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Fleming gets early bragging rights

FlemingMatt1

Score this round for Isaac Fleming. Mike Thomas went down, but he says he’s not out, and would like another shot in the playoffs.

In a matchup featuring teammates from the University of Hawai’i basketball team, Fleming helped lead Clark Hatch Fitness to a 136-93 victory over Thomas and National Fire Protection Co. in the second game of a doubleheader in the Hawai’i College Basketball Summer League at Manoa Valley Recreation Center gym.

“I was kind of trash-talking a little bit at workouts earlier,” Fleming said of playing against Thomas. “But it was good competition, going against my teammate. He’s a real good player. He developed a lot over a year and I just go so much respect for his game.”

Fleming is a 6-foot-4 incoming freshman guard and Thomas is a 6-8 returning forward, so they did not actually defend each other during the game. Both, though, turned in worthy performances.

Fleming displayed all-around skills, finishing with 27 points – including 4-for-4 shooting from 3-point range – five rebounds, seven assists and two blocked shots. He shot 10 for 18 from the field, and 3 of 4 on free throws.

“I heard people saying I can’t go to my right, so I showed that I could go right,” Fleming said. “It was just all the pieces coming together tonight and part of getting ready for the season.”

Thomas finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, but sat out the final 10 minutes or so of the second half with what he described as a sore back. He was fouled while going in for a layup and fell awkwardly to the court. He made both of the ensuing free throws, then left the game moments later.

“I landed wrong, jolted something in my back,” he said. “I’ll go get it checked out.”

Thomas missed several Summer League games earlier with burns on his hands and legs, but he said this injury had nothing to do with that. “I’m going to ice it tonight and hopefully be ready tomorrow,” he said.

He definitely wants to be ready for the playoffs next week, when National Fire could get another chance at Clark Hatch Fitness. All six teams in the league will make the playoffs, with the top two teams receiving byes into the semifinals.

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“Hopefully we’ll see them in the playoffs and I can get a full game in and we can try to win this thing,” Thomas said.

Former Kaiser High and Assumption College player Kaunaoa McGee led Clark Hatch Fitness with 40 points. Former UH forward Phil Martin contributed eight points and eight rebounds.

Chris Summers led National Fire Protection with 24 points, including six 3-pointers.

In the opening game of the evening, UH walk-on guard candidate Brocke Stepteau scored five points in limited minutes for Grantco Pacific.

Wealth Strategy Partners defeated Grantco Pacific, 118-91, behind the hot shooting of former Mililani High player William Broadus. He drained eight 3-pointers and finished with 38 points despite sitting out much of the second half.

Former UH point guard Miah Ostrowski contributed 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, and four assists for Wealth Strategy.

Former UH forward Christian Standhardinger led Grantco Pacific with 31 points and 15 rebounds. He also had four assists, four blocked shots and three steals.

The Summer League will continue with two games on Thursday at Manoa Valley.

Current Standings
Chosen Few 6-1
Clark Hatch Fitness 6-3
Wealth Strategy Partners 4-4
Grantco Pacific 3-5
Solar Universe 3-4
National Fire Protection 2-7

(Photos courtesy Matt Osumi)

18 Comments

  1. Real nice… when Isaac Fleming, IFleming, and MT, Michael TnT Thomas, started to play for summer league, things really picked up, even other oldtimer, and DII guys stepping up, playoffs going to be a war!
    Hope MT back is okay , fell on it, plus his burned hands hurting, hope he heals well, left with 16 pts, too much pain.
    Fleming, finished with 31 tonite his team routed MT injured team.
    Those TWO IFleming and MT, going to be good for UH MBB team, the type of athletes along with Bobbitt, Smith, Nevels, Janks, Negus, Valdes, Stepteau, Jawato, and hopefully soon Reyes, we been waiting for!

    Nice job young guns,… Isaac Fleming and Michael Thomas… real exciting basketball awaits this 2014-15 season, run gun, O and D and have fun,, win the SSC and the BWC games and dance, dance, dance, in March 2015!

    Go Rainbow Warriors.
    And go Isaac Fotu, the MIGHTY WARRIOR TALL BLACK!
    🙂

  2. Sorry, MT and IFleming, BM report had MT at 16 pts and Isaac Fleming at 31…. oh well, Fleming , USA fan, had great all around game, he is proving he is legit 3+ star BB athlete, just get stronger in weight room will be awesome this year!
    MT had 19 and 12(1) rebounds, awesome, despite getting hurt and hurting hands, has to be careful , burns take long time to heal, don’t want to get infections MT!

    Great young guys, worth the price, well it is FREE for those that can go.. Playoffs and WAR of the two UH MBB athletes, plus Buscher, Enos and Stepteau approaching!
    Go Bows!
    🙂

  3. the summer league UH bball team curse!!!

  4. Injuries!!..fleming and thomas hope they 100% for season!!

    Dickman say fleming not great offensively..he watched game in person..

    I jmo..think fleming and bobbitt tall attack rim guys..complement. .nevels..and Q!!

    WI nation what you think….fleming first few months in hawaii..has tools to be good..can score..still early…?

    dickman..I think working with que uh mb. Will be very good at guard ..4 man or more rotation!!

    🙂
    Go Rainbow Warriors and Tall Blacks Isaac Fotu!!

  5. Lets just add to dickman’s opinion….we never relied on any freshmen in hawaii to make an imediate impact

  6. Back in the day… Melton Werts 6’9″ great rebounder and shot blocker as 1972-73 freshman about 13 ppg and 11 rebounds maybe 2 blocked shot per game.. 55% from field..big for tom henderson to dish to..

    Reggie Carter 6’3″ guard mcdonald AA. 17 ppg about 7 assists a game and nearly 90% from ft line and led nation at one time..good freshman…1975-7€..

    Chris Gaines. 17 ppg about..over 80% from ft line ..great talent..Mr Iowa..recruited by Frank Arnold

    some pretty good major contributing freshmen..

    isaac fleming and sammis reyes are vrr talented..between them..they score 19.5 ppg or so real freshman contribution

    negus is SEC talent ..hard to compare isaac fleming and sammis to guy who played some pt time at mizzou!!

    Good thing uh mbb has 1-12…very good talent in bwc..they are not a preseason number 7 team..
    hope the best..fleming is smooth and now team player with clark hatch team coach like him

    🙂
    I like fleming and reyes solid freshman!!

  7. The problem with all these recruits coming in after they sign the letter intent is that they are over hyped.
    Let’s be realistic here. Most of us have never seen these guys in a UH game yet. The only guys who we’ve seen who can play DI basketball for us next year as of right now is Fotu, Nevels, Valdes, Smith, and maybe Thomas. OK, we think Webster-Chan can play because he played some at Missouri. Everybody else, is a unknown quantity as of right now. Until we see these guys in action in a real game we don’t know what we’re going to get. I hope it’s good, but there are tons of guys who we thought would be real good players but never planned out. Manroop Clair and Ozren Pavlovic were supposedly dead eye shooters. Some people thought Vander Joaquim could be NBA potential. Please, stop! I reserve judgement on our 2014-15 team until I see them play, at least through the pre-season schedue. All too often Hawaii basketball fans are disappointed after having high hopes. I believe Gary Dickman. He’s been around the block and have seen a lot of basketball, college and pro. In any event, let’s see what happens and hope for the best as we’ve always done. I think about our NCAA teams and they always had a good point guard, shooters, hustlers, and some good rebounding. Fact: UH has never won a first round game in the NCAA tournament.

  8. Very soon august this friday..really believe sammis be here soon..I think ncaa allows six week workout in groups before first practice october..by next month start of school with all guys in and gib, benjy, que..akana..having seen guys..especially last year’s guys that played..if they all improved like thomas..gib will have good idea how good team is…he was pretty good past year..when no proven pgs..he knew from beginning it would be struggle..when shortage of good 3 ball shooters..he was right..last year said team could score..however had to get D stops..he was right..

    Derek..wait until start of school..open gym..and workouts..if new guys playing as well really close battle for PT..translates to..uh mbb can be deep and good..

    hope gib gets one more ready to play under radar big..uh mbb..the returnees and newbies..after nortridge loss bwc tourney are ready..get to ncaa’s and win games..make history..I believe this team..they want to big ncaa dance nothing less!!
    🙂

  9. Between Gib & Big-Q,
    IF there is an Immediately-Eligible BIG
    AND He-Be Worthy: THIS Year ‘As Good As’ One or Two Futures
    They Will Find Him
    And IF He Be of Good Faith And Trust
    Beyond the Buffoonish Machinations of No Clue At All
    He Will Arrive In Time…

    Otherwise, they will play And Win with What they Have…
    Which Is A Lot
    Even with a 6-5 you can play Press and Keep-Away
    OR Front and Back Hack-A-Mamadou

  10. Eagle:

    I really hope that Aaron Valdes, took time to really work out this summer, get bigger, stronger, maybe grow taller… he , if he is 6’6″ legit and about 215 lbs of muscle, with his athleticism, he can play in the paint to the perimeter, …He and Negus at 6’7″ about 215, could and should help rebound and guard the rim. If Gib cannot sign another big, Valdes and Webster-Chan, by necessity will have to help down low, and pressure the wings on defense, get out to 3 pt shooters, … they can.

    Still, say, Gib and Que , Benjy will recruit till the start of school. If they land the right PF or athlete!

  11. Talking about Valdes, IMO: don’t think he’ll grow taller (wishful thinking) nor necessarily bigger. However, believe he needs to develop a consistent outside shot and his ball handling skills to take players off the dribble. Needs to up his game in the mode of Michael Jordan. He has the athleticism to play a similar type of game.

    Just a thought, hope Negus and Reyes developed BB muscles, otherwise all that bulk maybe in all the wrong places…just a thought..

    Anybody heard anything about the progress of Stefan Janks?

  12. tako:

    agreed. Aaron has to have consistent 3 point and mid range shot. And to take man off the dribble, we are talking about Aaron being a all BWC type of athlete. That is why I say, JMO, that Aaron, Janks, Jovan, Niko, have to GRIND(today’s term: work really hard at)getting better, as did Mike Thomas. Mike really stepped up. He has all the tools too.

    That thing still have to work on, …okay, have a lot of guards, with two really experienced ones in Q and Nevels., they can and probably will be the starters. They are working hard this summer and Cali summer leagues. The wings, Negus, Valdes, even Fotu developing that 3 man game, a SF , type hit the threes, for possible post UH career, as SF or hybrid PF..

    Defending the rim.. remember, those guys from other teams, whether, Chaminade, HPU, Hilo, or Western Ohio(just made up), a lot of guys, just go right to the rim and layin or dunk, or dish and finish by other guys, Gib has to have one or two guys, their role, protect the rim, block, alter, clean hard fouls spread out over Janks and Jovan, the two Stefans, and Reyes, Thomas, Valdes, Fotu, cannot let guys go to rim uncontested, have to reject and alter shots, .. that is how UH lost maybe 6 games last year… in closing minutes, teams got hot from 3, UH come out, then they drive to rim, no defense by UH, and UH lost.. DEFEND the rim.. key..

  13. Thanks Hoopsa….

    This is just something to consider. Most will agree that protecting the rim is very important to success. With what we currently have, another way to protect the rim is to “guard” the man. When in either zone or man, have to defend man first and when someone gets beat, help side needs to collapse. Looks like this year’s team has some speed and quickness to hold tough onto the man. What do you think? Sometimes what you gain by not having a rim protector is more offense and quicker defending on man and even quicker help when needed.

    Go Warriors…

  14. tako:

    agreed. If UH MBB does not have traditional Big shot blocker, they can play outstanding Team and help defense. A lot of teams do that. In fact a lot of the top 20 Defensive teams in NCAA basketball, don’t have the teeth on the rim, shot blockers like Kentucky or Louisville. Just great fundamentally sound defensive athletes.

    With this year’s athletic team, that is what UH will have to do, as a Team. Still I loved Gib’s first year, I think Benjy was coordinating defense(?) with Amis back there to help weakside shot blocking, that team was I believe a top 30 in NCAA defensive team, almost won 20 games, Hiram Thompson, Bill Amis and that first bunch of Gib’s recruits.

    Still hoping, and I thinking really positive, (!), Sammis gets waiver ncaa and enrolls this fall, he is a strong athlete, yet finesse, he wants to play the 3 too! Seems like all the big guys want to be a 3.. that is okay, shows how athletic, and the type of guys Gib was trying to recruit, guys play multiple positions, .. He has good sense of timing on helpside shot blocking, .. even for that BIG, BIG, Quandree Smith at 6’8″ near 290, he says he is not shot blocker, very small vert, couple of inches?
    He takes charge, has it down to an art. So Defensive, position, help, and the perimeter guys, shutting guys down, from outside and driving the paint.. yes, tako, UH can do it as a TEAM..

    Love offense, however, as Gib knows, and all good HC’s , get those last 2 or 3 D stops in closing of games, UH can win a lot, and championships!

  15. Reggie Carter (d. 1999) and Chris Gaines (2010) both passed away at age 42 .

    Carter was selected in round 2 of the NBA Draft in 1979.

  16. islandman:

    They both died way too young. both outstanding freshmen for UH MBB.

    Chris Gaines 6’3″ SG,Still remember, I think Blaisdell was booked, and UH played UNC(with J.R. Reid? 6’9″ All American) at Klum gym, (that game I saw in person, hot humid, Klum gym!)Mr. Iowa,Gaines was starting freshman guard, I think he had 23 points, a lot of talent, and commended by Coach Dean Smith. Frank Arnold said, something to effect, that young guy from Iowa is something special. He was.

    Reggie Carter, another, alongside Henry Hollingsworth, remember they wore puka shell necklace, the craze back in the mid seventies. Reggie Carter, when got the ball, every possession he was running, beating his team down court, however, his mates were 6’10 1/2″ 230, 6’9″ 230 and I forget who the SF was, maybe it was, George Lett ? 6’7″ freshman from NYC, another talent.
    Loved how he hated to miss ANY Free Throw, led the nation at one time , in the mid 90% FT

    percentage, we were watching him, and it seemed like he hardly ever missed, finally settled in the high 80% FT percentage, 17 ppg approx., and 7 assists, a steal, couple of rebounds, a McDonalds AA.. what a get for that HC of UH at that time…Reggie Carter who played briefly for NY Knicks. in NBA, was drafted out of St John’s after he transferred, with the original bugaboo..

  17. Hopefully Reyes can be cleared by NCAA. Seems like his issue may be academic or immigration I20 issues. If it’s academic then he should be able to register at UH but not have a scholership. Since he isn’t registered it seems it may be that his classes didn’t meet NCAA or UH requirements. Regardless he has to be cleared by NCAA at one point. I20 immigration issues are different and that can take a while like what happened to Fotu. Let’s see what happens but I don’t really see it happening for him. Would really help us in he future if he can get in and develops.

  18. Baler4Life:
    Thanks for information…Sammis communicate he still awaiting….could be last minute makes it in..still has strng desire to join uh mbb team…is not giving up..just hope he has great guardian counsel in Florida…

    he still has LOI…wonder if UH is the only college he can go to?
    He had great visit…really likes Hawaii..
    hope the best..

    I would think August starts tomorrow we will soon know status of sammis…or whether uh mbb bringing in a late signee..

    otherwise..uh mbb will have 10 scholalarship guys and 4 walkons available when season starts..then mid december big help with janks eligible..if it plays out like that..guys will have lot of PT..good preparation for bwc play..

    I keep positive..if no word that one guy didn’t make it in..reyes uh mbb bound..he is grinder..would be great to have!!
    🙂
    Hang in there sammis ..uh mbb keep locker space for you!!
    🙂

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