Saturday, November 6, 1999
After two months of unsupervised pickup games and three weeks in head coach Riley Wallace's boot camp, the Hawaii men's basketball team is ready to face a common opponent.
The new-look Rainbows will finally get a chance to show what they've learned tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center, when they take on the Northwest All-Stars, a traveling team of former college and pro players.
"It's great to finally play someone other than ourselves," said sophomore shooting guard Predrag Savovic, who sat out last season after transferring from Alabama-Birmingham.
"I'm excited," said small forward Lane O'Connor, a promising outside shooter from Santa Rosa Junior College in California.
It's the first of two exhibition games Hawaii will play. The Rainbows host the California All-Stars on Nov. 14. Five days later, in the Pepsi One/Nextel Challenge, they will play Tennessee-Martin.
HAWAII VS. NORTHWEST ALL-STARS
What: College basketball exhibition
The Rainbows' new uniforms, which resemble those worn by the Cincinnati Bearcats, will debut tomorrow.
The stage is open for anyone to step forward this season. But for now, the marquee players are Savovic and team captain Marquette Alexander.
Alexander, the high-intensity 6-foot-8 senior center who led the team in scoring last season (13.4 ppg) and is hard to stop inside, has impressed Wallace with his attitude.
"Marquette's been a surprise," he said. "He's worked hard, got his weight down in the off-season, and came back ready to go."
Alexander dropped 25 pounds and has been more energetic at both ends.
Savovic, a 6-6 sophomore voted a preseason co-Newcomer of the Year by the Western Athletic Conference media, could easily become a crowd favorite. He's a vocal, scrappy and creative playmaker who thrives on attacking the basket, and can shoot effectively from outside.
There will be 14 players eligible for tomorrow's game, and only four of them are returnees.
But Wallace, who has not spared the rod since Midnight Ohana, has already installed most of his offenses. Typically, he has pounded away about execution in practice and hasn't often sounded pleased.
But Wallace recently said this team has grasped his plays quicker than last year's 6-20 team, and he's optimistic about tomorrow.
"They'll be able to execute their stuff better (under normal game conditions)," he said.
Asked if this team, despite its youth, shows substantially more promise than last year's, Wallace said, "The overall work ethic and everything is better."
Wallace will go with a starting lineup of 6-7 junior Bernard McIntosh at the 4 spot, 6-9 Troy Ostler at center, O'Connor or Geremy Robinson at small forward, Savovic at shooting guard and 6-1 Johnny White at point guard.
Alexander, who is still in the picture as a starter, and White are the only two returning starters.
Nerijus Puida, the 6-4 junior wing who has clicked so well in Hawaii's fast break in the last two scrimmages, was originally to start. But Puida sustained multiple abrasions in a bicycle accident on Wednesday.
The biggest difference for the Rainbows this season will be firepower from the outside.
"We're not pure outside but we're better than we were," said Wallace.
Last season, two forwards (Alexander and Mike Robinson) led the team in scoring. None of the guards averaged in double figures.
But with shooters like Savovic, O'Connor, White, Mike McIntyre and Robinson, perimeter scoring will undoubtedly improve. Savovic, White and McIntyre have averaged in double figures in the scrimmages.
O'Connor, who was one of the nation's top junior college shooters from 3-point range last season at Santa Rosa JC.
White has improved as a shooter and is much more inclined he is to take it to the hoop. He had 30 points in the last scrimmage and 20 of those were from drives through the paint or the baseline.
Hawaii has four big men for two spots.
Alexander, Ostler, McIntosh and 7-footer Todd Field can all play center or power forward.
Alexander was second to Mike Robinson in rebounding last season. McIntosh has shown outstanding rebounding ability in the two scrimmages, averaging nine per game.
Ostler has averaged eight. Fields, despite restricted mobility, pulled down eight balls in last weekend's scrimmage.
THE RAINBOWS
44 MARQUETTE ALEXANDER
6-8, Center, Senior
San Francisco, Calif.
Returning top scorer (13.4 ppg)
2nd leading rebounder (5.2 rpg)11 JOHNNY WHITE
6-1, Point Guard, Senior
Orlando, Fla.
WAC's top returner in assists (5.5 apg)
Has improved as scorer1 PREDRAG SAVOVIC
6-6, "2" Guard, Sophomore
Republic of Montenegro
Creative playmaker who goes "110 percent all the time," says Riley Wallace.24 TROY OSTLER
6-9, "4" Forward, Junior
West Valley, Utah
Critical inside presence
High release hard to stop
Shot blocker. Can hit jumper22 NERIJUS PUIDA
6-4, "3" Forward, Junior
Kudirkos Naumiestis, Lithuania
Superb passer is key to Hawaii fast break
Opportunistic defender4 BERNARD McINTOSH
6-7, F/C, Junior
Lexington, N.C.
Ferocious rebounder who will score on putbacks
Plays menacing defense33 LANE O'CONNOR
6-6, "3" Forward, Junior
Vancouver, Wa.
Was 51% from 3-point distance at Santa Rosa JC
Dangerous against zones3 MIKE McINTYRE
6-2, "1,2" Guard, Sophomore
Long Beach, Calif.
Will be White's backup
Can hit the 3
Had 19 points in upset of Lobos34 TODD FIELDS
7-0, Center, Junior
Mesquite, Texas
Smart, physical, with soft shooting touch
Playing with injury30 GEREMY ROBINSON
6-4, "2" Guard, Senior
Baton Rouge, La.
Was 44% from 3-point distance last season
Hot practice shooter23 CARL ENGLISH
6-4, Point Guard, Freshman
Newfoundland, Canada
One of his country's most heralded prep stars
Slowed by ankle injury21 OA McGEE
6-4, "2" Guard, Freshman
Honolulu, Hawaii
Walk-on player
Brother of former Rainbow Kalia McGee10 LANCE TAKAKI
5-4, "2" Guard, Freshman
Honolulu, Hawaii
Walk-on player
Pesky halfcourt defender25 RAHULA HALL
5-11, "2" Guard, Sophomore
Hilo, Hawaii
Was 4-sport athlete at Hilo High.2 PHIL MARTIN
6-7, "4" Forward, Freshman
Ontario, Canada
Excellent feet in low post
Aggressive shot blocker
Currently ineligible
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Ka Leo O Hawaii
