Cockett, Gilmore
to lead ABA team

Former Chaminade guard named head
coach of the new Hawaii Mega Force team

Former Chaminade guard George Gilmore and current Kamehameha Schools girls coach Clay Cockett have been hired to lead the Hawaii Mega Force in its inaugural season in the American Basketball Association.

Mega Force owner and general manager Orrys Williams announced Gilmore's hiring as the team's head coach yesterday. Cockett will be an assistant.

"We are blessed to have these two fine individuals and coaches as part of the Hawaii Mega Force," Williams said in a statement.

"We are getting players from the mainland, Hawaii and throughout Asia, and should have a very unique team with a definite international flavor. (Gilmore and Cockett) are the perfect combination to create an outstanding team from this fabulous mix of talent we have coming in."

Gilmore averaged 30 points per game in his two seasons at Chaminade, and led all NCAA Division II scorers in 1992 with 31.4 average. He played eight years in Europe before moving back to Hawaii.

Cockett led the Kamehameha basketball team to back-to-back state championships in 1999 and 2000, and added another title in 2002.

The Mega Force will hold tryouts July 18-19 at the Kalaheo High School gym. The tryouts will start at 10 a.m. both days.

The ABA season opens in mid-November and runs through the spring. Hawaii has been placed in the Ron Boone Division.

For more information, contact Williams at advmktgmstrs@yahoo.com or call 294-4999.