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Thursday, June 1, 2000
Battle-tested
Shimonovich gives
’Bows toughness
The UH basketball recruit won't
Pat Bigold
have any problems making the
transition to Hawaii
after the Gulf War
Star-BulletinHaim Shimonovich might make one of the easier transitions into coach Riley Wallace's demanding University of Hawaii basketball regimen.
Shimonovich, 20, reports to the Manoa campus right after he ends a three-year stint with the Israeli army Aug. 22.
It's unlikely the shriek of a whistle and Wallace's roar will intimidate him.
At age 11, he lived through Saddam Hussein's missile attack on Israel during the Gulf War.
"They were landing five minutes from our house," said the 6-foot-10, 250-pound center who is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor.
"One time the engine of a missile landed in our backyard."
Asked if he was scared, Shimonovich said, "You get used to it in Israel."
No, not even Bob Knight's ravings could distract a young man who's already come to grips with his own mortality.
Shimonovich also has experience in Israeli's tough premier pro league.
He averaged six points and six rebounds in 1999-2000 coming off the bench for Maccabi Rishon Le Zion, and he has played with and against pros who are 15 years older than him.
He has faced opponents like former Central Michigan and CBA 7-footer Nate Huffman and former NBA players Kenny Williams, Norris Coleman, Andrew Kennedy and Dennis Hopson.
"It is physical," Shimonovich said.
Ricky Terrell, who will battle David Hilton for the Rainbows' starting point guard job, said he's anxious to work with Shimonovich.
"I never had a big man to play with who was solid enough to drop the ball to," Terrell said. "I know we got the guards at Hawaii, but you need the solid big man down low."
Shimonovich is eligible for American college ball because he never lost his amateur status in the pro league. As a soldier, he was not allowed to take money for his games.
His days, which still begin very early, were divided between working at an Army post exchange store and playing basketball during the league season.
Shimonovich never had a chance to play college ball because, like all Israelis, his military obligation kicked in as soon as he finished high school.
Recruited by globetrotting Hawaii assistant coach Scott Rigot, he signed a letter of intent without even seeing the Manoa campus.
But he has been to the U.S. twice before.
"Ten years ago with my parents and four years ago with some friends," he said. "I've been to Florida, New York, Boston, Niagara Falls, California."
Shimonovich's father, Moshe, teaches high school math and his mother, Malka, works with computer software.
He has taken the SAT and still awaits the results. Shimonovich said the math is easy for him but English remains a struggle.
Rigot said he has no worries about the player qualifying.
When Shimonovich arrives here, he comes to a team with a distinctly European flavor (five on scholarship). He will compete with 7-footer Todd Fields for the starting job at center.
With the Israeli league season long over, Shimonovich has been concentrating on strength and conditioning.
With 6-9 starting power forward Troy Ostler, a WAC All-Newcomers Team pick last season, already committed to developing more muscle, Hawaii could be difficult to budge under the glass.
"Haim is very strong," said Malka with a reassuring voice. "He is even stronger than you think."
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
