Thompson rejoining UH basketball

With one Hawaii point guard approaching the end of his career, the Rainbow Warrior basketball team will welcome back another next season.

Hiram Thompson, who played for the Rainbows in the 2005-06 season, has signed a scholarship agreement and will rejoin the program next year after serving a two-year Mormon mission in Iowa, the school announced yesterday.

Thompson, a 6-foot-4 guard, appeared in 18 games as a freshman -- when the Rainbows finished 17-11 -- averaging 2.8 points in 10.9 minutes per game. He will be a sophomore next season with three years of eligibility remaining.

Thompson's return figures to add depth and experience to the UH backcourt next season. Senior Matt Gibson will complete his eligibility this season, while freshman Kareem Nitoto returns at the point guard spot.

An all-state pick at Oak Ridge High School in Northern California, Thompson showed flashes of his potential as a freshman. He sparked the team in a Rainbow Classic game against Northwestern State, coming off the bench to score 15 points in a UH win. He was also selected to the Academic All-Western Athletic Conference team that season.