Sottos finds touch in intrasquad game
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Jake Sottos is used to being in cold weather at this time of year, so perhaps it is understandable why it took him so long to heat up for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.
Sottos made five 3-pointers and scored 19 points to help lead the White to an 86-82 overtime victory over the Green in an intrasquad scrimmage yesterday. It was UH's third scrimmage of the season, but the first time in double-figure points for Sottos.
"I've been struggling lately with my shot, but I knew it would come around eventually," said Sottos, a 6-foot-4 junior. "It's taken me a while to learn the offense, but I'm starting to feel comfortable now."
UH head coach Riley Wallace added: "He finally showed what we were looking for out of him offensively."
Sottos is from Monmouth, Ill., where his relatives tell him it is now around 40 degrees. He is in his first year at UH after playing last season at Southeastern Community College (Iowa), which won the junior college national championship.
"I love the weather; I love everything about Hawai'i," Sottos said. "I call home just to make fun and tell them how great it is here."
Sottos was one of several players who put up impressive offensive statistics yesterday. But according to Wallace, that also means the defensive performance was subpar.
The 'Bows open the season with an exhibition game against Brigham Young-Hawai'i on Nov. 17, and Wallace said: "We're not ready yet. If we don't get tougher on the defensive side, we'll lose."
In any case, Sottos and senior Michael Kuebler displayed yesterday that they understand why the position they play is called shooting guard.
Sottos shot 5 of 10 from 3-point range, and also contributed six assists (with no turnovers) and four rebounds.
Kuebler scored a scrimmage-high 34 points on 11 of 17 shooting for the Green squad. His 3-pointer at the buzzer tied the scrimmage at 74 and forced overtime.
Senior co-captain Phil Martin contributed 24 points on 11 of 15 shooting and eight rebounds for the Green. Junior forward Jeff Blackett led the White with 21 points and nine rebounds, while junior Vaidotas Peciukas added 19 points.
Senior center and co-captain Haim Shimonovich participated in his first scrimmage of the season. He had four points and three rebounds in limited minutes. He missed the first two weeks of practice with an Achilles injury.
Game tickets: Ticket sales for individual games for UH men's basketball will begin tomorrow.
Prices range from $5 for students (upper level seats only) to $16 for lower level seats per game.
Ticket packages for the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic ($52 for upper level, $68 for lower level) and Maui Invitational ($35 per game, or $105 for three games) are also available.
Tickets can be purchased at the Stan Sheriff Center box office (weekdays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.), or by phone at 944-2697, or on the Internet at www.etickethawaii.com.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
