It’s nice to know you have options.
The Hawaii men’s basketball team tested its versatility on Wednesday with three different lineup combinations in three 10-minute intrasquad scrimmages overseen by referees.
It was an opportunity for the Rainbow Warriors to prove themselves capable in a game-like setting with standard and unorthodox lineups alike. One included centers Vander Joaquim and Davis Rozitis playing together as a towering frontcourt.
Referees or no referees, the unflappable Joaquim did his thing, scoring in the low post with ambidextrous hook shots and making his presence felt on the defensive end with several blocks.
“I was just playing normal, how I usually play,” the junior center said. “I guess I did well; I only had two fouls.”
Junior forward Joston Thomas was the most consistent scorer, leading or tying for top honors in the first two scrimmages with 10 and eight points. Senior guard Zane Johnson was the high-point man (seven) in the finale.
A starting lineup hasn’t yet been hammered out, but some clear possibilities emerged based on Wednesday’s combos.
In the first scrimmage, the primary team was sophomore point guard Bobby Miles, freshman point guard Shaquille Stokes, Johnson, Thomas and Joaquim.
Stokes was given the offensive reins in the second scrimmage, going against Miles on the secondary (scout) team. Johnson, junior forward Hauns Brereton, Thomas and Joaquim rounded out the first group.
The third scrimmage featured Stokes and Miles together again in the backcourt with Johnson and the large frontcourt of the 7-foot Rozitis and 6-foot-10 Joaquim.
The two point guards were comfortable playing in tandem from the Warriors to Asia summer tour.
“We just kind of get eye contact, and whoever’s closer gets the ball, and the other one goes in and runs the play,” Miles said. “But other than that, me and Shaq are pretty cool. Everyone’s getting along, chemistry-(wise). We just gotta pick and choose where we go with it.”
When asked if he liked a certain starting group the most, UH coach Gib Arnold was noncommittal.
“I’ll probably look at the tape, because you’re kind of watching both teams (live),” he said. “But I felt comfortable with the different combos. There wasn’t one that I thought, ‘Ooh, I don’t like this.’ “
UH should have a better idea of where it stands after hosting Brigham Young-Hawaii in a closed scrimmage this weekend. UH’s first public game is an exhibition vs. Hawaii Pacific on Nov. 11.
