Festive opening night planned for Oct. 4
Fans can expect a fun-filled Saturday night when the 2014-15 University of Hawai’i basketball team is unveiled to the public.
In addition to a Green vs. White intrasquad scrimmage, the Warriors will participate in a slam-dunk contest, a free-throw challenge involving the fans, and an autograph session.
“It’s more of just an introduction to the fans,” head coach Gib Arnold said.
The event is scheduled to start around 10 p.m., following the completion of a UH women’s volleyball match earlier that night. Admission to the basketball scrimmage is free.
Several players have been sitting out of preseason workouts due to nagging injuries, and Arnold said he will likely continue to rest those players. Among them is junior forward Isaac Fotu – the team’s top returning scorer and rebounder from last season. He spent the summer playing with the New Zealand national team, and is resting a back injury.
“We’ve got three or four guys that could actually play if we needed to, if we had a game tomorrow, they would all be cleared to play,” Arnold said. “But we’re holding them out for another week just so that they’re little bangs and nicks and bruises can get a little more healed. I’d rather have them during the season than for the Green & White game.”
Because of the tentative status of several players, the rosters have not been set yet. Arnold said he will likely have some type of a draft later this week, maybe even as late as Saturday afternoon.
The players and coaches have prepared separate dance routines in recent years at the opening practice event. Arnold would neither confirm nor deny a dance off for this weekend.
“There’s always a little something something hidden back there, so we’ll see,” he said.
For those that can go, wish it were earlier after WVB game, however better than the past at midnite..if close to 900 to 1000 stay till 1000 pm would be great.
If these guys are healthy should be good scrimmage and slam dunk contest… Aaron Valdes, Mike Thomas, Stefan Jovanovich, Niko Filipovich, Dyrbe Enos, Brocke Stepteau, Zach Buscher, Quincy Smith, Garrett Nevesl, Roderick Bobbitt and Isaac Fleming.
If: Isaac Fotu, Stefan Jankovich, Sammis Reyes and Brandon Jawato still on the mend.
Eagle, warriorhaw, kahuna, servante…TAVS… BigFan, clyde, Horssse, josh, jjay, whomever can physically go, have fun..
The REAL hard grind practices, Gib says starts Monday Oct 6th, so guys are still on the break and hiatus from the big start and run towards championships.
Mahalo in advance Dayton. You ALWAYS have the First and always the best coverage, you beat the SA beat guy, all the time.. Mahalo for WI , and your hard work, and the Schmidt Ohana for great sponsorship, remember fans, these videos, are going to NZ, Serbia, Cali, Delaware, Canada, Chile, Indonesia, throughout the USA and around the globe.
Hey, warriorhaw and fans, it is WARRIOR TIME..!! Go Bows!
Sorry , I always forget one guy, of the 16 sensational MBB team.. the official , take it to the next level, SEC experienced and ready to make noise and win championships, including aiming for the NCAA national title.. Negus Webster-Chan, finally!
no fotu, bobbit, reyes, fleming, jawato, jankovic and maybe nwc. who would wanna go and watch….not me
Who said no Fleming or NWC ?
for those that do stay past Volleyball game.as coach Arnold said. about 4 guys could play. however to have them healed for regular season. will hold them out another 5 days or so. scrimmage an introduction to team. warriorinsider has introduced us all to team and we say thanks.jamie smith soon back. students look forward to return.
In the one on one competition, i put my money on Gary over Chris. The latter looks more overweight than the former.
islandman:
Maybe Dayton, if he can, can update us on who has the injuries, not major, just getting better and Gib sitting them out for a light scrimmage, let the guys run and gun a little for the fans that will be there for G/W game. Remember in the past? Melton Werts, 6’9″ 230 (1972-76) Tommy Barker6’11” 230(1974-76) center?power forwards, they would be on opposite teams, their G/W scrimmage would be at Kailua HS gym, or similar venue, when reading the Advertiser the next morning. Werts had 39 points , 5 blocks and 19 rebounds.. Barker had 37 pts, 6 blocks, 18 rebounds. G-109 over W-107, a full 40 minute scrimmage game. just run and gun and fun. Now , the name of the game, get especially the young people, the kids and their parents, and the fans of certain players. Get to know them before and after game. Still very high interest in UH MBB. Hope they have very good season and stay healthy academically and athletically and as a OHANA!
Now, Gib, as he said on above video, about 4 guys on the injured reserve? Fotu, his back, Jankovich some minor injury, Sammis healing that broken toe, Jawato rehabbing those bum ankles, I would think those are the guys who he is resting not chancing setting them back., So when they are ready to go full bore, then , they will be ready for the real season. Hey Hawaiifan09, try check out team, Nov 6 2014, a real exhibition game 40 minutes, a little over month from now, to see whole team in action.
I am not sure if NWC or Fleming or Bobbitt have gotten hurt since last video interviews, that would make 7 guys on injured reserve, and 9 guys available for scrimmage, so they would have to use a team manager, to play to make the 2 five man teams, don’t think so… I think, Gib probably has those 11-12 guys who are still healthy. Once again, even if preferred, 4 of them, including Enos and Niko, VERY GOOD THAT Gib has that 16 man available roster, just in case of injury or other matters.
Look forward to hilites, slam dunk, well odds on favorite, for this year and the next 2? Airon Valdes, then Mike Thomas, Quincy, and Nevels, maybe Jovanovich,..in past they had the Phil Lotts, AC Carter, Erin Galloway, Justice Sueing, Troy Ostler, … guys that had close to or above 40+ verticals, running…Some schools, do away with the slam dunk contest, because of possible , oh oh, injury, hope the guys stay safe. I like that fan vs team FT contest, I guess, the fans will make noise and try to distract guys? And see if they can hit or miss FT’s? I liked the 3 pt shooting contest, however it got embarrassing, maybe not? When the WBB team would win the 3 ball contest against the MBB team, they quickly did away with that.
Anyways, hawaiifan, BB season is finally here, the practices, and scrimmages, even the controlled closed ones with BYUH, maybe.,.and then soon, HPU exhibition, then RBC!
Go Bows Go Warriors Double Trouble Double Rainbows!
islandman:
Going to be really funny, you are right. Chris Hart, says he played JV BB at Punahou? And Gary Dickman from East Coast, must have played some BB, gym, school or playground?
should be entertaining!
Anyone else wonder if Fotu really has a back injury? Or maybe a certain Alabama law firm is advising UH to not use him?
Just really curious about the NCAA investigation.
Looking forward to seeing the guys finally on Saturday night. Real excited to see the newbies play. Nice that Gib mixed it up. I hope Fotu is resting along with Sammis. Too bad Sammis can’t go. I want to see Valdes and his 40+ inch vertical in the dunk contest. NWC with his sweet moves and passes, Q with his aggressive ball handling at the point., Nevels with his silky shot, Dyrbe with his quick shots and so on.
Horssse: I would not even go there. Once again the lesson we learned. if we go on speculation, rumor, it backfires. Never thought, with all the naysayers, and anti HC guys and gals out there, that Sammis would be here, or that 16 guys would be enrolled and ready to rock.
Fotu, had a full on summer FIBA schedule, Gib make sure Fotu ready to blast off and do well Junior season. He let be known, he okay, this morning, Fotu, Gib and 2 other mbb ATHLETES reading at the elementary school. If anything wrong, pretty sure it would be out there.
In past whether Rocha, O’Neil, Little, F. Arnold, Wallace, Nash, if a guy was not able to play, or question on eligibility , they would say. They have to await, paperwork, or whatever.
No sense start Rumors again. Let the legal eagles do their thing, That UH MBB all 16 guys in UH and working so hard to produce a winning championship team for the fans, the University and the Aloha state, for thousands of followers of UH MBB in USA and globally, that is a Good Thing.
The BB team, including Fotu? What do you think they want, or are going to do? Win that BWC championship/s!
Go Bows. Go the Mighty Warrior, and Tonganator, Isaac will have a great year, just has to let back heal up, and he is ready to go, of that we are 100% certain.
No Spin Zone, This WI site, trying to be the NO RUMOR/Speculation Zone, the Warrior Basketball Zone.!
Go Bows!
RunBows and all UH Supporters. Just watching Ella and Daniel at High school national Champs, both doing well so far.
I am excited for this season, looks like the team got a lot of weapons this year. One Ohana, all for one and one for all. Starting of season just around the corner. Looking forward to the teams introduction on Saturday.
Isaac is all good to go, resting up so he will hits the starting line with all cylinders firing…
GO THE MIGHTY WARRIORS
Mahalo(Thankyou greatly ) to Tonganator for clearing things up with Isaac. We know he was working hard against the Best International BB players in the world. He has to rest up his back, get well, get going in UH classes, and be ready. It is ones like you, Tonganator and Mama Fotu and the Fotu Ohana, what you are able to say, you do… and it makes everything GREAT!
Yes, the UH MBB faithful fans, the season just a little over one month away! You have a great time with Isaac and your Ohana in coming down in December for the DHC.. hopefully the Mighty Warriors will finally win that tournament!
Shout out to Daniel and Ella. Very sure in New Zealand, the land of the Kiwis, they are youth Basketball great athletes, some of the best in Polynesia. We wish that both Ella and Daniel have great BB seasons and win their respective championships!
Thanks to bigdaddy and TribeVx4, too, for whatever they can say, to set matters straight. All they know.. their young ones, Isaac Fleming and Aaron Valdes, and whole team, ONE THING.. win championships.. as Sammis says… Make Some Noise!
Go The Mighty Warriors!
See Horsssee… with Isaac Fotu, and the 15 other brothers of the Rainbow, everything set and ready to Rock The Rock and at the SSC blow up the BWC for the titles!
Just hoping to see Fotu in action for UH.
Even when his back is ready to go, will UH have to keep him out of action due to the ongoing investigation? These are the things we UH fans have to worry about, since nothing has resulted from the investigation yet.
Hope the Alabama law firm can help UH, we are not like Penn St. or Florida St.
True. However…let the legal counsel do their jobs. Know it impacted recruiting however gib and team doing right thing just keep team doing well on and off court.
Been going over scenarios looong time now..no way does uh mbb situation on same level with usc.. st marys…penn st..miami ..etc..really seems like minor things.
Still key Horsse..why would sixteen sets of parents or guardians send their loved young ones to uh mbb this year..if it was a big blow up?
Personally I feel uh mbb ..coaches..general and private counsel know extent if any of possible stuff..
As ..we say..why worry..if out of your hands to do anything..?
Just enjoy the boys having great season..might be adjustment..nobody knows what..
Kui Lee…ain’t no big thing..why worry be happy..
Horsssse…it is like beating a…..horse…just enjoy the fact uh mbb will be playing for championships..
Legal. They will work it out..that is what they get paid for..
Go bows
Go warriors!!
Any wig nights coming ?
Fotu looks natural in the class room.
http://instagram.com/p/toK9EkoxBR/
neither of them were in the open gym either due to minor injury or attending class…just saying if injury they might not play