Touring UH Improves Hoops Record to 3-1

By Fred Guzman

For Gib Arnold, the Hawaii basketball team’s current tour of Asia – with most of the travel and activity taking place in China – is providing the coach a sneak peek of his team for the coming season.

The Bows were able to hold formal pratices in anticipation of the 17-day trip.  UH improved its record to 3-1 against Chinese pro teams by rallying from an 18-point halftime deficit to edge Shenyang 72-71 yesterday.

A pair of newcomers to the program – forward Hauns Brereton and point guard Shaquille Stokes – have been two of UH’s most productive players on this trip and they delivered again on Tuestday.  Each scored 21 points to fuel Hawaii’s comebck.

Trailing 48-30 at the half, UH went on a 20-5 run to start the third quarter. They went ahead for good on a Joston Thomas three-point play near the start of the fourth period, but needed to weather several late storms to post the victory.

Two days earlier, Stokes made soom key plays down the stretch after having sscored 29 poins and making four three-points in an 89-70 romp past Shenyang.  Sophomore forward Trevor Wiseman added 13 points and Thomas chipped in 10.

One game remains for Hawaii, an exhibition against the Panasonic Trians of the Japan Basketball League in Osaka on Saturday.  Then, it’s back home for a week before the start of classes.  In other words:  No rest for the weary.