Despite a late surge, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team lost one at the buzzer in the game of recruiting yesterday.

Brian Freeman, a coveted post player from Clackamas (Ore.) Community College, committed to play for Long Beach State yesterday.

He visited Hawai'i last weekend, and then contemplated all week between signing with the Rainbow Warriors or 49ers.

"I don't think there was any one factor," Clackamas head coach Cliff Wegner said. "He just went with a gut feeling. It really was a hard decision that could have gone either way."

Freeman, a 6-foot-10 forward/center, averaged 18.8 points and a league-high 13.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore last season.

"He's a great player and a great kid," Wegner said. "I feel so bad for the University of Hawai'i because he would have been a good fit there."

Wegner said a delay in the selection of Nash as head coach of the 'Bows may have played a role in the recruiting process. Nash was named as the successor to Riley Wallace on April 13.

One week earlier, Dan Monson was named the new head coach at Long Beach State.

"If things were done differently, I think Brian might have been a Rainbow Warrior by now," Wegner said. "I understand the University of Hawai'i wanted to go through a process to pick their coach, but what that did was allow Long Beach State to come in strong."

However, Wegner said Hawai'i became a strong contender for Freeman after Nash was named head coach.

"Coach Nash and (associate coach Jackson) Wheeler did a good job of making it a hard decision for Brian," Wegner said. "There were no negatives about either program."

The Hawai'i coaches are not allowed to comment on recruits under NCAA rules.

Despite the setback, Nash said Hawai'i's recruiting process is "ongoing." The 'Bows have four scholarships available for the 2007-08 season.

Nash said he would like to sign at least one point guard and at least one low-post player.

"We're looking at multiple positions," he said. "We're looking for the right mix of athleticism and size, regardless of position. But hopefully we can find a point guard and some big men."

COACHING STAFF ON HOLD

Nash said he wants to fill his roster of players before he fills his roster of coaches. There are currently two vacancies on his coaching staff.

"I'm moving through one thing at a time, and right now, my focus is on recruiting," Nash said.

Nash, associate coach Jackson Wheeler, and director of basketball operations Eran Ganot are currently performing the daily coaching duties. However, Nash did not want to comment on the status of Wheeler and Ganot, citing privacy issues on personnel matters.

LOOKING FOR BOOSTERS

In addition to players and coaches, Nash said he is also in the process of recruiting boosters to help the program under his tenure.

"I'm trying to meet as many people as I can to explain what we're trying to do and how we want to grow as a program," he said. "It's going to take money to do some of the things I want to do, and I need help from the community. I'll speak to anybody who will listen."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.