Ozren Pavlovic arrives in Hawai’i
Before the University of Hawai’i basketball team called him, Ozren Pavlovic was planning on playing professional basketball in his home country of Croatia during the 2012-13 season. Yes, he’s good enough to play on that level.
Instead, he will bring his multifaceted game to the Warriors. Pavlovic, a 6-foot-8 forward, signed a scholarship agreement with Hawai’i just last week, and arrived in Honolulu on Monday evening.
“There is college in Croatia, but they don’t have a (basketball) league like they do in United States,” Pavlovic said. “I think I would turn pro if I wasn’t here. But I am here now and I am enjoying it.”
Pavlovic, a left-handed shooter, has range beyond the 3-point line, but also has an ability to dribble-drive to the rim. He is big enough to defend post players, but admits that he needs some work in the weightroom.
“I’m a big guard, I can handle the ball and I’m a good shooter for my size,” he said in describing his style of play. “I need to work on my strength.”
In any case, Pavlovic appears to be a genuine — and rare — under-the-recruiting-radar find for the Warriors. He said the only other American programs he was looking at were junior colleges.
“We have a good couple of guys here, we are a good team,” Pavlovic said.
Aloha Ozren!
Welcome to the UH MBB family(Ohana)! Look forward to your playing for Hawaii!! Thank you for joining the team and contributing to its success.
Thank you and Mahalo!!
Once again Dayton and warriorinsider, The Schmidt Ohana, and sponsors:
Fantastic, to the minute, day, hour, month coverage of UH Men’s Basketball, The number one source complete coverage of all things going on with program.
Mahalo and Thank you!!
looks a little on the slower side but he is 6’8 as he says…seems like we have a pro style team where everyone can shoot the ball…a team with a bunch of young shooters can kill us in some games but i wonder how much 100 point games we’ll have this season?…we might struggle against good defensive teams since our shooters look more like spot up shooters
hawaiian09:
True. Spot and pop shooters, I think for UH and Gib, nice dilemma to have! Last year, either Zane is on or off, and from the perimeter that was about it. Now a lot of guys with range from outside. When Vander, Caleb, Isaac,
Davis, Christian get quick double D’d down low,, can kick out to maybe 2,,3 or 4 shooters, midrange to 3 line..JMO, when is the last time, UH MBB team had that many outside shooters, I cannot remember when in past several decades..
Welcome Ozi, reminds me, and it is a stretch, a euro version of a very young Larry
Bird, or Chris Mullin…i.e. the ability to shoot , as a tall BB player..I believe Ozi, getting stronger, you notice in open gym, though it is early, he knows how to position to defend the post too, that is something he brings..like most if not the whole team, they are willing, and here we go again, HIGH CHARACTER good attitude players, do whatever it takes to help TEAM win..
Gib done well, another under the radar get, …Team will have offensive firepower for sure, up to Gib to coach em up now and have em united!!
Oz looks good.
Welcome to paradise Ozren.
I think we have a nice assortment of players. Of course, we can’t tell for sure until actual games, but these videos have been encouraging.
Remember, NMSU didn’t have a particularly strong backcourt last year and they had no depth behind Laroche and Mullings. Mullings was a freshman that only saw the floor after Kabongo went down. Their strength was in the frontcourt with Mckines and Rahnman. 19ppg and 10 ppg respectively.
I think we’ll be fine. We just have to get the players to mesh.
Thanks, Dayton
Saved me a Call (and distracting others)…
Welcome Oz !
Thanks for deferring your Pro Career;
Ideally you get physical training beyond what your pro teams might have invested AND earn a College Degree — The College Marketing people say you’ll earn a Million More with the degree…that might cover three or four Pro years, so don’t worry about that “one and done” concept (Please;-}.
Make sure you see “your announcement” blog activity…
since then, the Buzz has sounded more like a rumble…
i was wondering about the number of Century Games myself…
IF Need to Increase Speed (who doesn’t ?) the quick-twitch training regimen should build and pull that out of these athletic bodies…
A couple of the shooters (at least Clair and Oz) already have good separation skills, probably better than Zane, and shoot well off the dribble (more like Savo in his third year); having on-team examples should make it easier for teammates to learn… might even cause everyone’s “range” to increase (just keep the percentages high guys).
Agree — During this video, Oz was giving Christian as much defensive pressure and trouble as anyone lately…. and it looks like he understands sharing the ball, passes well for a first session (where you might not yet know what your teammates are good at doing).
I’m Glad Oz is (pleasantly) surprised and looks happy with his teammates — so far, this looks like a “happy” team (except when they fail to stop their man, good); winning’s way more fun and should help keep it that way…
real Aloha, for real OZ:
real welcome to our OZ in our “Land of Pavlowiz” !!!
you’re the biggest guard Hawaii ever have; the best point-forward in reality.
you just perfected the 1st perfect TEAM; Warrior into the “Records Breaking Era”.
Coaches, Dayton & Co, Families, Friends..
WWW W WWW OO WWW W WWW
W W W O O W W W
W W W O O W W W
W W W O O W W W
W W W O O W W W
W W W O O W W W
W WW OO W W
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good to See Vander’s defensive legs back … the Monday open gym (esp. if he arrived Sunday from mainland) might’ve been jet-lagged
Davis, when he gets in, and Oz would probably have traveled half-way around the world; so for Oz that was a decent looking start …
Ozzie, ozzie, ozzie, ooi,ooi,ooi !!!
He can really pop that ball in the basket!
He also speaks very well – his mother should be proud.
Aussie Mum: Too funny!
I see Gib in a similar situation as Shoji (see Ann Miller’s story this morning): Aside from a few solid starters, there’s going to be a lot of competition for playing time and it will be up to the coaches to settle on a starting lineup and rotation. It’s a nice problem to have. The team’s depth is so much better than it has been in a long while. Thanks for the update, Dayton.
With all the weapons we have, it’s too bad Shamburger is not yet eligible.. And it’s too bad Miah’s basketball eligibility clock has expired.. A true PG might be the difference between a Big Dance bid and the Riley Wallace tournament for this year’s team..
lono: would be nice to have that AC , or Chris Paul type point guard, however, if you have guards, combo or point who can take care of ball, make good entry passes, and run offense and defense, even if not lightning quick, or super athletic, UH team can still win with high BB IQ and TEAM concept. The 2 year run at NCAA’s with Wallace’s team with Savo, English team, didn’t have AC or Troy Bowe or Tom Henderson, Reggie Carter, yet they got it done as a TEAM..I think they will be alright, with weak side, team defense, if guards lose man, the Bigs step up to block the shot or take the charge,,..can be done..hey we didn’t even start season, however, fun to talk about UH MBB..if team plays 40 minutes of good ball offensively and defensively, I think, FWIW , JMO,,they can do well, NCAA tourney would be fantastic, just a good winning season, would be GREAT and fun!!
Dayton, Mahalo!
Great to see everyone’s O and Vander showing some on freshmen Dressler. Now, that’s a big man Dressler should be working with/against.
Yup, too bad Shamburger ain’t eligible this season but I think Jace, Manroop and maybe Spearman would do fine. The front court players UH has looks awesome
This is a good crop of freshmen players The Gibper got: Manroop, Pavlovic, Fotu, Dressler, Enos and Harper. All of them look to have some confidence to play right away, they look pretty comfortable in open gym. Maybe Pavlovic can help as a Point, main thing UH can break a defensive press everything should be good, I thinks.
Think the have part now is putting these players together. It always seems players lose confidence when the coaches plans don’t work and they fall apart. But if The Gibper can get the D working, the rest should take care of itself. Wouldn’t you think?
Aloha and welcome to Ozren and his Family from Croatia-and to ALL our New Warrior Players and their Families as well as our Returning core of Warriors and their Families. Really liking the potential of this squad, though a LOT of work to bring all of these new pieces together and mesh them with a solid core of upperclassmen. But so far the Team seems to be all about Basketball and we have a Lot of guys who can Score in different ways, and a handfull of guys we can count on to make 3’s-from the #1 to the #4 spot..and maybe even the #5 with Dressler lagging on a secondary break to spot up top of the Key.
Really like Pavlovic’s game-and the fact we could potentially go 6’8” at SG vs.some lineups-that’s a tough matchup for Defensively for most teams. I’m thinking he’ll settle in at Combo Forward though because not sure he’s Quick enough to Defend #2’s well here in the U.S. I’m sure he’s going to find his niche and do Really well at UH though. *Hopefully this is a core Group Coach Gib and Staff can Build upon in successive seasons-this year too, is going to be very Exciting lol…no doubt. GO BOWS!
ooi, ooi, ooi….
This “Objective” seems realistic to me …
Shoot it down like a lead balloon or clay pigeon (pidgin?) if you think not….
i’m starting to think this team might (should?) be able to have a Winning Record “On The Road”. Size, & Depth might minimize Toward-East-Travel Jet-Lag, Shooting works most places; Two Time Zones versus Two/Three/Four, No “Altitude” (Read: MWC) Games…Very Few Hawai’i teams had Winning Road records, but that seems like a Fair Challenge for “Semi-Professionals”…
(We Have a Few…Vander, Standhardinger, Fotu, Oz…+)…
Of Course, Win Most at Home (in Hawai’i)
Probably NO New Elite pg as the Semester ticks on…
Then, Step Up Jace, ‘Roop and Company…
[Shamburger Does Look even better playing with Better Players…]
Toughen ‘Em Up, KSham !
Thanks Dayton! Pavlovic looks like he’s as good as advertised. Just from the one day of open gym, he displayed many of the skills that were on his highlight video. Nice size, length, outside shot, decent handle, etc. He’s already got a very good skill set especially considering his size, so it’s just a matter of refining his game and getting him into our strength & condition program to get bigger, faster, stronger. Looks like we may have Hauns’ future replacement at the 3 spot. If he can get quicker/stronger he would be a potential match-up terror for opposing teams.
This year’s team appears to have much greater depth than in previous years. Also, new recruits appear to have better overall skill set and more size/length compared to the players from last season (Wiseman, Thomas, Miles, Stokes, Ostrowski, and Johnson). Of course, most of the new recruits are freshmen and will need time to develop… but the depth and talent on this team is very nice to see.
Looks like SF, Aaron Valdes is headed to UH tomorrow morning according to his twitter.
LINK: https://twitter.com/AIRon_32/status/238488873037099009
To all UH MBB fans, family and friends: What a great recruiting job Gib this year, outstanding!!
And of course Dayton will have latest interview and video updates, open gym when Aaron Valdes comes to town, and also the arrival of Davis Rozitis.!!
Thankyou Gib, you are a great recruiter, down to the wire, and great, great, gets!!
Mahalo too Dayton for your hard work!!
We are all kind of giddy (happy) now!!
Awesome!!!
For Basketball players, having “good hands” or “soft hands” is a good thing. JMO, and observation, whether, Caleb, Vander, Isaac, Ozren, Christian, or we shall see, a lot of skillset(last year, he played like a SF, could go left , right, shoot with either hand, just a strength factor, ,would pretty much guarantee his national team experience has benefitted him greatly) in Davis too, those bigs 6’8″, 6’9″, 6’9″, 6’10”, 6’10” and 7’0″ can handle passes from wings and PG’s. That is a major asset for any Basketball team. and all the Bigs, can run the floor, and shoot from low block, mid range to 3 line. Vander had a tremendous rebound , handle ball and finish at rim…I thought it was Jefferson or Spearman..I was thinking who was that guy..Vander is ready, he came back to have a great senior season..UH MBB aloha in the air!!! Ozren and now Aaron Valdes? Mind blowing! Good stuff! Wow!!!
IF Aaron is here Thursday, Got to get him “Fast Start” help (Academic Advisor, study coach, etc.);
with all the rush and scramble that would entail, need to make up the lost days and first catch up, then learn how to “study ahead” of the class/ instructor… We already know the extra prep school year was “marginal” (and late) in getting AV ready for UH Qualiication…
Helping AV through the first couple of semesters, all the way to Graduation might be the Real Give Back for his commitment to us….where else? (This would be real similar to some of the guys who left; IF ALL they learned while here was how to study, and that they can, and what that feels like, what were their Best Lessons here?)
IF all true (he had mis-interpreted tweets or “announcements” before):
Welcome Aboard, Aaron…
A Real Grinder once reminded me:
Keep On Keeping’ on…
(The Real Work is still ahead…)
it amazes me that at some points in a game we could have all freshman in there….i’d love to see this at the stanley….dress. fotu. ozren. valdes. clair. maybe take dress out and add enos for fun
espn officially announced that taj webster verbally commited to nebraska so must be a strong commitment
BEFORE Signing Day (Take a Trip) AND…
Standhardinger-Isaac sould let Taj know what they like about Hawai’i versus Husker land…
FLAT Corn Fields (NO Views) versus Aotearoa & Hawai’i Mountain to the Sea, Ocean VIews,
COLD & HOT vs. Always Warm without 100 degree Temps
Tornadoes and SNOW
Local Food & Ethnically Diverse TASTY* Food (Steak o.k., potatoes, potatoes, potatoes?)
Beautiful Ethnically Diverse Young Ladies
Beaches and Bikinis (they probably have “Sand Volleyball”)
Polynesian Culture, Blacks Haka & Haw’n Ha’a
8-12 more Hours Each One-Way flight
All these really great teammates (Isaac)
The Family /Ohana & Fans
Coaches
*Our Local Food, Chinese Food, Even Steaks taste better..
Good morning Dayton,
Hopefully you’ll get us an interview with Gib on this recruiting class, 7 Freshmen.
Also I’d expect you’re working on an Aaron Valdes interview and some open gym workout of him and the rest of the team.
Mahalo!
Aaron wont be here in Hawaii till this afternoon and will probably be too jetlagged for open gym. Maybe friday niight/ saturday morning they might have something up on Aaron.
Thanks Dayton! we all waiting
Aloha, MWOI (MBB Warrior Ohana International):
most(by #), best(skill), intelligent(academic), diligent(athlete), all-in.. Freshmen team of 2012 ! Hawaii “Love” you (back) !
the 3 mistakes to avoid: bad ‘D’, lost ‘handle’, miss Free.
Coach Gib will “Love” you back too, only then, be readied 4 proportional PT you’ve earned. (we enjoy to see you giving your best, more the better).
‘Ohana Hoopfest’ should be <2mos away, how about ~
Coach Arti & Dyrbe(Captain, starting PG), lead the Freshmen Team,
———— VS ————-
Coach Eagle & Vander(Captain, startin C), lead the remaining Old-Timers Team ?
i'll put my cheers on the Frosh! (anybody?)
1/2time entertainments ~
ethnic dances, shows.. special request Filipino Bamboo Dance (1st in SSC, supports needed from FilCom, Mrs Standhardinger, dance instructor..).
C'mon, Fans & all others, bring your whole family, fil'em up SSC(another 1st),
It is FREE !!!!
Thanks, n2 (betcha know how to flush out Trolls…)
Honored by the Suggestion as well as any positive (or negative) feedback. Must Respectfully Decline: Knowledge or Powers of Observation can be good (Frank, BN, Von Appen, Dr. Price)… but producing results AND building a Track Record at High Levels (like Gib, Riley, Shoji, JJ) is a whole ‘nother level … maybe Artie approaching, since he keeps winning the summer league…
Recommend: 1) “Celebrities” with BB Knowledge: Artie, Bobby, Mufi, Dana T. & Vince Goo…
Alternate: 2) Jokesters: Billy V, Portnoy, Animals
——————
Suspect that Valdes, similar to our other leaper, Garrett Jefferson, as young ‘bb athletes’ probably excelled because of their athleticism (exceptional quickness and 31 inch vertical) and didn’t need to work as hard on their shooting skills (’til now);
Aaron is probably already improving on past weak area stats (outdated? 23% threes and 48% free throws) …
Percentages need to be good on this team ‘cos you’re probably taking away a higher percentage shot from someone else on the floor…
if we have a ohana hoopsfest lets not have the warrior team vs. celebs….it should just be the team playing against each other…more exciting and more competition
Super-Seconded …
While the players were Total Gentle-Men, avoiding Running Over Slower Pedestrian Traffic, i think it might put more students in the stands or even sell more tickets if the players get to show the students and rest of Hawai’i the personalities and skills we’ve been having fun discussing almost daily here…
Don’t Need to see an MRC Greenwood or Virginia Hinshaw/Tom Apple Finally start working on improving their lay-ups or free-throws (on our time), much less asking their employees to move on while paying them for “not working their jobs”…
Players versus Players — that’s what they enjoy doin’ and we enjoy watching …
———–
i’m SURE Dayton & Co. are looking for AV Confirmation and even a Sighting and Interview…
Just Opinion: While i’m sure it will help AV feel more “@ Home” and more settled in to Hit the Gym, and we would enjoy local confirmation of his athleticism and bb skills; i also know that the coaches’ track record on evaluating those skills has been spot on lately, so i could wait a little longer in favor of ensuring he’s got his classes and books and starts hitting some to make up for four lost days …
…just not comfortable with a guy that fast being that far behind his classmates …
getting and staying ahead of them works better, today and most of the time…
IF You’re Here (or even still on your way), Congratulations, AV !
i realize it took a bunch of work this past year-plus…
NOW’s the Real Game…
i Figure Coach, your Family & Friends (and you) are Counting on You to Do Your Best and i think this is a Great Opportunity for someone (you) that earned your way to this place…and i also think you’ve got a great support staff and teammates that are gonna do what they can, as well as anyone anywhere, to help you maximize your success …
Players/People that can handle “this much” school, the same time as “this much, and this good a level of basketball”, are probably gonna do real good in Life…
————–
WI.commers — a little premature but …as already noted (by lono)
IF it IS OZ & AV,
coach (and we/program) probably did good on those two ‘returned’ scholies
(Shaq & Orel) …
THANKS ! to Families & Friends, again …
hawaiianfan09,
Yes that would be a real crowd attraction. In the past , UH MBB teams had their Green /White scrimmage game to open up season. In those days, practices started in November and the regular season started in December! Shorter season too, not 30 plus games…
Those scrimmages were open to public at Klum gym or outer islands or other parts of Oahu, classic games , shootouts..105 to 100 etc. just run , gun and have fun, back in the day, pretty athletic players, however that was decades ago. Today’s skillset of these young guys and Global parity, would be interesting to see how 1972 team would match up against 2012 team. Well that is just fantasy BB!
I know for scrimmage for fans, although great, I think coaches want to ensure guys don’t get seriously hurt before season even begins, well they could play shortened game, and play not physical, just display offensive game and get some steals, flushes and a huge block shot or two..would be nice to have Ohana back..create the Buzz, this year, word is getting around from us hard core fands and Global, from Angola to Auckland!!
Go Warriors!!
Eagle, I’m with you on that. Don’t mind waiting some to let AV get caught up with his school work. Education and getting that degree is what this is all about. It’s especially hard for these young men/women playing sports and having to do all them school work. I myself couldn’t do either way back when.
can wait
I don’t think Gib would be on board with having a scrimmage at Ohana Hoopfest, but it would entertaining. How about the freshmen – Isaac, Caleb, Manroop, Oz, Harper, Jawato and Valdes (if indeed he’s coming) – against the upperclassmen – Vander, Hauns, Christian, Spearman, Jefferson, Tavita and Rozitis?
Eagle and pocho: Second both of you on the academics with Aaron and all the UH athletes. Some might think Gib and staff only about winning games , which is important, however, remember how he made sure Trevor was on board with academics, otherwise young guy might have failed school, same with Bobby. By the next year, the two young guys had good GPA’s and he made sure they were in good standing academically so they could transfer.
Now, with new and returnees, part of the deal is enter 2nd session summer school to stay on top of academics and the new NCAA rules allowing open gym and small group workouts for 8 weeks during late summer. Empahsis on academics once again.
And Eagle and pocho, agree, back in the day, to play sport and go to school, almost too much of a load..without question, Aaron will have help, academic, tutors, advisors, speaking to professors and UH instructors about , catching up with class work, still early in year, so should not be too far behind. I give Aaron Valdes all the credit in the world to get things accomplished, up to this point, from prep school and to qualify for UH…wish the best to the young guy and all the other MBB players…Students first and athletics second. ..just ask Vander and Davis…they are getting close to securing their degrees!
And to the Intenational families and friends of UH MBB, be assured, Gib and staff will make sure academics, school work, is a priority, no question!!
Air-on just landed.
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