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Despite ankle,
Sensley won’t sit

'Just trying to prove myself
as a leader,' the preseason
All-WAC pick says

Julian Sensley could stay on the bench, nurse his tender left ankle and watch the rest of his teammates sweat through the Hawaii basketball team's early-season practices.

As a preseason All-Western Athletic Conference pick, Sensley's spot in the Rainbow Warriors lineup would seem secure even if he missed a few workouts.

But the junior is trying to earn more than just a starting spot.

"I'm just trying to prove myself as a leader," Sensley said. "Sitting on the side for two or three days really bothered me. I wanted to get back and try to fight through this."

Sensley sprained his ankle late in the Rainbows' workout on Saturday. He sat out the next two days and returned to the court for yesterday's practice at the Stan Sheriff Center with a brace around the ankle.

He favored the injury at times during the workout, but made it through the entire session.

"It was a pretty bad (sprain)," Sensley said. "Right now it hurts really bad, so I'm going to get some ice on it and hopefully come back tomorrow again. I'm just taking it a day at a time."

The 6-foot-9, 235-pounder from Kailua figures to be the focal point of the UH attack as the Rainbows' lone returning starter. He led the team in rebounds (7.3 per game) last year and finished second in scoring (12.3 points) and assists (113). He started all 33 games as a sophomore and rarely went to the bench, averaging more than 35 minutes per contest.

So while the sight of Sensley lying on the floor clutching his ankle Saturday morning likely sent chills through the UH coaches, they're encouraged by his willingness to battle through the injury.

"He's got to show leadership that way and he's got to get out there," UH head coach Riley Wallace said.

The Rainbows were forced to shuffle the rotation at small forward with Sensley and senior Vaidotas Peciukas out over the weekend.

Peciukas had surgery to repair a tear in the medial collateral ligament of his right knee on Friday. Wallace said Peciukas hopes to be back before the start of the season, which opens Nov. 23 against Mississippi Valley State.

Peciukas and center Milos Zivanovic are the only Hawaii players who have been with the program at least two years. Peciukas has started six games in his career and has been able to provide an offensive spark off the bench at times during his first two seasons with the 'Bows.

"He gives us a different look," Wallace said. "When Julian's in there, he's giving you big and power. When (Peciukas) is in there he gives you movement without the ball and a little more quickness and speed."

Zivanovic, a fourth-year junior, returned to practice on Monday after missing most of last week battling the flu and is competing with junior transfer Chris Botez at center.

Courtside view: With the dollars spread thin throughout the UH athletic department, Wallace was happy to see a plan to sell courtside seating for UH basketball games approved by the school's Board of Regents last week.

"I've been for it for a lot of years," Wallace said. "It's just another revenue source that you have to have."

The courtside seats will be available starting this season after having won approval from the board at its meeting in Hilo. The plan is aimed at better using the courtside area and offer more seating options for high end donors and sponsors.

Lee an Aggie: Former UH point guard Logan Lee is now a member of the Texas A&M basketball program.

Lee, who started 26 games and led Hawaii with 120 assists last season, informed the UH coaches that he wouldn't return for his junior year in late July. The San Antonio resident is now playing for new Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie, who coached against Hawaii the last two years while at Texas-El Paso.