RAINBOW BASKETBALL
New Rainbows ready for Division I
The team will play an exhibition against D-II UH-Hilo before hosting No. 4 Michigan State
YESTERDAY'S annual media session gave the Hawaii basketball team's newcomers a chance to introduce themselves to the public.
The first-year Rainbow Warriors then got back to the business of preparing for a memorable welcome to Division I ball.
Hawaii plays an exhibition game against Hawaii-Hilo on Friday, then opens the regular season next week against nationally ranked Michigan State.
"We're real excited," junior forward Ahmet Gueye said. "Hearing we're going to play against Michigan State, it's a dream come true. I know now that I'm in Division I."
Gueye is part of a group of five new scholarship players looking forward to making their debuts with the Rainbows -- especially against a team that ended last season in the Final Four.
The Spartans are ranked fourth in the Associated Press preseason poll and fifth in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll.
"I was hoping they'd win it all," junior Matt Lojeski said of watching MSU advance through the NCAA Tournament.
"You see (Michigan State) all the time on TV, see them all over the newspapers. They're definitely one of the elite programs."
Before taking on the Spartans, UH will prepare for in-state foe UH-Hilo. The Vulcans, ranked 23rd in the NCAA Division II preseason poll, visits Manoa at 7:05 p.m.
Michigan State then arrives at the Stan Sheriff Center on Nov. 19 for an afternoon matchup. Tip-off for the opener -- which has been designated a "white out" game -- is set for 1:05 p.m.
Gueye, Lojeski and guard John Wilder are making the jump from junior college basketball while freshman guards Hiram Thompson and Dominic Waters were in high school just a few months ago.
Wilder, who is competing for playing time at point guard, said having Michigan State on the schedule was part of the reason he chose to sign with UH.
"I just hope I get a chance to play," Wilder said. "If we come in with the intensity we come to practice with every day, we'll have a chance to win."
The first-year players have gone through their share of growing pains inherent in learning a new system since practice began in mid-October.
UH head coach Riley Wallace pointed to Lojeski as the newcomer most ready to take the floor. Lojeski has played shooting guard and small forward in practice and has shown an ability to score from the perimeter and on drives to the basket.
"He knows how to play," Wallace said. "He sees the court, hits shots, rebounds, plays hard on defense. He's the real deal. I don't mean he's going to come in and dominate, but he's ready to play."
Wallace said he hasn't settled on his starting five for the UH-Hilo game and the players are simply looking forward to playing against someone other than their teammates.
"We don't know yet if we're going to be in the starting five, so everybody wants to get into the (lineup)," Gueye said. "We're all helping each other get better. We have a lot of talent and we know how to play with each other."
Just the fax: The early signing period for basketball begins today. The Rainbows are expected to receive a letter of intent from Alex Veit, a 6-foot-9 forward from Monterey Peninsula College. UH will have four scholarships to offer for the late signing period, which begins April 12.
Injury update: Senior center Milos Zivanovic is expected to miss six weeks with a fracture in his left thumb. Center Chris Botez missed yesterday's practice with strep throat.
Gueye (sprained knee) and Julian Sensley (ankle) both participated in practice.
Tickets on sale: Tickets for the UH-Hilo game are available. The game is not part of the season-ticket package.
General admission tickets are $7 (adults) and $4 (students 4-18, UH students) and can be purchased at the Sheriff Center box office, the Rainbowtique at Ward Centre, Aloha Stadium, the UH Campus Center and Windward Community College OCET Office. Tickets are also available via telephone at 944-2697 and online at HawaiiAthletics.com.
Season-ticket sales are also under way. Individual game tickets and the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic packages go on sale Nov. 14.