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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, December 6, 2009

Balocka's 20-20 boost Rainbow Warriors past Lamar, 96-78


Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Petras Balocka

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The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team was at its Sunday best in a 96-78 victory over Lamar today.

A Sunday late-afternoon crowd of 2,597 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Rainbow Warriors snap a four-game losing streak to improve to 3-4.

Lamar is 3-6, including 0-6 in road games.

The 96 points and nine 3-pointers were season-highs for the 'Bows, and it was the most points scored by a Hawai'i team since the 2003-04 season.

Petras Balocka had a rare 20-20 game for the 'Bows. He finished with 20 points and 20 rebounds — the first Hawai'i player to accomplish that since Bob Nash did it as a player in the 1971-72 season. Nash is now the UH head coach.

Roderick Flemings also scored 22 for the 'Bows, and Brandon Adams added 10. Hiram Thompson scored nine and had eight assists.

All 13 Hawai'i players in uniform scored, including the return of Dwain Williams and debut of Douglas Kurtz.

The score was tied at 19 midway through the first half, then the 'Bows went on an 11-2 run to take a 30-21 lead. Hawaiçi eventually took a 40-31 lead at intermission, with Flemings scoring 13 in the first half.

The 'Bows turned it into a rout in the second half after a 16-0 run pushed the lead to 64-37 with 13:01 remaining. Flemings highlighted the surge with seven points.

Williams returned to action after sitting out the last two games. He was suspended for two games by Nash for violating team rules.

Williams finished with three points in 14 minutes off the bench.

Kurtz also made his NCAA Division I debut for the 'Bows. The 7-footer sat out the first six games of this season as a NCAA penalty for eligibility issues.

Kurtz played seven minutes — all in the second half — and contributed three points and four rebounds. He fouled out with 1:25 remaining.

Justin Nabors led Lamar with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Today was the first of a nine-game homestand for the 'Bows. Hawai'i will next host Chaminade on Wednesday.