first two weeks of practice because of tendinitis in his right Achilles. An MRI exam yesterday revealed no significant damage, so Shimonovich was cleared to practice.

"It's still kind of hurting," he said. "But there's no danger, so I feel comfortable going out there now."

He was greeted with a spot on the third team during practice drills.

"I put him there because that's where he belongs right now," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "He missed all this time, so he's the worst big man we have out there. I'm not going to put him with the first team just because he was there last year. He has to work his way up like anybody else."

Shimonovich, who is 6 feet 10 and 275 pounds, has been the starting center for the Rainbow Warriors the last two seasons. Last season, he averaged 7.4 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game.

Sophomore Milos Zivanovic and senior Paul Jesinskis have been rotating as the starting center in Shimonovich's absence the last two weeks.

"Milos stepped forward and Paul stepped forward, so they deserve to be ahead of me," said Shimonovich, who is from Rishon LeZion, Israel. "I'm not in shape right now, but I want to prove myself all over before the season starts."

The injury could nag Shimonovich all season, but Wallace said it provides a chance for the center to prove his worth as co-captain. Prior to this season, Wallace named Shimonovich and senior forward Phil Martin co-captains of the team.

"The doctor said if there's pain there, he has to learn to play with the pain because there's no (serious) injury," Wallace said. "He's a big part of our team, but he's got a lot of work to do to catch up to where he was before."

• Another big boost: Forward Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan is expected to practice with the basketball team today.

Akpan, who is 6-8 and 258 pounds, said he received permission from the football coaches to practice with the basketball team this week only because the football team has a bye this weekend.

Akpan is in his first season as a defensive end with the football team. As a sophomore in basketball last season, he averaged 7.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

"You put Haim and Tony in there this week, that's a lot of size and a lot of girth," Wallace said. "There will probably be a lot of pushing and shoving going on the rest of this week."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.