Sports Update
Alika Smith: Born to play basketball
In the Basketball Dictionary, the definition of a great player is "One who works as hard as he plays, doing what he loves." Also see: Smith, Alika.Smith was born to play the game. He was the little brother who tagged along, wanting to prove he could play with the big boys -- i.e. brother Josh and his friends.
He was the coach's son who rebounded basketballs during Chaminade's practices and pregame warm-ups, dreaming that one day he'd be out there, too.
What the 6-foot-2 senior guard for the University of Hawaii never dreamed was how he would carry the torch for island players. Or how high.
Local boy makes good is an understatement.
Smith has become a PLAYER on the national scene, part of what has been considered one of the finest backcourt tandems in the country. He is truly the Boy Wonder to Anthony Carter's Batman, the perfect behind-the-scenes quiet guy who often saves the day.
Where would the Rainbows be without their leading scorer? Surely not back in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament berth going into today's critical WAC game with Tulsa.
With or without the cape, Smith has become a super hero to legions of young local players. Players who hope to be the next "Alika."
"I don't know about there being pressure put on me for being local, but I do put it on myself," said Smith, who will play his final regular-season home game Saturday. "I'm fighting out there for our fans, I'm playing for the people of Hawaii and my family. That was mainly the reason I stayed, my family. Without them, I wouldn't have survived anywhere else."
Long Beach serves upset loss to Rainbows
Two nights after Hawaii's sizzling serves caught No. 5 Long Beach State flat-footed, the visiting 49ers turned the tables on the Rainbows Friday night.The Beach served up seven aces to Hawaii's one and, accompanied by a season-high 22 blocks, upset the fourth-ranked Rainbows, 15-6, 15-17, 15-9, 17-15, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's volleyball match.
In front of 6,503 at the Stan Sheriff Center, the 49ers needed 2 hours and 51 minutes to hand Hawaii only its eighth home lass in four seasons and snap the Rainbows' seven-match winning streak. More importantly, it tightened the gap in the Pacific Division race of the MPSF; Hawaii (9-2) is 6-1 while The Beach (9-3) is 3-3.
"With Hawaii on our side (of the conference), it was so important for us to come back and win this one," said 49er setter Chris Seiffert. "I thought we came out fired up right from the first serve. We passed phenomenally well. After the way they served Wednesday, I was hoping they couldn't do it again."