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FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM UH center Chris Botez answered coach Riley Wallace's call to get more aggressive against San Jose State on Saturday.

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Shoots!
It centers
on Botez

Shooting drills pay off for
Rainbow Warriors and
their 7-foot big man

For once, Hawaii basketball coach Riley Wallace hoped a player would be more selfish. In fact, he demanded it.

With the Rainbow Warriors searching for more points in the paint, Wallace implemented a drill during practices last week in which center Chris Botez was the only player allowed to shoot the ball.

The rule required the 'Bows to look for Botez in the post and forced the 7-foot junior to become more aggressive.

The emphasis paid off as Botez posted 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field and pulled down seven rebounds in UH's 71-45 win over San Jose State last Saturday.

"He's looking for his offense more and they're looking for him more," Wallace said. "I called plays to go to him hoping that he would be able to produce and then you've got him involved."

It was Botez's first double-figure scoring night since the first week of the season and he'll try to maintain that momentum when the Rainbows (9-2, 1-2 WAC) host Southern Methodist (7-5, 2-2) in a Western Athletic Conference game at the Stan Sheriff Center on Thursday.

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FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Jeff Blackett looked for a shot against San Jose State on Saturday. The 'Bows return to action Thursday at home against SMU.

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Botez opened the season by scoring 15 points against Mississippi Valley State and 11 against Coastal Carolina. He then totaled 28 points over the next eight games.

Botez spent much of last week working on a jump shot that had eluded him and took the court with greater confidence on Saturday.

"Shooting jumpers the four practices before the game just had it going through my head that I can do this," Botez said. "I got in the game and tried to instill what I had in practice."

Botez helped spark UH's 14-0 run in the first seven-plus minutes that gave the Rainbows control against SJSU.

He opened the game by grabbing three offensive rebounds, fed Julian Sensley for a dunk, and scored on a dunk of his own a couple of minutes later.

Botez's effort was part of a dominant performance by Hawaii's post players against the Spartans. UH outrebounded SJSU 44-25 and had 17 offensive boards to the Spartans' six.

"It's always important to get our big men involved early because that'll get you going to rebound harder and play good defense and get into the game," point guard Deonte Tatum said. "I always like my big men to get off to a good start."

Botez's shot still isn't a work of art, as evidenced by a free throw that missed everything on Saturday. Although most of his points come from close range, he'll continue to work on his repertoire, knowing his options will grow as he improves as a shooter.

"I can do more than one thing," Botez said. "I can do more than the hook, I can do more than the drop step, I can do more than dunk. I can also get outside and shoot the jumper, and people are going to start picking up on that. Then they'll have to start guarding me and that's when I can pump fake.

"There's a lot of things I can come up with if I just stay confident and stay focused."

Out sick: Sensley, UH's leading scorer, is fighting the flu and didn't attend yesterday's practice.

Wallace said Sensley's status for Thursday's game will depend on when he's able to rejoin the team for workouts. Sensley has started all 44 games since joining the program last season.

Wallace applauds reforms: Wallace sees the academics reform package approved by the NCAA yesterday as a positive step. (See story, B2).

"Any time they pass anything on the academic side it's better for the student and it's better for all of us," Wallace said.

"It's not only the athlete. It's the coaches, the academic people, the administration and the faculty. It's a challenge for everybody.

Programs in all sports that graduate fewer than 50 percent of their players over a five-year period will be penalized by losing scholarships under the plan approved by the NCAA's Division I Board of Directors. The reforms go into effect for the 2005-06 school year.

Wallace said the Rainbows have had a good run of academic success and doesn't think the reforms will require many adjustments for the program.

"Once we got the academic center and the tutors and everything, all of the programs have gone up," he said. "It shouldn't be a problem."

Familiar face: First-year SMU coach Jimmy Tubbs is making his first tour around the WAC this season, but he's already a familiar figure for UH forward Matthew Gipson.

Gipson was a freshman on the 2002-03 Oklahoma team that went to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Tubbs was an assistant coach on that Sooners squad.

Gipson said Tubbs also recruited him out of high school.

"He comes to work every day with a smile on his face. I've never seen that guy in a bad mood," Gipson said. "He makes you smile. I know his guys will want to play hard for him."

Welcome back: Thursday's game has been dubbed "Welcome Back Students Night."

UH students receive a free ticket by presenting their valid UH ID card at Gate A starting an hour before the game. Tickets are limited and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

UH is also offering students a "Manoa Maniacs WAC Pack" for the remaining eight conference home games. The package is $30 and includes reserved seat tickets and a free Manoa Maniacs rugby shirt. The packages are available at the Sheriff Center ticket office.