Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

RAINBOW CLASSIC NOTEBOOK

Volunteers emerge
from shadows

Is there room at the top at Rocky Top?

The Tennessee men's basketball team, which opens Rainbow Classic play tomorrow against George Washington, is favored to win the tournament and the Vols are ranked No. 6 in the nation. But until coach Jerry Green's team makes the Final Four, it will remain in the shadow of one of the best women's programs in the nation.

Then there's the football team. It won a national championship in 1998 and is a regular contender.

None of that bothers Green.

"We're starting to get a great following ourselves," he said. "(Women's basketball coach) Pat (Summit) deserves everything she gets, (football coach) Phillip (Fulmer) deserves everything he gets.

"I don't really have an ego. We just try to do the best we can on a day-to-day basis."

Guard Tony Harris was a bit envious at first, but has gotten over it.

"It was kind of frustrating because they were getting so much attention. But now that we have popped up on the scene with a good team, it doesn't really matter."

Schedule shift for next year

Hawaii athletic director Hugh Yoshida said a final decision has been made to change the Rainbow Classic to the week before Christmas beginning next year.

Moving the tournament up accommodates scheduling for visiting teams -- and UH, which opens WAC play Dec. 27 next year.

Burneika to start for Ostler tonight

Mindaugas Burneika (4.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg) will start in place of Troy Ostler in the post tonight for Hawaii in its opener against Manhattan, UH coach Riley Wallace said.

Ostler, the Rainbows' leading scorer (19.1 points a game) and rebounder (9.8 rebounds a game) sprained his ankle Saturday. Wallace said the injury is healing quickly, and Ostler may be able to play later in the tournament.

Tip-ins

Wallace's buzz cut, which he received because forward Lane O'Connor earned all A's this semester, drew positive reviews at last night's tournament banquet. ... George Washington coach Tom Penders is assisted by his son, Tommy Penders, and Iowa coach Steve Alford is assisted by his father, Sam Alford.

---

Dave Reardon, Star-Bulletin