StarBulletin.com

Hawaii Beat


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POSTED: Monday, December 15, 2008

Chicago State brings top scorer

On the first day of finals week, the Hawaii basketball team will be tested by one of the nation's top scorers.

               

     

 

 

Rainbows Basketball

Illinois-Chicago (3-5) at Hawaii (4-3) 7:05 tonight, TV: KFVE, Ch. 5; Radio: KKEA, 1420-A

       

The Rainbow Warriors (4-3) face Chicago State, led by 5-foot-8 guard David Holston, tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Holston averages 26.9 points per game - breaking the 30-point mark five times this season - and has made 41 3-pointers for the Cougars (3-5).

“;He's a very gifted basketball player. He's quick, good off the dribble or just catch-and-shoot. He's a handful,”; Hawaii coach Bob Nash said. “;We'll mix our defenses like we have all year long and see what works best.”;

Hawaii's Roderick Flemings moved into the Western Athletic Conference's scoring lead with his 37-point performance in the Rainbows' 75-55 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday.

basketball in blood: UH's Balocka has game.

Residency checks required

Marathon officials were sorting out who would receive the first-place awards for top resident finishers last night.

“;We are looking at the spirit of the award,”; co-race director Dr. Jon Cross said.

Cross said the award is intended for people who live at least half of the year in Hawaii.

The first finisher who listed Hawaii as home was Yoshikazu Hara, who clocked 2:34:14. Hawaii Pacific University runner Andreas Schwab completed the course in 2:45:34.

On the women's side, Tomoko Hara was the first registered as a Hawaii resident to finish in 3:08:58.

A Star-Bulletin reporter, after consultation with several other local runners, raised the question of the Haras' residency considering that local runners that fast would be known in the Hawaii racing community. Cross and other race officials agreed and began to investigate.

In addition to the titles, expenses-paid trips to another marathon are at stake. Cross said the issue would be resolved after completion of the race.

In the Kamaaina division, perennial winner Jonathan Lyau did it again in his 15th Honolulu Marathon. Despite battling injuries all year, the 44-year-old was the top born-and-raised in Hawaii finisher in 2:52:33. The rain helped this year “;because it kept everything cool,”; he said. Of his performance, he seemed moderately pleased but not terribly impressed. “;I'm just glad I got through this healthy.”;

Rani Tanimoto of Kealakekua, another repeat winner, was the first female Kamaaina finisher in 3:19:14.

 

Not the only marathon

More than 8,000 miles from Hawaii, the Army held a satellite Honolulu Marathon at Camp Taji, northwest of Baghdad, where 160 sailors, soldiers, Marines and civilians braved the chilly temperatures yesterday to run the 26.2-mile course through the Army camp.

The first to cross the finish line was Maj. Kurt Kinney, battalion surgeon for the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, according to an Army news release from Maj. Al Hing, 2nd Stryker Brigade spokesman. Kinney, of Utica, N.Y., finished the race with a time of 3:04:02.

The top female finisher was Spc. Navidad Caldron, of San Jose, Calif., who serves with Company A, 404th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade. She crossed the finish line with a time of 3:15:46.

 

Good try, Glady, but no finish

Unfortunately, 90-year-old Glady Burrill did not finish. Her grandson and walking partner, Mike Burrill, Jr., said she was on pace to break the age-group world record until mile 23, when her stomach started bothering her.

Though she did not finish, she didn't end up in the hospital.

“;She's fine,”; he said after they pulled out. “;We stopped before it got to that (critical) point.”;

 

Permission granted?

A source close to Red Sox pitcher Hideki Okajima told the Star-Bulletin that team officials were made aware ahead of time that the 32-year-old left-handed reliever planned to run his first marathon. After the Star-Bulletin reported Okajima's entry last Wednesday, a published report in The Boston Globe indicated the team did not know of his plans and an unnamed club official was unhappy Okajima was running.

After completing the rainy and wet course in 6:10:26, Okajima told reporters through an interpreter that he rested often and walked some of the 26.2 miles - his time would indicate that to be true.<