Time to make a last stand.

The six seniors on the Hawaii basketball team have one final year to leave their mark on a Rainbow Warriors program searching for a winning identity under third-year coach Bob Nash.

There's no time to waste, whether it's swingman Roderick Flemings looking to showcase himself to NBA talent scouts or Adhar Mayen, Paul Campbell and Bill Amis hoping to taste Western Athletic Conference glory in their third year as Rainbows. Petras Balocka and Brandon Adams also hope to make good on their potential after a disappointing debut.

All are hunting for redemption after a bitter finish to the 2008-09 season. UH battled to 13-12 with a clutch road win at Fresno State on Feb. 19, then stumbled horribly by losing its ESPN BracketBusters game at home to lowly UC Irvine and dropping its final four WAC regular-season contests. To top off the frustration, UH fell to Fresno in the play-in game of the WAC tournament in Reno, Nev., by squandering a late lead (like so many other games last year) to finish at 13-17 (5-11 WAC).

After four consecutive postseason appearances from 2001 to '04, UH made it a five-year drought on a team with no seniors for the first time in the modern era.

So while the Rainbows counted on those six for heavy production—they combined for 71.8 percent of the team's scoring and 69.9 percent of its rebounding—they know that more is expected in their final go-around.

And there's a genuine sense among the players that they can deliver.

“;It's just a lot more experience,”; said Campbell, a 6-foot-10 center, who was UH's most improved player. “;Last year, I know a lot of guys like me and Adhar, even (former UH point guard) Kareem (Nitoto) when he was here, didn't play a lot their first year out here. We got time last year to get used to it. Now, it's just comfort, really. Lot more comfortable out there.”;

That shouldn't be confused with complacency. There's an urgency to improve, starting from the top with Nash's 18-win benchmark to kick in a one-year contract extension for 2011-12.

With the 'Bows' frontcourt fully stocked with players who know Nash's expectations and the flex offense, the task of integrating new guards Dwain Williams and Jeremy Lay and center Douglas Kurtz was made easier. (Although all three were hampered by injuries in the preseason, causing them to miss one or both exhibitions).

“;We have six seniors this year, but when you look at those seniors they've all been starters at one time or another in our program,”; Nash said. “;I think that gives us the added experience that we need to just prepare for the season. Our learning curve (was) a lot shorter, we only got three guys that we really gotta get up to speed for this year, and all the other guys have a good feel for the offense. We just gotta put more intensity, more thought into what we're doing. Having six seniors really helped that process along. They know what to expect, and they know how to talk to the new guys about what to expect. So that's a good thing for us.

“;All these guys didn't just sit back and not do anything all summer,”; he added. “;They anticipated coming back and having a great senior year, and I think to a man they've all improved.”;

Unfortunately for the Rainbows, almost every team in the WAC brought back its primary weapons and added complementary pieces around them. The exception is conference champ Utah State, which lost WAC Player of the Year Gary Wilkinson, yet still returns a solid supporting cast. The Aggies were tabbed to win the league again in preseason polls, while the Rainbows were picked last by both the coaches and media.

Still, with returning juniors like point guard Hiram Thompson and the new guard tandem of Lay and Williams to support the senior-laden 'Bows, Balocka knows the time to strike is now.

“;I'm trying to win the most I can because last year didn't work out the way I wanted it to,”; the Lithuanian said. “;Now hopefully I make the best year I can this year because this is it. I know we got a lot of people injured (in the preseason), but whoever's left, go hard and no excuses, that's how we look at it.”;

Rainbow Warriors Facts, Figures

 

Stan Sheriff Center Tickets/Parking

» Tickets: Season tickets range from $120 for students to $370. Single-game tickets range from $5 for students to $26 for most games. For Monday's 11 p.m. Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic general admission game against Northern Colorado, lower-level seats are $10, upper level senior citizens and student tickets are $5, and upper-level UH students get in for free.

» Parking: $5 in the UH parking structure » Arena: Stan Sheriff Center: Capacity 10,300

 

About The Rainbow Warriors

» Head coach: Bob Nash, third year (24-36)

» Assistants: Jackson Wheeler, 20th year, Larry Farmer, third year; Eran Ganot; third year

» Rainbow Warriors 2008-09: 13-17 (5-11 WAC)

» Signature wins: Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, at Louisiana Tech, Idaho, at Fresno State.

» Painful losses: Cal State Fullerton, Colorado State, UC Irvine, at San Jose State, Nevada, vs. Fresno State (WAC tournament)

 

Contributors

Sports Editor: Paul Arnett | Reporter: Brian McInnis | Designers: Michael Rovner, Steven Berkowsky | Copy Editors: Sjarif Goldstein, Jerry Campany | Photographer: Craig T. Kojima | Columnist: Dave Reardon