Ex-UH coach Nash to lead Toyama Grouses

Former Hawaii basketball coach Bob Nash is returning to Japan to coach the Toyama Grouses, the BJ League team announced Friday.

Nash last coached the Saitama Broncos of the same league in the 2010-11 season.

Toyama, located on the north coast about halfway up the main Japanese island of Honshu, went 25-27 last season and made the BJ playoffs.

"I first want to thank the Toyama Grouses organization for the opportunity to coach once again in the BJ League," Nash said in a statement posted on the team’s website.

"It is my goal to build on the positive steps the team made last season of making the playoffs and being three games short of a winning season. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I like the commitment the Toyama organization is making to build a championship-caliber team."

Nash, a former "Fab Five" player at UH in the 1970s, coached the Rainbow Warriors three years from the 2007-08 season through 2009-10.

Kono, Kekai to speak at QB Club meeting

Olympic weightlifting gold medalist Tommy Kono and surfing legend Albert "Rabbit" Kekai are the featured speakers at Monday’s Honolulu Quarterback Club luncheon-meeting at the Maple Garden Restaurant.

Luncheon ($15) starts at 11:30 a.m., the program at noon.