Wallace mixing, matching 'Bows
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is bigger than last year, but is it better?
That's just one of dozens of questions surrounding the 2004-05 Rainbow Warriors, who open their season Tuesday against Mississippi Valley State in the Stan Sheriff Center.
"Until you get out there and grind it out in a real game, you don't know how good you are," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "There are days when we look pretty good in practice, but whether or not we can maintain that for a 40-minute game, I don't know yet."
With five new scholarship players on this season's roster, the 'Bows have been a daily work in progress.
Wallace said he still has not figured out a starting lineup, and all 11 scholarship players remain in contention.
"We have a lot of guys who can play, I know that," said junior forward Julian Sensley, the only returning starter from last season's 21-12 team.
Sophomore Kris Groce, a candidate at point guard, added: "Every player is getting an opportunity and everybody is taking advantage of it. Right now, I feel confident that I can pass the ball to anybody and they'll knock the shot down."
Making it more interesting, Wallace said several players are athletic enough to play more than one position. Because of that, he has been experimenting with various combinations during recent practices.
"I can say we have five guards this year; not like in the past, where we had point guards and (shooting) guards," Wallace said. "Our big guys are interchangeable, too, so that gives us a lot of options. The thing is to figure out which options work best."
Perhaps because of all the questions, the 'Bows are somewhat of a mystery team. They have been predicted to finish as high as second in the Western Athletic Conference in one national publication, and as low as seventh in another.
"It gives us a chance to surprise some people," said senior forward Jeff Blackett. "I think the only people who know how good we can be is us."
A breakdown by positions:
Point Guard
1A, Kris Groce 5-10 140 So.
1B, Deonte Tatum 6-3 165 Jr.
3, Kenny Kelly 6-0 170 Jr.
Last season, Logan Lee and Jason Carter offered contrasting styles to form a "two-headed point guard."
It could be much of the same this season.
Groce makes up for his slight build with quickness and accurate shooting. Tatum has a pass-first mentality and solid defensive skills.
"I bring something to the team, and he brings something different," Groce said. "Together, we can get the job done."
Both players are junior college transfers, so the transition to NCAA Division I is still in its early stages.
"I'd say Groce is probably a little ahead right now," Wallace said. "But we'll need both guys eventually."
Wallace added that two of his shooting guards — Matt Gibson and Jake Sottos — can also play point guard.
"We don't have to have a true point guard out there this year," Wallace said. "More than likely, we'll have five guards to share the two spots."
Kelly is a walk-on who will help the scout team in practice.
Shooting Guard
1, Matt Gibson 6-5 170 So.
2, Bobby Nash 6-6 185 So.
3, Jake Sottos 6-4 180 Sr.
4, Seth Caine 6-3 200 Jr.
Gibson is still learning the intricacies of the offense in his first season at Hawai'i, but he has worked his way to the top of the list because of his defense.
"I'm just trying to be as complete a guard as I can be," Gibson said. "I don't want to be just a shooter, or just a scorer. I want to help the team every way I can."
Nash is the most improved player from last season, and his biggest advantage is his knowledge of the UH offense. Wallace said he is comfortable using Gibson and Nash in the same backcourt, which could give the 'Bows a lineup ranging in height from 6 feet 5 to 7 feet.
For a smaller lineup, Nash can move to the small forward position.
Sottos, the only senior among all the guards, is a streaky shooter who can provide instant offense as a starter or reserve.
Caine is a walk-on who will help the scout team in practice.
Small Forward
1, Julian Sensley 6-9 235 Jr.
2, Vaidotas Peciukas 6-7 205 Sr.
Much is expected from Sensley, especially early in the season. He averaged 12.3 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds per game last season, and is the only player assured of a starting role this season.
"I'm trying to share some of the knowledge I got from last year with the rest of the guys," he said. "But I can see that each individual is starting to find their own role on this team. Once we get all those roles down, we'll be good."
Peciukas is in his third season with the 'Bows, but he has been hampered by several nagging injuries. When healthy, he is one of the team's most skilled offensive players.
Power Forward
1, Jeff Blackett 6-8 220 Sr.
2, Matthew Gipson 6-9 220 Jr.
Blackett and Sensley are the only returnees who played significant minutes last season. Blackett averaged 7.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, and led the team with a .805 free throw percentage as the "sixth man" last season.
He is expected to be one of the main contributors as a starter or reserve.
"What I like is that we have size, but we also have guys who can run up and down the court and shoot," Blackett said. "I think we're going to cause a lot of problems for other teams."
Gipson is a skilled big man who was named the WAC's Preseason Newcomer of the Year. An infection in his right foot has kept him out of practice recently, so he will likely begin the season behind Blackett.
Center
1, Chris Botez 7-0 220 Jr.
2, Milos Zivanovic 6-11 230 Jr.
Wallace is already calling on Botez to be one of the keys to the season.
"Any time you can put a 7-footer in the middle, you have a chance at being a good team," Wallace said. "But what makes (Botez) different is he's big and he can move. That's the kind of player you want to cause problems for the other team."
Zivanovic played limited minutes as a freshman and sophomore, but is expected to be more of a contributor this season.
"We're big, but we can run," Wallace said. "That's an advantage we need to use to wear other teams down."
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
