Ex-HPU coach Sellitto to be head Chief for semi-pro team
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Tony Sellitto is coming out of retirement.
Well, sort of.
Sellitto, one of Hawai'i's most successful and recognized basketball coaches, has agreed to coach the Hawai'i Chiefs, a semi-professional team that will begin play in December.
The Chiefs have been certified by both the North American Basketball League and the National Alliance of Basketball Leagues, and will play games here and on the Mainland.
Several former University of Hawai'i and Hawai'i Pacific basketball players have committed to play for the Chiefs this season.
"I want to make it clear that I'm not doing this to get back into coaching," said Sellitto, who retired as head coach of HPU in 2002. "I love being retired. It's just that I see all these players hanging around after college telling everybody they wish they had a shot at (professional) ball. Well, my goal with this is to help some of these kids get that chance."
According to Sellitto, the players on the Chiefs roster will not get paid. However, they will have their road trips paid for by sponsors.
He said that Tom Ficara, a Las Vegas businessman, has agreed to provide most of the money.
"It's not about getting paid," Sellitto said. "It's a chance to play some more basketball and maybe get noticed."
Several international teams are already on the schedule, and Sellitto said he hopes coaches from those teams eventually take the Hawai'i players away.
"It might sound funny, but that's what we want our players to do — leave us to sign a pro contract," Sellitto said.
Players committed to the Chiefs include former Rainbow Warriors Mark Campbell and Justice Sueing, and former HPU stars Llewellyn Smalley, Kawika Smith, Shannon Lee and Scott Kato.
The team will make its debut by hosting the Honolulu International Shoot-off from Dec. 29 through Jan. 4. Teams from Estonia, Singapore and Canada have agreed to participate.
Sellitto said most of the home games will probably be played at Kilauea and Manoa recreation gyms, although he was also trying to secure the Blaisdell Center Arena.
In February, the Chiefs are scheduled to play other semi-pro teams as pregames to NBA games.
On Feb. 6, for example, the Chiefs will play the Olympic Club of San Francisco before an NBA game between the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors at the Oakland Arena. The Chiefs are also scheduled to play in pregames at Seattle and Portland.
Sellitto, who coached Maryknoll to a state boys basketball championship in 1984 and HPU to the NAIA national championship in 1993, said he will not be paid to coach the Chiefs. He will be assisted by Francis Fletcher, who was a star at Maryknoll under Sellitto, and then served as an assistant coach on Sellitto's HPU staff during the 1990s.
"I only want to help get it started, and then turn it over to Francis," Sellitto said.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
