Six-team Wahine
tourney starts
The six-team event features No. 12 California (10-7), as well as Creighton (8-3), Illinois State (6-6), Southeast Missouri State (0-3-1) and the Wahine (15-11-1). Hawaii, coming off a split of its four-game WAC series with Utah, slipped out of the Top 25 this week but garnered enough points to be ranked 28th.
The schedule at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium opens tomorrow with a 4 p.m. game between Southeast Missouri State and Creighton. The Wahine take on the Golden Bears in the 8 p.m. nightcap.
Sophomore right-hander Kelly Gentle is slated to start for Hawaii against Cal. Gentle (10-6) gave up no earned runs in three appearances and 162/3-innings last week against the Utes, including a 3-0 shutout last Saturday.
Double-elimination championship bracket play begins at 1 p.m. Saturday. The title game is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, with a second game to follow at 5 p.m. if needed.
NOTE: The Wahine have dedicated the season to junior infielder Joelynn Naki, who underwent surgery to remove a blood clot in her brain last November. Naki has returned home to Maui to continue her rehabilitation.
Donations can be sent to: P.O. Box 2239, Wailuku, Maui, 96713.
Bank of Hawaii Invitational
Where: Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
Creighton vs. SE Missouri State, 4 p.m.
California vs. Illinois State, 6 p.m.
Hawaii vs. California, 8 p.m. (Live, KFVE).
SE Missouri State vs. Illinois State, 10 a.m.
SE Missouri State vs. California, noon.
California vs. Creighton, 2 p.m.
Hawaii vs. Creighton, 4 p.m.
Hawaii vs. Illinois State, 6 p.m.
Creighton vs. Illinois State, 9 a.m.
Hawaii vs. SE Missouri State, 11 a.m.
Bracket play, 1-7 p.m.
Bracket play, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Championship, 3 p.m. (5 p.m., if needed).
Sea Warriors try new travel plans
By Cindy LuisStar-Bulletin
The third-ranked Sea Warriors (24-3) are expected to be among the top seeds when the field for the 60th NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is announced tomorrow. HPU opens its quest for a second national title in five years with a first-round game either next Tuesday or Wednesday in Tulsa.
"I really like our team, and I like our team's chances," said HPU coach Tony Sellitto, who was named earlier this week as the HIAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season. "I believe that the only thing that will stop us (from the title) is ourselves..
"Whether this team is a good as the (championship) team in 1993 remains to be seen. The only way to compare this team with the '93 team is for this team to win. "
HPU is breaking with tradition in its travel itinerary. The Sea Warriors leave tomorrow instead of taking a red-eye flight Sunday night.
"It was our president's (Chatt Wright) idea for us to go up early and get acclimated," Sellitto said. "I like going on Sunday, getting in on Monday, and playing on Tuesday. But the president thinks that's not that great of a thing to do.
"It was his idea to play at Blaisdell this season and I wanted to play at Mid-Pac. But Blaisdell was a blessing for us. So if he has had one good idea, I'll give him a chance for another."
HPU senior center Juergen Malbeck, the HIAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, liked the travel plans.
"Going one day before is not so good," said Malbeck, who led the HIAC in blocks (77) and shooting percentage (.684). "Going early is going to help."
Malbeck has already been invited to the June NBA camp at Portsmouth, Va.
SEASIDERS IN: Hawaii's two NAIA schools made it 2-for-2 yesterday when Brigham Young-Hawaii (20-7) was notified it was one of 10 teams receiving an at-large berth in the NAIA Tournament.
PLAYER OF WEEK: HPU's Llewellyn Smalley was named the HIAC Player of the Week yesterday. The junior guard scored a game-high 28 points in the conference championship game.