Nash’s shoulder gets a workout

The UH guard is getting back in shape in the Hawaii summer league

As he poured in one high-arcing 3-pointer after another, it was easy to forget that the shoulder launching those shots cost Bobby Nash most of his junior season with the Hawaii basketball team.

Nash played just six games for the Rainbow Warriors before the ache in his shoulder prompted him to apply for a medical hardship. After taking time to let the injury heal, the 6-foot-6 guard is looking to regain his rhythm during the College Summer Basketball League at Manoa Recreation Center.

"Obviously, I've been a little rusty and little bit out of it, but you just play as hard as you can out here," Nash said.

Nash rates the shoulder at "95 percent," and there was little evidence that the injury had affected his shooting stroke during a summer-league game on Thursday.

He nailed his first four shots beyond the arc in the first half and knocked down a fifth trey after the break on his way to a 22-point night in Electricians Hawaii's 130-118 win over Central Medical Clinic.

After shutting down his season in December, Nash didn't practice during the rest of the Rainbows' 17-11 campaign and was cleared to start working the shoulder back into shape in March. He said he's been working in the weight room to strengthen the area while getting back into basketball shape.

Although he concedes "it was hell not playing" last season, the break gave him a chance to view the game from a different perspective.

"I had a lot of time off, a lot of time to recover, and get better and learn about my mistakes," he said.

"You learn a lot about what Coach (Riley Wallace) wants and what he expects out of all our guys."

With Nash out, along with fellow guard Matt Gibson, the Rainbows lost much of their firepower off the bench last season. Both are slated to return to what figures to be a spirited competition for playing time in the backcourt.

Matt Lojeski, UH's second-leading scorer and top 3-point shooter last season, returns, and the Rainbows signed high-scoring, junior college guard Riley Luettgerodt in the offseason.

"I've just got to worry about next year and try to earn my spot back," Nash said.

Worth the wait: Having to wait a while for his shot at Division I basketball only heightened Rashaun Broadus' appreciation for the opportunity.

After three years at Western Nebraska, the Mililani graduate helped revive the BYU program last season and is looking forward to his senior season with the Cougars.

"I'd been working real hard to try to get there and now that it finally came it's like a dream come true," said Broadus, who is playing for Electricians Hawaii this summer. "Now I'm just trying to keep working hard and keep doing what I did to get there."

Broadus, a a 6-foot point guard, started 26 games and earned All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention while helping the Cougars to a 20-9 record and a berth in the NIT. He averaged 9 points per game and ranked fourth in the MWC with 3.7 assists per game.

"We had a new system, a new coach, and that was my main concern, getting used to their style of play," he said. "I picked it up pretty quick, and once it came to the second half of the season I started knowing what my role was and I started picking up my game. Now I know next season I'll have a way better year."

The Cougars, one of the nation's most improved programs in 2005-06, open next season with national runner-up UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 15. BYU's nonconference schedule also includes Michigan State and Western Athletic Conference members Boise State, San Jose State and Utah State.

Summer schedule: The College Summer Basketball League has two games Thursdays and Saturdays at Manoa Recreation Center through the championship game on August 12. Game times are 6 and 7:30 p.m.

Sensley will try out with Warriors: Former Hawaii basketball standout Julian Sensley has been invited to a tryout for the Golden State Warriors' summer league team.

Sensley will be among 15 players vying for 13 roster spots for the Warriors team competing in the Toshiba Vegas Summer League, which opens Thursday and runs through July 14 at the COX Pavilion on the UNLV campus. Golden State plays Portland on Friday to open its run in the 16-team league featuring primarily rookies and free agents.

Sensley, a 6-foot-9 forward from Kailua, led UH in scoring last season with 17.6 points per game. He had a workout for the Warriors, among other teams, while he was training in California earlier this summer.