'Bows to team up on foes
| • | Roster |
| • | Schedule |
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
There is no go-to guy in team.
Advertiser library photo
At least that's what the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is preaching this season.
Riley Wallace says "whoever is open will get the shot."
"We don't have a Carl English or a Predrag Savovic anymore," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "But what we do have is a lot of guys who are equal. It's going to take a team effort this year. Our star player this year will be the team."
As proof, there have been back-and-forth battles for starting roles at virtually every position since practice started Oct. 18.
"We're not the same team as we were last year or even for the other years I've been here," said senior co-captain Phil Martin. "Even in practice, you can see that there's more distribution of the basketball. It's a case where we can go to the guy who's hot, and anybody on this team has that capability."
• Where: Stan Sheriff Center • When: 7:05 p.m. today • Tickets: $15 for lower level seats, $11 for adults in upper level, $5 for students in upper level, $8 for Super Rooter section. Parking is $3 • Radio: Live on 1420 AM
English, last season's leading scorer, relinquished his senior season with the 'Bows to take his game to the professional level (he is now in the National Basketball Development League). Had he returned, English was on pace to become the program's all-time leading scorer.
• Who: Hawai'i-Manoa vs. Brigham Young-Hawai'i
In his absence, the 'Bows are experimenting with a faster-paced offense, designed to take advantage of the team's depth and create mismatches in the low post.
"Carl had a tendency to try and take over games himself sometimes," Wallace said. "This year, we'll run our offense and whoever is open will get the shot. We're going to try and make it harder for defenses to guard us."
The first test comes tonight in an exhibition game against Brigham Young-Hawai'i.
"We look good in practice," co-captain Haim Shimonovich said. "But until we go on the floor and prove it against somebody else, it doesn't mean anything."
Breakdown by positions:
Point guard
1A, Jason Carter 5-10 155 Sr.
1B, Logan Lee 6-2 170 So.
Wallace is hoping a 20/20 format will create perfect vision on the court.
"We have two point guards, and the way it looks right now, they'll both play about 20 minutes," Wallace said.
Carter is the team's smallest player. He is also the quickest and most exciting.
"As long as he stays in control, he's a great player in our system," Wallace said. "And that quickness of his can cause a lot of problems for other teams on defense."
Lee is a transfer from South Plains College (Texas) who offers a calming alternative to Carter's frenetic pace.
"Having two different styles should allow us to change up our looks for the defense," Wallace said.
Shooting guard
1, Michael Kuebler 6-4 190 Sr.
2, Jake Sottos 6-4 160 Jr.
3, Bobby Nash 6-6 190 Fr.
4, Garland Gantt 6-1 180 So.
Kuebler, who averaged 12.2 points per game last season, is the leading returning scorer. He has been the leading scorer in the team's intrasquad scrimmages, but said he is comfortable with the spread-the-wealth system.
"It's better because it gives all of us confidence in each other," Kuebler said. "No one's putting pressure on me to be the leading scorer or anything like that, so all I have to do is wait for my shots and take it when it comes."
Sottos, a transfer from the junior college national championship team at Southeastern Community College (Iowa), is probably the team's best long-range shooter.
"Between (Kuebler and Sottos) we should be able to stretch a defense," Wallace said. "They both can stroke it pretty good when they're on."
Nash, a freshman out of Iolani, has been practicing at both shooting guard and small forward.
Gantt, a 2001 graduate of Leilehua, is the only walk-on on the roster this season.
Small forward
1, Julian Sensley 6-9 235 So.
2, Vaidotas Peciukas 6-7 205 Jr.
3, Bobby Nash 6-6 190 Fr.
Sensley, a former standout at Kalaheo High, is the crowning jewel of the recruiting class. However, Wallace said fans should not expect Sensley to become a 20-point scorer immediately.
"His value is his all-around game," Wallace said. "If he works at it, he could be a triple-double kind of player."
Peciukas is one of the team's most skilled offensive players, but Wallace wants him to improve defensively.
"Once he improves his rebounding and defense, he'll be in there a lot more," Wallace said.
Nash, the son of associate coach Bob Nash, is a fearless shooter but still needs to develop physically.
Power forward
1, Phil Martin 6-8 220 Sr.
2, Jeff Blackett 6-8 210 Jr.
3, Paul Jesinskis 6-8 230 Sr.
Assuming he remains healthy throughout the season, Martin will become the only four-year starter in Wallace's 17-year tenure at UH.
Martin averaged 11.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season, and Wallace is expecting those statistics to increase.
"He's capable of picking up his scoring," Wallace said. "He's very athletic and he's been consistent on both ends of the floor."
Blackett, a transfer from Salt Lake Community College (Utah), has been good enough in practice to push Martin for playing time.
"We're solid at that spot," Wallace said.
No matter which players are in at power forward or center, Wallace wants the UH offense to take an inside-out approach.
"Coach wants to get us the ball inside and that's only going to make us work harder knowing we have that responsibility," Martin said.
Center
1A, Paul Jesinskis 6-8 230 Sr.
1B, Haim Shimonovich 6-10 275 Sr.
3, Milos Zivanovic 6-11 235 So.
Jesinskis is an in-your-face defender whose all-out hustle in practice was rewarded with a starting spot in tonight's exhibition game.
"It really doesn't matter who starts," said Jesinskis, who redshirted last season with a broken wrist. "The guys who come in (off the bench) will probably get as much playing time as the starters, and that's going to keep everybody fresh."
Shimonovich has been the starting center since his sophomore season, but has struggled to get into playing shape this season. He missed the first two weeks of practice with an Achilles injury, and has been playing catch-up.
"We'll need him healthy," Wallace said. "He's our biggest guy and he can do so many different things to help us, but if he's not in shape, he's not effective."
Zivanovic, a seldom-used reserve last season, may be the team's most improved player.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
| 2003-04 Hawai'i men's roster | ||||||
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Hometown |
| 2 | Phil Martin | F | 6-8 | 220 | Sr. | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| 3 | Jake Sottos | G | 6-4 | 160 | Jr. | Monmouth, Ill. |
| 12 | Milos Zivanovic | C | 6-11 | 235 | So. | Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
| 13 | Jason Carter | G | 5-10 | 155 | Sr. | Gary, Ind. |
| 14 | Haim Shimonovich | F/C | 6-10 | 265 | Sr. | Rishon LeZion, Israel |
| 20 | Logan Lee | G | 6-2 | 170 | So. | San Antonio, Texas |
| 21 | Garland Gantt | G | 6-1 | 180 | So. | Washington D.C. |
| 22 | Vaidotas Peciukas | G/F | 6-7 | 205 | Jr. | Joniskis, Lithuania |
| 24 | Michael Kuebler | G/F | 6-4 | 190 | Sr. | Salem, Ore. |
| 33 | Bobby Nash | G/F | 6-6 | 190 | Fr. | Honolulu |
| 34 | Jeff Blackett | F | 6-8 | 210 | Jr. | Ogden, Utah |
| 40 | Paul Jesinskis | F | 6-8 | 230 | Sr. | Assagay, Natal, South Africa |
| 41 | Julian Sensley | F | 6-9 | 235 | So. | Kailua, O‘ahu |
2003-04
Hawai'i schedule
November
Today—BYU-Hawai'i (exhibition), 7:05 p.m. Friday—UC Santa Barbara, 7:05 p.m. 24-26—at EA Sports Maui Invitational (24—Chaminade vs. Villanova, 9 a.m.; Dayton vs. Central Michigan, noon; Ohio State vs. San Diego State, 4 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. Santa Clara, 6:30 p.m. 25—times, pairings TBA. 26—times, pairings TBA.)
December
7—California All-Stars (exhibition), 4:05 p.m. 15—Oregon State, 7:05 p.m. 19-20—adidas Festival (19—Idaho State vs. New Orleans, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. Texas Southern, 7 p.m. 20—Idaho State vs. Texas Southern, 5 p.m.; Hawai'i vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.) 27-30—Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic (27—IUPUI vs. East Tennessee State, 5 p.m.; Lamar vs. Hawai'i, 7:30 p.m. 28—Bowling Green vs. Fairfield, 5 p.m.; American vs. Pepperdine, 7:30 p.m. 29—consolation games at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; semifinal games at 5 and 7:30 p.m. 30—seventh place, 11 a.m.; fifth place, 1:30 p.m.; third place, 5 p.m.; championship, 7:30 p.m.
January
3—Fresno State*, 7:05 p.m. 5—Nevada*, 7:05 p.m. 10—at San Jose State*. 15—at SMU*. 17—at Louisiana Tech*. 22—Texas-El Paso*, 7:05 p.m. 24—Boise State*, 7:05 p.m. 28—at Rice*. 31—at Tulsa*.
February
7—San Jose State*, 7:05 p.m. 12—Louisiana Tech*, 7:05 p.m. 14—SMU*, 7:05 p.m. 18—at Boise State*. 21—at ESPN Bracket Buster (opponent and site TBA). 23—at Texas-El Paso*. 27—Tulsa*, 7:05 p.m.. 29—Rice*, 3:05 p.m.
March
4—at Nevada*. 6—at Fresno State*. 9-13—at WAC Tournament (Fresno, Calif.).
*Western Athletic Conference game
All home games at Stan Sheriff Center
