Warriors host UH-Hilo in exhibition opener
The first public look at the 2022-23 University of Hawai’i basketball team is set for this Thursday.
The Rainbow Warriors will host NCAA Division II Hawai’i-Hilo in an exhibition game at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. It is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m., and will be broadcast live on ESPN Honolulu radio/online streaming. There will not be any live television coverage.
The final result and statistics will not count for either team, but it will still be an important gauge to see how prepared the Warriors are after five weeks of official practices.
Hawai’i returns 10 players from last season’s squad that finished 17-11 overall and third in the Big West Conference. Leading the way among the returnees are starters Noel Coleman, Bernardo da Silva and Kamaka Hepa. Coleman, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, led the team in scoring last season at 14.8 points per game, and was a second-team All-Big West selection.
What’s more, seniors Samuta Avea and Juan Munoz are expected to play significant roles. Both sat out all of last season due to injury.
Among the five newcomers are two NCAA-I transfers (Ryan Rapp from Washington State and Matija Svetozarevic from Portland). Another newcomer is 7-1 freshman Mor Seck.
With all that in mind, expectations are raised for this season’s Warriors. They were picked to finish second in the Big West Conference Coaches Preseason Poll.
UH-Hilo finished 14-13 last season and is picked to finish eighth in the Pacific West Conference Preseason Poll.
The Vulcans return their top two players from last season in sophomore forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones and senior point guard Darren Williams. Tait-Jones averaged 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as the PacWest Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection. Williams averaged 12.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.
After Thursday’s exhibition, the Warriors will have one week to prepare for the season-opening Outrigger Rainbow Classic. Hawai’i will host three games in four days to start the season: Mississippi Valley State on November 11, Eastern Washington on November 13, and Yale on November 14.
HAWAI’I vs. HAWAI’I-HILO (exhibition game)
When: Thursday, November 4, 7:00 p.m.
Where: SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
TV: None
Radio: ESPN Honolulu (92.7 FM/1420 AM)
Online: Live audio at espnhonolulu.com; live stats at statbroadcast.com
Tickets: Prices range from $5 to $10. Available online at eTicketHawaii, or at the arena box office
Parking: $7 to park in the lower campus structure.
