Warrior Insider

The Hawaii basketball team has set its itinerary for a groundbreaking trip to Asia in August.

The Warriors have set aside two weeks – August 7 to 21 – for a trip that will include stops in China and Japan. They are scheduled to play eight games against various teams in both countries.

“Right now we’re about halfway there (financially), maybe a little over,” Hawaii head coach Gib Arnold said. “We did get a great group of sponsors, I call them my starting five.

“We’re going to do this, we’re definitely going to do this. We’ve even had people calling in – we’ve had Governor Abercrombie call in and send us a check of his own money.”

The five major sponsors for the trip so far are Bank of Hawaii, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, BEI Hawaii, Japan Airlines and Starwood Hotels.

The team will visit three cities in China and two in Japan, and Arnold said time has been set aside for cultural activities in each city.

Arnold said the goal is to take the entire roster of players on the trip, although the new recruits must be enrolled in summer school at UH by July 5 in order to be eligible.

Per NCAA rules, a program can take one international trip every four years, and teams are allowed to have 10 days of games and/or practices on such a trip. Arnold said he specifically targeted Asia because of Hawaii’s unique location.

“When I was taking this job, a lot of coaches said it’s not a good job because you’re out there in the middle of nowhere,” Arnold said. “We’re in the middle, but we’re in the middle of the Pacific Rim and it all depends on which way you’re looking. If and when China ever does open up their gates to where their top student-athletes come, the ones that are on their national teams and playing professional ball, I’d like to be the first team that they talk to.”

Panda Travel is setting up tour packages for fans that want to accompany the team on the trip.

For more information, please visit www.warriorstoasia.com.