Long Beach St/Hawaii...

[IE]

No Hawaiian vacation for L.B. State

49ers open tourney against hosts tonight.

By Frank Burlison
Staff writer

HONOLULU ? An already difficult nonconference schedule gets that much more so tonight for the Long Beach State men's basketball team.

The 49ers (1-5), who haven't been in action since dropping a 71-70 decision to the University of Portland in the Pyramid on Dec. 11, take on host University of Hawaii tonight in a first-round game of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

The eight-team event, which wraps up Thursday, opens with tonight's Georgetown vs. Oral Roberts game, followed by the 49ers and Rainbow Warriors. Clemson takes on Alabama-Birmingham on Tuesday night, followed by USC and Indiana State to complete the first round.

Hawaii (5-0) is of to its best start in seven years after a 84-77 victory over Saint Mary's at the UH's Stan Sheriff Center on Dec. 11.

The Rainbow Warriors of coach Riley Wallace are led by one of the top forwards in the West in 6-foot-9 junior Julian Sensley (16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds per game). Their frontcourt goes 6-9 with Sensley, 7-0 (Chris Botez) and 6-8 (Jeff Brackett).

"They're not the fastest team that we'll face this season," Long Beach coach Larry Reynolds said. "But they are one of the biggest. And Sensley is a very talented player. They get him the ball as much as possible and run everything (offensively) through him."

The 49ers might be without the services of 6-11 senior Anthony Coleman.

Coleman, who leads the team in scoring (13.7 points per game) and rebounds (5.7 per game), has swelling on his left tibia (shin), which underwent surgery with a titanium rod inserted last spring to deal with a stress fracture. The swelling, including a large lump, and pain surfaced in the late going of the team's game against Portland.

"X-rays showed no new break," Reynolds said. "He's gone a little bit in practices, maybe half of the stuff that we do. But we're going to be very cautious with him and not rush him into these games if there is a lot of soreness and maybe see if the leg gets better with rest."

But Long Beach is gaining a front-court player tonight.

Six-foot-8, 254-pound Onye Ibekwe, a 2002 graduate of Crenshaw High who transferred to the 49ers from Oklahoma State a year ago, becomes eligible tonight following the conclusion of the first semester Friday.

"He's had some good practices lately," Reynolds said. "He's a tremendous athlete who could be a positive force around the basket for us for the remainder of the season."

The 49ers open Big West Conference play on Dec. 28 at UC Santa Barbara.

 

[IE]

Hawai'i hopes for Classic opening

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The opening round of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic is no day at the beach for opponents of the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.


"That first game of the tournament is one of our most important games of the season," UH junior forward Julian Sensley said. "We know what happens if we lose ? we have to play in the afternoons in front of nobody."

To assure a decent crowd for the evening games throughout the tournament, the UH athletic department relies on the Rainbow Warriors winning the opener.

This year, Long Beach State drew the unenviable task of opening against Hawai'i. Oral Roberts and Georgetown will open the Classic today at 5 p.m., and the 'Bows and 49ers will follow around 7:30.

The 'Bows have won four of the last five Rainbow Classics, including the last three. They have played in the consolation round just twice in Riley Wallace's first 17 seasons as head coach, the last time in 1995.

"You never forget those day games because you never want to be there again," Wallace said.

Hawai'i is 5-0, its best start since the 1997-98 team also started 5-0. Long Beach State is 1-5.

"When you don't win games, you get to play against the home team," Long Beach State head coach Larry Reynolds said. "We don't look at it as a negative thing. We're looking at it as a chance to play in a championship atmosphere on the first night."

On paper, the 'Bows appear to be the bigger and better team. There are only 14 remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division I, including Hawai'i and Oral Roberts (7-0).

However, Wallace recently reviewed game tapes of the 49ers and said their record is somewhat deceiving because it includes road losses at Charlotte, UCLA and Loyola Marymount.

"That schedule has a lot to do with it," Wallace said. "I'm concerned because they've already gone on the road and played some tough games."

The 49ers' leading scorer and rebounder is 6-foot-11 center Anthony Coleman. However, he is surrounded by players 6-6 and shorter. Onye Ibekwe, a 6-8 forward, is eligible for the first time this season, but his role is yet to be determined.

The 'Bows will counter with 7-foot center Chris Botez, 6-9 Sensley and 6-8 Jeff Blackett at forwards, and 6-6 Bobby Nash and 6-3 Deonte Tatum at guards. The Matts, 6-5 Matt Gibson and 6-9 Matt Gipson, are the top reserves.

"They have some size, but the thing that jumps out is that they're all good athletes," Wallace said of the 49ers. "They try to take you off the dribble, so our defense has to be ready."

Sensley, who leads Hawai'i in scoring, rebounding and assists, should again play a key role. He will likely have to defend 6-6 Shawn Hawkins, who may be LBSU's best all-around player.

But the 49ers are just as concerned about stopping Sensley.

"We might see teams as big as Hawai'i, but we don't see teams that are as big and athletic," Reynolds said. "And it starts with Sensley. He's such a unique player because he can do so many things at that size."

 

[IE]

Rainbow Classic will test new dimensions

For this week's games only, the 3-point line will be moved back nine inches to 20 feet, six inches. Also, the lanes fronting each basket will be widened three feet to 15 feet.

"It's more of a mind thing," said Gibson, who is tied for the UH lead with seven 3-pointers. "It should be the same shot, the same rhythm, no matter where you are on the court."

The NCAA is experimenting with the new rules for non-conference tournaments.