Four straight hours in Klum Gym sounds less like a healthy recipe for teaching basketball and more like a form of sweltering punishment.
Yet that’s what was on the docket for the Hawaii men’s basketball team on Sunday. The lengthy closed practice session in the aging facility concluded with a 20-minute scrimmage.
Third-year UH coach Gib Arnold said he thought the team — which includes nine newcomers and seven true freshmen — did an "outstanding job" of handling the conditions.
"This is the time where we’re going to push our limits a little bit and see how hard we can go. Just try to raise that bar as much as we can," Arnold said. "This was a physically demanding practice and a mentally demanding practice.
"I got a bunch of young guys who are stretching and growing. We’re going to try to speed that up as much as we can. Now is the time to go full-throttle. We can pull back later, which we will. But not in the first week. This time of year is the time to go as hard and fast as we can go. We’re trying to do that."
Defense remained an emphasis for two and a half hours of the practice. Arnold said he noticed some slippage in play in the scrimmage (young vs. old, similar to Friday’s Ohana Hoopfest) but was pleased with the intensity throughout.
"We’re in the Klum Gym, but no matter what the lines are there, and the hoop’s there. It’s 10 feet, the lines are the same as anywhere else," said wing Hauns Brereton, one of three seniors. "There might be a time where we might be outside. You never know. But we’re going to put forth the work needed."
Meanwhile, senior center Vander Joaquim continues to rehab his torn right MCL with the goal of returning in time for the Nov. 9 season opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore. He injured it during a team workout in late September and was given a four-to-six-week recovery prognosis.
Last year’s All-WAC first-teamer has been doing twice-a-day rehab sessions with team trainer Lyn Nakagawa. It’s been a steady diet of squats and leg lunges.
"We’re going to start running (today)," Joaquim said. "I’m pretty sure I can start (that). I haven’t wanted to force it, (but) I’m moving pretty well."
