'Bows ring in new year

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Anthony Carter of the University of Hawaii maneuvers between Frankie Edwards (44) and Wyking Jones of the California All-Stars during the first half of last night's exhibition game at the Special Events Arena.

It wasn't perfect, but Hawaii still had enough to beat the California All-Stars

By Dave Reardon
Special to the Star-Bulletin

The University of Hawaii basketball team got its rings last night. Then it almost got its bell rung.

As 3,634 watched at the Special Events Arena, UH players and staff received their awards for winning a share of the 1996-97 Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division.

Then an unimpressed and experienced collection of former college players called the California All-Stars extended Hawaii to the final minutes before losing, 78-74.

"This was the perfect game for us," UH coach Riley Wallace said. "It was exactly what I wanted out of an exhibition game. But boy, do we have some work to do to get ready for the Hoosiers."

Wallace knows a "perfect game" a week from today against No. 23 Indiana will mean an 0-1 record. Hawaii was out-rebounded, out-shot and nearly out-hustled. If not for clutch play down the stretch, the Rainbows would have been perfectly beaten.

Senior guard Anthony Carter was his brilliant self (24 points and 10 assists) in leading a fast break that brought back memories of Hawaii's 21-8 season of a year ago.

Carter was on the front and back ends of several alley-oops, some successful, some not. He led breaks with his speed and finished them with dunks and reverse layups.

Quite entertaining, though not perfect. And not exactly what Wallace wanted.

"We need to work more on our half-court game," he said. "We were looking for too many spectaculars. We got away with it tonight, but good defense will not allow you to do that."

Carter disagreed.

"The lob was there," Carter said. "I think we did a pretty good job and I don't think spectacular passes was a problem."

One problem with the lob, at least in the first half, was that it was rarely converted. Center Mike Robinson missed nine of 10 shots, many of them tip-ins or layups.

But Robinson relaxed in the second half and played a key role in Hawaii's comeback from a late deficit.

Rainbows associate head coach Bob Nash said he told Robinson at halftime to "relax and play like he did the five weeks in practice."

"I just took my time and concentrated a little better," said Robinson, Hawaii's sixth man most of last season. "I took a glimpse at the past and opened my eyes to the present."

Guard Alika Smith also played better in the second half. He finished with 16 points, 12 after intermission.

"I think we had some jitters at first, but we showed a lot of heart at the end," Smith said. "But we never did step it up on defense. If we play that kind of defense, we'll get an 'L' next week."

Joseph Blair, a former Arizona center who played with Damon Stoudamire, was impressive for California. He scored 20 points, and his dunk with 3:40 left gave his team a 67-63 lead.

"Blair schooled all of our big guys," Wallace said.

But Hawaii tied it at 69 with 2:12 left on two free throws by Eric Ambrozich, and went ahead to stay following another pair of free throws by Smith, Carter's 15-foot jumper, and a tip-in by Ambrozich.

"Sometimes when you play against this kind of team, the players aren't in shape, and they react badly to calls against them," Wallace said. "But the California All-Stars were tough, and they got tougher when things went against them."

At Special Events Arena

Hawaii 78, California All-Stars 74

California Stars

               mp   fgm   fga   ftm   fta   reb   pf   tp  

  Blair      35  8   14  4   10    6  4   20  

  Tuialii      19  2  6  0  0    5  3   4  

  Myers      28  4  7  1  5    10  1   9  

  Gray      20  6   17  0  0    4  4   12  

  Thomas      24  1  5  2  2    4  3   5  

  McLinn      26  4  7  6  8    2  2   18  

  Hall      12  1  3  0  0    2  1   2  

  Jones      17  0  2  1  2    4  2   1  

  Edwards      19  1  3  1  3    4  1   3  

  Team                     3       

  Totals     200   27   64   15   30    44   21   74  

Rainbows

              mp   fgm   fga   ftm   fta   reb   pf   tp  

  Kroeger      34  3  6  1  2     2  2   7  

  Ambrozich      25  4  8  7   10     9  4   15  

  Robinson     25  5   15  1  3    13  4   12  

  Smith      36  7   12  2  2     0  1   16  

  Carter      38  9   21  6  8     5  4   24  

  Galloway     21  2  6  0  0     3  1   4  

  Hook      4  0  1  0  0     0  0   0  

  Cartwright      8  0  3  0  0     1  0   0  

  Moeller      9  0  0  0  0     3  4   0  

  Team                     4       

  Totals     200   30   72   18   25    40   20   78  

Key: mp-minutes played. fgm-field goals made. fga-field goals attempted. ftm-free throws made. fta-free throws attempted. reb-rebounds. pf-personal fouls. pts-points scored.

Halftime score-California Stars 26, Hawaii 25.

3-point goals-California Stars 5-18 (McLinn 4-6, Thomas 1-3, Myers 0-1, Tuaalii 0-1, Hall 0-2), UH 0-7 (Kroeger 0-2, Smith 0-2, Carter 0-3).

Assists-California 15 (Myers 6), UH 21 (Carter 10). Turnovers-California 22, UH 16. Steals-California 7 (Gray 3), UH 12 (Carter 6). Blocked shots-California 2 (Blair 2), UH 5 (Galloway 2).

A-Unavailable. Officials: Craig Peterson, Pat Tanibe, Tom Yoshida.