Tuesday, January 12, 1999
UH men have
By Cindy Luis
lots of potential
Star-BulletinGood, but how good?
That's the question that faces the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team this season. The Rainbows open conference play tomorrow night against UC San Diego, a Division III school with no scholarships that usually ends up at the bottom of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings.
The concern for the Rainbows will not be the Tritons but themselves and their chemistry. They have the experience, with four starters back from a 23-6 team that went 8-0 in the final four weeks of the season before being eliminated in the MPSF Tournament semifinals.
The blocking is a given for Hawaii, ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll. All-American Andre Breuer and his 6-foot-9 frame are back in the middle, joined by all-American candidate Dejan Miladinovic at 6-7.
In the wings is freshman Cori Kamanao from Salt Lake, a 6-6, 265-pounder who could see some action this season.
The setting spot, which had been up in the air, is settled. Senior Mason Kuo will again run the offense ... not completely by default.
Noam Katz, the younger brother of Rainbow all-American Yuval, has returned to Israel. Sophomore setter Jorge Perez has had some academic problems but could be eligible to play this week; junior hitter Russell Lockwood has trained the past two months as the backup.
"Mason was good enough to win a national championship for us last year and he's better this year," said Rainbow coach Mike Wilton. "Absolutely, Mason is our guy. But when Mason was sick last weekend, Russell set the first team and did a wonderful job."
The Rainbows lost one of the country's best passers to graduation: Naveh Milo. Senior Chris Kosty is penciled into a passing formation that has undergone some alterations.
Behind Kosty at passer is sophomore Jorge Alifonso with freshman Hunter Haliniak third on the depth chart. Freshman hitter Imai Karratti is redshirting.
Hawaii has depth on the outside, with sophomores Clay Stanley (6-9) and BYU transfer Torry Tukuafu (6-6) alternating at opposite and outside. Stanley was injured during Saturday's practice, which might give newcomer Brenton Davis, a 6-4 sophomore from Las Vegas, a chance to start.
"I feel very good about this team. On paper, we look real good. But it's those intangibles that you can only find out through playing. That's why next week's tournament will be good for us because of the very good teams coming in."
Next week, Hawaii hosts half of last year's final four during the Outrigger Hotels Invitational, Jan. 20-22. Competing are defending NCAA champion UCLA, semifinalist Lewis, Penn State and the host Rainbows; it's a reunion of the 1996 final four field.
"The question marks for us lie in what kind of chemistry we have when the tough situations develop," Wilton said. "That kind of chemistry develops on the court.
"I do think we could be good enough to be in the final four (May 6-8 at UCLA). That's an expectation. But getting there will be a day-to-day process."
UC San Diego is 1-1, having lost at Pepperdine last Saturday, 15-2, 15-4, 15-9. The Tritons are led by senior blocker Devon Jeffcoat, the team's tallest player at 6-6.
Also on the roster is junior opposite Kaeo Griffin, a Punahou graduate.
"We're not taking UCSD lightly," said Wilton. "Even though they often end up toward the bottom of the conference, if you don't play hard, they can get you. Just ask SC and Long Beach Beach State two years ago. UCSD is a dangerous team."
Still, the Tritons are not expected to contend for a spot in the top echelon of the MPSF. Defending Pacific Division champion Hawaii expects its biggest competition in the division to come from Stanford, Southern Cal and Long Beach State.
In the Mountain Division, the contenders are UCLA, Pepperdine and Brigham Young.
Tomorrow and Friday: UC San Diego (1-1, 0-1) at No. 3 Hawaii (0-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.
1999 UH Men’s
Volleyball Schedulehttp://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
