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World Wide Warriors: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago has a long history of producing tough basketball players, and Brandon Spearman appears to fit the bill.

Spearman is a 6-foot-3 junior guard who grew up in Chicago’s South Side. He is in his first year with the Hawai’i basketball team after playing last season at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.

As a senior at Simeon High School in Chicago, Spearman helped lead his team to a state championship in 2010. The school’s previous state title before that came in 2007, when it was led by a senior named Derrick Rose.

When asked who the most famous basketball player is from Chicago, Spearman said: “There’s a lot of famous basketball players, but right now, everybody knows Derrick Rose from Chicago, so pretty much everybody says Derrick Rose.”

Although he has yet to play an official game for the Warriors, Spearman already proved his grit when he led his team to the Hawai’i College Basketball Summer League championship. He had 45 points and 14 rebounds in the championship game.

Spearman noted that Chicago is famous for its sports – Bulls, Bears, Cubs and White Sox – and food. One of the items that he particularly misses is Chicago-style pizza. He describes it as: “Deep dish pizza with a lot of sauce, cheese hanging off the pizza. You have to wrap the cheese around the pizza because the cheese is hanging off … definitely the best.”

15 Comments

  1. How can you not like a guy with that million-dollar smile? But don’t be fooled; Spearman’s got game and toughness as witnessed by his superb effort in the summer league championship game. Dayton, small-kine correction … should be 45 points and 14 rebounds.

  2. what a nice young man.
    so humble…until he gets on the court!

    another reason why i can’t wait until tipoff.

  3. Thanks Clyde!

  4. Enjoying all of these interviews.

    Brandon Spearman is certainly a very likeable and personable guy. I think he’s going to be a leader and glue-guy for our team.

    Spearman can flat-out “ball” with the best. As mentioned in the article, he had led a very good Simeon team to the state championship in a tough division. He is in great company with Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker (#1 player in the nation for 2013), who both won championships with Simeon in recent years.

  5. hey, Spearman:

    you are “Super Refreshing Spearmint”, smells like a Rose, smiles a mile-wide.
    you da kine, Brah!
    coach Artie has the luck to pick ‘the cream of the crop” year after year; Championships..
    dats why Coach Gib pick “Spearmint”!

    45 points, 14 boards.. you are “da man” known for stepping-up..
    soon we start counting. wow, what a long wait!

    1st starters >>
    ~ Fotu
    ~ Standhardinger
    ~ Brereton
    ~ Spearman
    ~ Tavita

    we happy you are here!

  6. Aloha Mr. Spearman. Can’t wait to see what you bring on the court and the season can’t start soon enough for a lot of us. I wouldn’t mind having my 1st taste of Chicago’s style pizza watching you play!

  7. YOU also look happy to be here Brandon…
    Winning Teams are happier Teams…
    Keep Winnin’!

    When the Budget is Better …
    (like Mid-Season? After Start Sell-Outs?)

    We ought to Have Chicago Style Pizza Night…
    AND Every ?Saturday? A Favorite Food of a Player Night ?
    Earlier Start, then can support Na Wahine as well
    Aussie Tim Tam Night ?
    First 200/2000 Fans ?

    [To the Jim Croce tune of ‘Bad, Bad Leroy Brown’]:

    He’s from the South Side of Chicago
    …it’s The Baddest Part of Town
    He got a Drive to The Hoop
    He got threes that fall
    He got Defense that knocks you down
    Bad, Bad, Spearman’s Down!
    Baddest Guard in The Whole Damn Town …
    He stands about six foot three
    Wins Championships, That’s what will be…

  8. Aloha Brandon Spearman!

    Brandon has that “it” factor..a real gamer, like other Chicago area players in past Al Davis and Jerome Freeman..
    Wonderful smile and character. He leads team HS level to championship, at Dayton University has NCAA D1 experience as a freshman, and winning leader on very high level JC team Indian Hills.

    Brandon will be another upper classman leader to help UH MBB win a lot of victories!

    Thankyou Brandon for choosing to be a UH MBB Warrior!!

    And thankyou as always Dayton and Warriorinsider and Sponsors for complete coverage of UH MBB just about year round!!

  9. UHMBB Supporters, Also Appreciate YOUR Energy, Intelligence and Anticipation…
    Along with Dayton & Co., Sponsors, Coaches & Players,
    YOU make this a Great Site…

    i suspect/expect that this team will “look good” (basketball good) more times than not; so i’m just planning to count the minutes that i think they Don’t Look Right, Effective or Impressive (Initially 10, 20 mpg, eventually down to 5 or less…)

    Depending on How Deep in the Line-Up Coach Goes… and Based on the strength of schedule, If the Team can get a Good Lead, whatever that is for him and how he sees/trusts the team to function and not fritter it away, that could be Deep, Early in the Season, so he can evaluate the players’ under-lights performance — some, will prove to be “Better when it Matters” or under the lights (Spearman is a Great Example…When it’s Championship Time…OZ is My Candidate for Key Z-Factor, Maybe a Zane About to Explode on the Scene….)

  10. best part of the video 1:06 guy in background (nick?)

  11. For flat out defense, don’t know how they are doing in individual workouts, we shall know in less that a week how regular practices show what the guys can do in full team practices..

    If Manroop healthy and carrying 180 to 185 pounds , with a high BBIQ and constantly being challenged by Garrett, Keith, along with Brandon Spearman(a DB body with hi motor BB skills), plus MR HIGH MOTOR Christian Standhardinger, and Isaac Fotu( if he is ready for prime time guarding the rim)…would that be something..for pressure defense unit..

    Manroop 6’2″
    Brandon Spearman 6’3″(maybe 6’2″ but solid 200 pounder)
    Garrett Jefferson 6’3″(super quicks and hops)
    Christian Standhardinger 6’9″ constant attack on O and D.
    Isaac Fotu 6’8″ super skilled freshman, might be one of the better ones in the nation..

    If Gib had to get after it “shock Defensive 5” to catch up on a BWC team getting ahead of UH by 5 to 8 points. maybe this bunch, traps, steals, play passing lanes, press after made basket, push ball up and down court..In your face D…then when this gang get tired, …Michael Harper, Brandon Jawato, Hauns Brereton, Aaron Valdes and Vander Joaquim (when he comes back healthy and strong)..there would be 10 high motor D guys..

    Also, Davis, Ozren, Dyrbe, bringing energy and offense, instant…A good thing about this team, at least summer league and open video and youtube highlights, they can pass, willing to share ball to open teammate with better shot..that is a HUGE INTANGIBLE,, think Celtics of old, Lakers showtime.., and Fabulous Five!!

    Hey fans, less that 7 days to showtime ofiicial start of MBB practice, too bad MBB couldn’t have started Oct 2 2012 like WBB..oh well, some NCAA deal..

    Look forward gang…here it comes Warrior basketball, 2012-13 style with a lot of firepower, and if they buy into major, major team and individual D, and limit turnovers..inbound plays solid, rebound and box out, dive for every loose ball, WITH the potential 1 to 15 of active roster guys can shoot,..Team can have a shot a good season!!

  12. Caleb my friend, forgot, you are the 6’10” 250-255lb anchor…with Michael, Ozi, Davis, Dyrbe..killer C team..Defense, enforcer typre, all out high motor..

    In other words, what we all are saying…and key Vander come back healthy…Gib has a lot, say that again a lot of options…have every man that will see PT, play D, rebound, take care of the ball, hit 70% or more free throws, 40% from 3 line, and 50% or better from the field..

    Keep opposition team to FG percentage of 39% or lower…Whatever combination works,,,UH MBB team can win BWC games, and get a good start pre conference..key, the new and old guys have offensive game, now have to work together, as ONE and play hell bent D!!

  13. I want one of those pizzas!

  14. Brandon makes those Chicago Style pizzas sound really good…
    – Maybe he has a Future in Sales (The Highest Paying Profession)?

    Za!

    We’re ordering one Now…

  15. Spearman was electric in the Summer League Championship. I got to high-five him right after the game, and he was ecstatic knowing he was the key to his team’s triumph. Hey, Brandon–we will be there at all the games to support you and the team & looking forward to seeing you ignite the floor again!
    Thanks, Dayton for all the fun and informative interviews helping us get to know this international team who will no doubt represent Hawaii with much (aloha) spirit.

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