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A season to remember It was a small victory for the Hawaii Pacific basketball team and coach Tony Sellitto, especially when compared to seasons past. Still, it was an important one.
'The Tiger' completes
his career with a roarBy Brandon Lee and Jerry Campany
blee@starbulletin.com | jcampany@starbulletin.comNo, the Sea Warriors are not gearing up for a run at a national championship, as they did successfully back in 1993 (NAIA title), when Sellitto became the only local basketball coach at any level to accomplish the feat.
HPU did not even qualify for a national postseason tournament, as it did eight other times during his 14-year tenure. In the final week of the regular season, the Sea Warriors lost three consecutive games to fall out of first place in the Pacific West Conference and out of postseason consideration.
But, instead of packing it up before their season finale, the Sea Warriors scored a 28-point road victory at Hawaii-Hilo last Saturday.
"Everything was against us," Sellitto said. "It was Hilo's Hall of Fame (induction) ceremony at halftime, it was their senior night, and the place was packed.
"We didn't say much before the game, but then the guys went out and played one of their best games of the year."
Of course, not everything was against the Sea Warriors -- they knew it was Sellitto's last game. He said prior to the season this would be his final year.
Although pleased with the outcome of his last game, Sellitto was disappointed that the conference title slipped away in his farewell season.
HPU needed just two wins in its final four games for a share of the PacWest championship and a chance to continue playing beyond the first week of March. But the Sea Warriors got just the one against the Vulcans and finished in third with a 9-6 conference, 18-9 overall record.
Still, the Sea Warriors' eight departing seniors left the six players who will return next year something to build upon. In winning last Saturday, HPU became the only team to beat the Vulcans in a conference home game this season.
Instead of ending 37 illustrious years of coaching -- which started with 23 years at Maryknoll High including a state championship -- with a four-game losing streak, the winningest men's collegiate hoops coach in Hawaii history finished with one last "W." The win left Sellitto with a career record at 295 wins and 136 losses.
"The way we won was so satisfying," Sellitto said. "Beating a team on their own home court by (almost) 30 points is something.
"Yes, I've always been disappointed every year I didn't win a title and I don't ever feel we've had a good year unless we're playing in a national postseason tournament. ... (But) basketball is a very difficult game to play, game by game. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't."
Among the departing players, the Sea Warriors lose four starters, including their top three scorers in Nash Subotic (15.7 ppg), Nick Spajic (10.9) and John Avilla (9.2). Junior post player Nate Block was the team's leading rebounder (6.2 rpg) and will be the only starter returning.
Sellitto will remain as HPU athletic director through the next school year before retiring completely. He said that he is continuing to help with recruiting replacements for next season to fill some of the holes around Block, though his official day-to-day leadership of the program is now over.
"It's probably hit me (already)," said Sellitto, on coming to terms with the end of his coaching career. "Yes, it's difficult, but it's just another phase of life. It's just time for somebody else."
Longtime assistant Russell Dung is Sellitto's choice to replace him as head coach, but there has been no official announcement from the school administration. A final decision is expected well before the late signing period begins next month.
Brigham Young-Hawaii
Lost in all of the hype over Sellitto's last year as a coach was the job done by his greatest rival, Brigham Young-Hawaii headman Ken Wagner.Wagner got the Seasiders into the national tournament by getting players to accept roles. It didn't happen over night, but it did just in time for the Seasiders to win their final three games and steal a share of the conference title.
"The toughest thing when you have all new players is for the coaches to recognize their individual talents and get them believing in your system," Wagner said. "When we were finally able to focus, we were able to get rid of personal agendas and really convinced each player of their role."
Wagner's players were able to do everything that he asked them to do, three of them becoming the best in the conference. He asked Alexus Foyle to be his primary scorer, and Foyle went on to lead the Conference in scoring as the only player to average more than 20 points per game.
He asked Scott Salisbury to rebound, and he led the conference in that category.
He asked Yuta Tabuse to pass the ball, and the freshman led the PacWest in assists.
Those were just the leaders, Keli'i Naihe and Brian Skinner blossomed as legitimate leaders and acquired the ability to carry the team at times while Tyree Gardner was among the conference's best sixth men.
The Seasiders started the conference season 1-3 when they got angry. From there, they won five games in a row to get back into contention.
"We knew we were better than that," Wagner said about the start. "There is nothing like playing at home for a few games. It was tough knowing that HPU, Hilo and Chaminade were all playing well and here we are at 1-3 and 2-4 in conference. The pressure was on, and the guys responded."
The Seasiders' journey ended in the first round of the national tournament yesterday. They were blown out by Seattle Pacific 82-57 in San Bernardino, Calif.
They certainly have something to work on for next year, as the margin of victory in their 10 losses is a gaudy 19.6.
"That is all because we have a young group," Wagner said. "When you are fighting to catch up, the lead balloons. It has been a good year, our young group took a step forward and our two seniors gave it everything they had."
Hawaii-Hilo
Vulcans coach Jeff Law has eight months to figure out what went wrong with his team and how to fix it without point guard Scotty Prather.Hilo jumped out to a 5-1 start in the conference but collapsed down the stretch, finishing fourth after losing seven of its last 11 games, six of them on the road.
"I probably won't be happy until about June," Law said. "But when I step back I will be fairly content about how the guys came together as a group and hope that those returning know that what we need to do is grow up from (the collapse)."
A large part of Hilo's collapse was its inability to win on the road, where the Vulcans went 2-6 with the victories coming at winless Western New Mexico and against a rusty Brigham Young-Hawaii squad. They only went on the road when they had to, leaving the Big Island for only the required eight conference road games. That enabled the Vulcans to run up their record at home, going 16-3 with two of their losses coming to Division I teams and the other one to Hawaii Pacific in Tony Sellitto's last game.
Prather established himself as the best point guard in the conference in his final season, scoring 16.6 points per game, including the 37 points he dropped on Division I South Carolina State.
He was the third best scorer in conference-only games, but his mere presence was the most important thing he brought to the team in his final year. He played in every game, averaging 37.5 minutes.
"He was always there," Law said. "He was our hardest worker and a leader by example, I'm hoping that the other guys that were there will pick up on the great things he did."
Derek MgBeke, Kyle Bartholomew and David Laqua all stepped up to carry the team in stretches, but the biggest surprise was Ryan Hogue.
Hogue won the wide open pivot spot after just four games, and didn't let it go. He didn't take many shots, but when he did get an attempt off, he hit it more often than anyone else in the conference did.
He led the PacWest in field-goal percentage, hitting 46 of his 72 shots and was second in the conference in free-throw percentage at 84 percent.
Whatever Law does over the summer to ensure his team does not disintegrate down the stretch, Hogue figures to be a part of his plans.
Chaminade
Before Aaron Griess was named Silverswords head coach two years ago, Chaminade's last winning campaign was the 1986-87 season.Griess has now put together back-to-back winning seasons with a 16-11 overall, 8-7 conference record, good for a tie for fourth in the PacWest.
"Last year, being over .500, I thought we turned the corner then," Griess said. "In my second year, my expectations changed. I hoped for 17, 18, maybe 19 wins, but we had some personnel issues and injuries.
"I'm happy with what we've done. (Back-to-back winning seasons) was real important for us, doing it again."
Chaminade was without leading scorer and rebounder Leon Ballard for nearly all of the PacWest season due to a broken foot. But the Silverswords contended for the conference title until the final weekend, when they suffered two losses at home to eventual PacWest co-champion Brigham Young-Hawaii.
"It's such a big thing, especially with the history of Chaminade," Griess said. "We wanted to compete for the conference title and we were right there until the end. ... I'm really looking forward to next year."
Ballard will be back and should be at full strength next season. The Silverswords lose first-team conference all-star Igor Beljanski (11.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg) from the post and Albert Powell (12.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg) from the perimeter, but return three others in addition to Ballard who averaged double-figure points. Jaborri Thomas is tops among them at 11.2 ppg.