UH Men’s Basketball Team to Play in ‘The Barn’

Returning center Vander Joaquim (15) will lead Hawaii in 2012-13. File photo by UH Athletics.

By Rodney S. Yap

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team finalized its 2012-13 schedule with a pair of games, including UH’s first-ever visit to the island of Moloka’i.

Added to the schedule is a home exhibition game against Hawai’i Pacific on Friday, Nov. 2 in Honolulu and a regular-season matchup versus Chaminade on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Moloka’i High School in Ho’olehua. The contest versus the Silverswords is believed to be the first-ever regular-season game in any UH sport on the Friendly Isle. The game will be played at “The Barn,” the 2,000-seat home gym of the Moloka’i High Farmers. Action tips off at 7:30 p.m.

“We play for and represent all of Hawai’i,” UH head coach Gib Arnold said. “We’re grateful for the support of our neighbor island fans and want them to know how much we appreciate them. We’re thrilled to play on Moloka’i and thank Chaminade and the people of Moloka’i for making this possible.”

The Rainbow Warriors basketball program has ties — both past and present — to Moloka’i. Current UH assistant coach Brandyn Akana is a native of Kaunakakai. Meanwhile, his brother Jarrin was a standout player for UH and a member of the 1994 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

This marks the third straight year that the Bows will head to the neighbor islands in regular-season action. Last year the Bows played UH-Hilo in Kona on the Big Island, then two days later faced North Carolina A&T here at War Memorial Gym. In 2009, UH faced Chicago State at the Lahaina Civic Center. Hawaii won all three games.

The game versus the Division II Silverswords will be just the fifth all-time regular-season meeting between the two schools, which are located less than a mile apart. UH won the last meeting, 70-61, during the 2009-10 season.

The Rainbow Warriors will see their first live action of 2012-13 in an exhibition against Hawai’i Pacific on Nov. 2 with a 7 p.m. tipoff. The contest is scheduled one week before the team’s regular-season opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Rainbow Classic.