T HE Midnight Ohana that introduced the Rainbows' men and women basketball teams crammed a little bit of everything and a lot of newcomer Geremy Robinson before ending at 2:15 this morning. Mike won’t be only
Robinson for RainbowsThere was Wahine Kylie Page outshooting Robinson in the 3-point contest.
Robinson came back to wow the nearly 9,000 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center in the slam-dunk contest only to lose to Erin "Helicopter" Galloway in a dunk-off.
And even though his White team lost, 66-64, to the Green team led by Galloway, Robinson showed the fans that he's going to be more than just the "other" Robinson this season for Riley Wallace's Rainbows.
The 6-foot-2 junior college transfer is a complete package. And he along with Johnny White, another big-play J.C. guard, should ease the withdrawal pains following the loss of last year's dynamic duo -- Anthony Carter and Alika Smith.
"He's a good athlete," Wallace said about Robinson, who averaged 17.8 points and 13 rebounds at Pearl River (Miss.) Junior College last season.
"Tim Floyd, the new Chicago coach from Iowa State, told me, 'Hey, you got a good one. Really good athlete who can stroke it, handle (the ball) and a good kid.' He's going to be a good one, I think. And, boy, can he get up."
THE 6-foot-8 Galloway, one of four seniors returning from last year's 21-9 team, liked what he saw, especially the play of his new teammates.
"I think we'll have no problem getting back to where we were at last year as soon as the new guys learn the plays and everything," Galloway said.
"Talent-wise we have a better team than we did last year. We have a lot of good shooters and we're a little quicker and bigger than we were last year overall. And deeper, definitely, at the guard position."
He feels the Rainbows this season will give opponents a lot of different looks and will have the personnel to create a lot of mismatches.
Galloway did make a grand entrance, coming into the arena in perfect synch with a videotaped helicopter landing. (It was filmed at night two weeks ago at Wheeler Field.) Some of those at the arena actually went outside, hoping to see the "landing."
Watching the game as a neutral observer -- he let Star-Bulletin's Paul Arnett and KHON's Bob Hogue coach the split squads -- Wallace also liked what he saw in the wee hours of the morning.
He's especially pleased with the depth at 3-point shooting as Robinson and returning swingman Casey Cartwright hit with accuracy from long range. Particularly impressive was 6-foot-6 Predrag Savovic, but he won't be eligible until next season, having transferred from Alabama-Birmingham.
"I told the guys that if they do what I ask them to do, we'll have a lot of guys who'll play," Wallace said. "I think right now we have some depth that can do some things."
Another solid addition should is 6-foot-8 Marquette Alexander, a wide body with a nice scoring touch.
With seniors Cartwright, Mike Robinson and Bryan Moeller being joined by redshirt freshman Philipp Czernin, Damon Lee and true freshman Michael McIntyre, it wouldn't be surprising if Wallace can go with a 10-man rotation.
Now that's depth, a must in the far-flung Western Athletic Conference.
"The future looks good for basketball," said Wallace said, referring to the newcomers, who'll be augmented by Savovic and 6-foot-8 Bernard McIntosh, a touted incoming J.C. transfer next year.
But the future is now for the Rainbows who play their first exhibition game Nov. 1 against a California all-star team and then open the season Nov. 15 at home against California.