Rainbow Classic Bob Nash can finally get some sleep.
field complete
By Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.comThe associate head coach for the Hawaii basketball team has been getting into the office at 4 a.m. to make phone calls to the East Coast, searching for teams to fill out this year's schedule. He connected this week, getting commitments from Alcorn State and Chicago State to complete the Dec. 27-30 Rainbow Classic field.
"I'm glad it's done," Nash said yesterday. "Coach (Riley) Wallace and I and our other coaches have been calling all over the country, trying to get it down. It was a long task but now we're ready to move on and get to work on the basketball court."
Midnight Ohana, the Rainbows' first official practice, is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Hawaii will open up with a Nov. 11 exhibition against Hawaii-Hilo, coached by former Rainbow assistant Jeff Law.
Following an exhibition against the EA Sports California All-Stars on Nov. 17 is the Hawaiian Airlines Tip-Off Tournament, Nov. 22 and 24. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi meets Arkansas-Little Rock in the opener, followed by Hawaii facing Cal State Fullerton.
Part of the delay in finalizing the schedule was schools waiting on a ruling by an Ohio judge on exempt tournaments. The judge in July upheld the NCAA limit on participation in certified tournament to twice every four years.
Alcorn State, which played Hawaii last season, returns for the second of its two visits. Also back will be legendary coach Davey Whitney, who was scheduled to retire last season but was talked into one final year.
"He's retiring for real this year," said Nash. "It was a blessing for us that he was available late and we're happy to have him part of the Rainbow Classic."
Alcorn State is one of the two NCAA Tournament teams the Rainbows will face in the preseason, the other being Western Kentucky, another team in the Rainbow Classic. Other teams are Tennessee Tech, Bradley, Butler and Texas-Pan American.
There had been much speculation that San Diego would be in the Classic field but the Torero administration wanted a home-and-home with the Rainbows.
"It would have been an expensive venture for us," said Nash. "We would have to give them a little more of a financial package than we wanted to. And the big stumbling block was the return game to their place next year. We didn't feel like it was something we wanted to lock into.
"This sent a message that we need to jump on things more. We've begun next year's schedule, have Pepperdine and Baylor contracted for the Classic. With ESPN maybe coming back on board, and with moving it to before Christmas, it should help get the teams we want to come."
UH Athletics
