UH Hoops Teams Picked for Middle of WAC Pack

By Fred Guzman

Mediocrity apparently is what is expected of the Hawaii basketball teams in their final seasons in the Western Athletic Conference.

The UH men were picked to finish fourth of eight teams in both the coaches and media pre-season polls.  The Rainbow Wahine were chosen to finish fifth.  Both teams are moving to the Big West next season.

In their first season under coach Gib Arnold, the UH men went 8-8 in the WAC and finished fifth. The Rainbow Wahine went 5-11 for seventh. Both team lost in the first round of the WAC tournament.

The men played in a lower-tier post-season event, finishing with an overall mark of 19-9 and nearly matching their victory total of the previous two years.

UH senior guard Zane Johnson, the league’s leading returning scorer with a 15.8 average, was a consensus first-team pick. Junior center Vander Joaquim was chosen to the second team and freshman guard Shaquille Stokes was the media choice for Newcomer of the Year.

The coaches picked Nevada to win the league. Utah State, in the midst of a four-year title run, was the media favorite.

Rainbow Wahine, sophomore forward Kamilah Jackson was named to the media first team. Sophomore wing Shawna Kuehu was on the coaches’ second team.

The LaTech women were picked to win the WAC in both polls