UH puts out its welcome Matt for shooting guard
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team will add another Matt to its roster next season.
The Rainbow Warriors received an official letter of intent yesterday from Matt Lojeski, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard at Eastern Wyoming College.
"I don't know what it is; maybe I like the name Matt too much," said UH associate coach Jackson Wheeler, who recruited Lojeski as well as current 'Bows Matt Gibson and Matt Gipson.
Lojeski, who will be a junior at UH next season, averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a freshman last season at Eastern Wyoming.
"The first time I saw him play, I knew right away he would fit in with us," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "He's a good shooter, a smart player, and he works hard."
Lojeski's signing means Hawai'i will have at least three legitimate shooting guards on next season's roster. Gibson and Bobby Nash are sophomores this season.
"That's good," Wallace said. "We didn't recruit (Lojeski) to sit on the bench. I guarantee he'll come in here and push those other two guys for playing time."
Lojeski is the second player to sign with Hawai'i for next season. Ahmet Tidiane Gueye, a 6-8 forward at Salt Lake Community College is the other.
The early signing period for recruits ended yesterday.
"I'm very satisfied," Wallace said. "We got two quality players, which is better than we usually do (during the early period)."
Kendrick Johnson, a 6-10 center at Morton High in Texas, made a recruiting visit to Hawai'i last month, but signed with Georgia this week. His brother Calvin, a 6-3 guard, also visited Hawai'i but signed with Santa Clara.
WAC coaches still in search of respect
It appears the teams in the Western Athletic Conference will have to work their way from the bottom again when it comes to national recognition.
No teams in the WAC are close to the Top 25 rankings, and Texas-El Paso is the only WAC team receiving votes in both national polls — seven points in Associated Press and two in ESPN/USA Today. Rice has two points in the AP Poll.
"Obviously I don't believe it's justified, but it doesn't surprise me," Rice coach Willis Wilson said in a teleconference with the media yesterday. "So much of what goes on in college basketball is driven by marketing and promotion."
Wallace said he is surprised that Nevada — which advanced to the Sweet 16 of last season's NCAA Tournament — is not even being recognized this season.
"Everything is about the teams in the East, and teams like Utah and Gonzaga are the only ones that get pumped up from the West," Wallace said. "The glamorous names keep getting mentioned year after year, and we need to change that."
New UTEP coach Doc Sadler does not seem to mind the non-recognition, saying: "If you do what you're supposed to do, just like Boise State has done in football, those things work themselves out."
NOTES
Injury report: Junior forward Matt Gipson missed yesterday's practice due to an infection in his right foot. He is expected to return to practice tomorrow, and should be able to play when the 'Bows open the season next Tuesday against Mississippi Valley State.
Fund-raiser: The Slam Dunk fund-raiser for the men's basketball team will run from 5:30 to 9 p.m. tonight at Murphy's Bar & Grill. Entry fee is $100 per person, and includes food and beverage, and two tickets to the UH season opener. People who attend can also participate in an auction. Items up for bid include a trip to Reno, Nev., during the WAC basketball tournament, a Las Vegas vacation package, a Maui Invitational package, tickets to the men's basketball Final Four in St. Louis, and autographed basketball jerseys from Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
