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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, February 4, 2005

Cards, video games make trips bearable

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Win or lose, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team will find a way to have fun on its current road trip.

Riley Wallace

The Rainbow Warriors embarked on their longest road trip of this season yesterday. The 'Bows arrived in San Jose, Calif., last night for the start of an 11-day, three-game road trip that will cover more than 8,000 miles.

The 'Bows will play Western Athletic Conference games at San Jose State tomorrow, at Louisiana Tech next Thursday, and then at Southern Methodist next Saturday.

"You just have to maintain focus through the whole thing," Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said. "And winning always helps make it shorter."

But when the basketball games are not being played, the Hawai'i players try to play something else, like video games or card games.

"We usually bring a PlayStation and we take turns playing each other," senior guard Jake Sottos said. "Sometimes we play poker. It just depends what kind of mood we're in, but we always figure out a way to have fun."

Junior forward Julian Sensley added: "We find ways to keep ourselves occupied. Coach always takes us to a shopping mall or something like that, and sometimes we go to the movies. It's not as bad as it seems — there's things to do."

Wallace has also made sure to set aside academic time for his players. One representative from the UH Student-Athlete Academic Services office is traveling with the team as a tutor on every trip this season.

"Most of the guys are good students, but it still helps to have somebody there to make sure they keep up," Wallace said.



Wallace wants to end afternoon games

If Wallace could have his way, conference games would not see the light of day.

Hawai'i's game tomorrow at San Jose State will start at noon (Hawai'i time).

"Unless you're doing it for (national) TV, I don't think there should be games in the afternoon," he said. "I think some teams are doing it to try and get an advantage, and it shouldn't be that way."

Several WAC teams are scheduling afternoon games on the weekends this season. Hawai'i already played an afternoon game at Boise State this season, and will have another one at Rice later this month.

Wallace said the afternoon start times especially hurt the 'Bows because of their long travel itineraries.

"One of the things we like to do on the road is let the players sleep in a little late so that they can catch up on some rest after the long flights," Wallace said. "Well, if you have to prepare for an afternoon game, you need an earlier wake-up. It just throws a lot of things off."

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said there is no conference rule regarding start times for games. Wallace said he will express his concerns to the conference prior to the release of next season's schedules.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.