WAC TOURNAMENT
Honors for Gueye, Lojo
Hawaii's senior co-captains have paced the Rainbow Warriors as leaders and top producers this season. So, not surprisingly, they also represent the Rainbow Warriors on the Western Athletic Conference's postseason basketball awards lists.
After helping Hawaii cap the regular season with a stirring senior-night victory, guard Matt Lojeski was named to the All-WAC second team yesterday. Forward Ahmet Gueye, the Rainbows' leading shot blocker, made the All-Defensive team for the second straight year.
"It's not something you really pay attention to (during the season)," Lojeski said. "You just try to play hard and that stuff will come.
"It's a nice honor. It's nice to know that the coaches recognize you and think you did a good job."
After getting a fond farewell from the home fans on senior night, the Rainbows embarked on their next mission yesterday, heading to the mainland for the WAC tournament in Las Cruces, N.M., and taking a four-game winning streak with them.
"It's still the beginning," UH forward Bobby Nash said. "This is our fourth season and we have to go into WAC tournament play and do the best we can."
Nash's reference was to the segments that comprise the Rainbows' schedule -- the nonconference season, the Rainbow Classic, the WAC regular season and the WAC tournament.
The last phase begins Thursday with fifth-seeded Hawaii (18-12, 8-8 WAC) taking on fourth-seeded Utah State (21-10, 9-7) in a quarterfinal game at New Mexico State's Pan American Center. The game is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Hawaii time.
"We've got this momentum going into the WAC, and we're confident, we know we can do some damage," Lojeski said.
Lojeski also won WAC Player of the Week honors following a remarkable shooting performance in UH's 92-75 win over Boise State at the Stan Sheriff Center. He hit 11 of 14 shots from the field, including all seven 3-point attempts and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in scoring a career-high 35 points in Saturday's home finale.
In UH's wins over Idaho and Boise State last week, Lojeski shot a combined 17-for-24 from the field, including 8-for-8 from 3-point range, and was 13-for-14 from the free-throw line. His point total was the second highest for a UH player at the Sheriff Center, surpassed only by Tes Whitlock's 37-point performance against Seton Hall in 1994.
He closed the regular season third in the WAC in shooting percentage at 54.8 percent, and was the top-ranked guard on the list.
He leads the Rainbows in scoring at 16.8 points per game, good for fifth in the conference, and in assists with 133. Lojeski and guard Matt Gibson are tied for the team lead with 43 3-pointers and 51 steals each.
Both Lojeski and Gueye were members of the All-Newcomer team last season.
Gueye forged his follow-up season by battling back from a knee injury to anchor the Rainbows in the post. He ranks second on the team at 12.3 points per game and is averaging a team-high 8.3 rebounds. He also has 63 blocks, placing him second in the league.
Lojeski and Gueye (17 points, nine rebounds) combined to make 17 of 24 shots from the field and all 11 free throws between them in Saturday's win. Lojeski set a UH record by going 7-for-7 on 3-pointers and Gueye swatted away three shots.
"They just turned it up," Wallace said. "(Lojeski) and Ahmet played and the rest of the guys jumped on their backs and followed them."
Nevada forward Nick Fazekas and coach Mark Fox swept the league's top honors for a third straight year.
Fazekas (21.1 points, 10.3 rebounds per game) became only the second three-time WAC Player of the Year recipient, joining former Utah standout Keith Van Horn. Fox won the Don Haskins Coach of the Year award a record third time after leading Nevada to a fourth straight regular-season title and the highest ranking (No. 10) in school history.
Joining Fazekas on the All-WAC first team were Boise State guard Coby Karl, Nevada guard Marcellus Kemp, Utah State guard Jaycee Carroll and New Mexico State forward Justin Hawkins.
The second team was comprised of Lojeski, Fresno State forwards Quinton Hosley and Dominic McGuire, Louisiana Tech guard Trey McDowell and Nevada guard Ramon Sessions.
Boise State guard Anthony Thomas was named Freshman of the Year.
2006-07 All-WAC Teams
Men
Player of the Year
Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Freshman of the Year
Anthony Thomas, Boise State
Don Haskins Coach of the Year
Mark Fox, Nevada
First Team
Coby Karl, Boise State
Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Marcelus Kemp, Nevada
Justin Hawkins, New Mexico State
Jaycee Carroll, Utah State
Second Team
Quinton Hosley, Fresno State
Dominic McGuire, Fresno State
Matt Lojeski, Hawaii
Trey McDowell, Louisiana Tech
Ramon Sessions, Nevada
All-Newcomer Team
Reggie Larry, Boise State
Matt Nelson, Boise State,
Dominic McGuire, Fresno State
Justin Hawkins, New Mexico State
Fred Peete, New Mexico State
All-Defensive Team
Eric Lane, Boise State
Dominic McGuire, Fresno State
Ahmet Gueye, Hawaii
Kyle Shiloh, Nevada
Fred Peete, New Mexico State
Women
Player of the year
Shan Moore, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year
Gordy Presnell, Boise State
Newcomer of the year
Katie Madison, Idaho
first team
Dellena Criner, Nevada
Shan Moore, Louisiana Tech
Ty Moore, Louisiana Tech
Chantella Perera, Fresno State
Tanya Smith, Hawaii
Jessica Thompson, Boise State
Second team
Traci Graham, Nevada
Michelle Hessing, Boise State
Katie Madison, Idaho
Sherell Neal, New Mexico State
Tierre Wilson, Fresno State
All-Newcomer Team
Shanavia Dowdell, Louisiana Tech
Marianne Lombardi, Nevada
Katie Madison, Idaho
Charlotte Otero, Idaho
Brittany Powell, San Jose State
All-Defensive Team
Amber Metoyer, Louisiana Tech
Dellena Criner, Nevada
Brittany Grice, Hawaii
Ty Moore, Louisiana Tech
Sherell Neal, New Mexico State