ISLE FILE
UH-Hilo's Abrahams suspended for game

Advertiser Staff

Hawai'i-Hilo all-Pacific West Conference guard Ryan Abrahams was suspended for last night's basketball game against visiting Hawai'i Pacific after walking out of a game without notifying coaches earlier in the week, coach Jeff Law said.

The Sea Warriors defeated the Vulcans, 84-77, behind Marvin Noble's 24 points.

Abrahams, a 6-foot-3 senior, walked out of the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in the first half of Thursday's 88-73 PacWest victory over Hawai'i Pacific at Hilo. He did not return and was suspended for one game for "conduct detrimental to the team," Law said.

Entering last night's game, Abrahams was among the conference's top 10 in scoring (2nd, 21.5), assists (8th, 2.69), free-throw percentage (3rd, .881) and steals (1st, 2.38).

This season, Hawai'i-Hilo was picked by league coaches to finish first in the six-team PacWest. In a preseason vote, coaches selected Abrahams as the conference's top player.

Law said Abrahams told him Friday that he was troubled by some personal problems with family back home in Los Angeles. Abrahams also said a work crew had been painting around his apartment recently and the fumes were affecting his health, Law said.

"He hadn't been feeling well, a little light-headed," Law said. "He didn't say anything to me until before the warmups (on Thursday)."

Law said he pulled Abrahams from Thursday's game because the player was having a sub-par game. Abrahams played 14 minutes and scored four points. He was 2 of 4 from the field, including 0 of 2 from 3-point territory with two rebounds, one assist, three turnovers, three steals and one personal foul.

"I didn't swear at him, but he knew I wasn't happy with his performance at that time," Law said. "That was like the final thing along with the other personal problems that he had been going through with situations back home. He just didn't handle the situation well."

Abrahams apologized to the coaches and team, Law said. Abrahams will not start in Tuesday's road game against Montana State-Billings, but "he could play a whole lot," Law said.

Abrahams is playing in his second season with the Vulcans after transferring from Los Angeles Valley College in Van Nuys, Calif. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Abrahams earned first-team All-PacWest honors last season.

Last night, the Vulcans led at halftime, 44-32, but hit only 36 percent of their field-goal attempts in the second half.

HPU is 6-10 overall and 3-2 in the PacWest. Hilo is 11-3 and 3-1.

Aaron Abrams added 22 points for HPU. The Sea Warriors outrebounded the Vulcans, 38-28.

Ryan Hogue and Joe Travis each scored 14 for UH-Hilo.

Also last night, Chaminade defeated Southwestern College, 101-55, at Phoenix.

BASEBALL

Kansas routs Hilo: Kansas pounded 19 hits en route to a 14-2 victory over Hawai'i-Hilo in a college baseball game at Hilo's Wong Stadium yesterday.

Kansas is 2-1, UH-Hilo 1-2.

Mike Tribble was 3 for 5, including two RBIs and two runs scored, for Kansas.

UH-Hilo's Johnny Dudoit hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning.