Mother says
Sensley wants to play
basketball for UHThe former Kalaheo star must
first earn an associate's degree
The odyssey of one of the most dynamic basketball talents the state has produced may soon end up back in the islands.
Former Kalaheo standout Julian Sensley was granted a release by San Francisco from a national letter of intent and plans to enroll at Hawaii for the fall semester, his mother confirmed yesterday.
Susanne Karsten said Sensley's plan still hinges on him earning an associate's degree from Los Angeles City College next month. Should that happen, Karsten said Sensley is "99 percent" sure he'll be at UH in the fall.
"It's something he's been wanting to do," she said.
Sensley has lived away from Hawaii since he left Kalaheo after his junior year to attend a prep school in Connecticut, and Karsten said he's ready to return home.
"When they're young everything outside of Hawaii looks so good, and when they've been gone a while, Hawaii doesn't seem so bad after all," she said.
Sensley, a 6-foot-8 forward, was an all-state selection during his three years at Kalaheo. He transferred to St. Thomas More Prep School in Connecticut as a junior and helped the school to two Class A state championships before graduating in 2001.
He signed a letter of intent with California, but fell just short of earning a qualifying test score and his appeal for an initial eligibility waiver was denied by the NCAA.
During the next year he was linked to Iona and Fresno State, but didn't attend either. He also declared for last year's NBA Draft and attended the pre-draft camp in Chicago, but pulled his name out before the deadline to maintain his college eligibility.
He enrolled at Los Angeles CC last summer where he played his first season of college basketball. He was named to the California Community College All-State team and helped the team to a 36-2 record and a state title.
Sensley signed a letter of intent to San Francisco in the fall, but requested a release from his commitment and now hopes to join the UH program.
"He really feels he can do well at UH academically and in basketball," Karsten said. "I'm very proud of him, he hung in there."
UH Athletics
