Rainbow Warriors wings take flight

SECOND OF THREE PARTS

Aaron Valdes is determined to make it a lasting leap.

The Hawaii small forward best known for his highlight-reel dunks has trended upward since arriving in Manoa as a walk-on in 2012. If Valdes has his way, he’s not yet close to reaching his hoops apex.

The junior sat out his first year as a redshirt player, was a seldom-used role player the next season, then broke out in a big way in 2014-15, averaging team bests of 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Now he’s on the cusp of becoming a bona fide star as the most prominent wing player for the Rainbow Warriors. UH opens the season against Montana State in the Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic on Friday.

Valdes’ name recognition — his surname is erroneously spelled with a "Z" on the end less and less by casual watchers — reached the point that he was voted to the six-player Big West preseason all-conference team.

"What I’ve said about A.V. all the time is … he’s gotten better and he knows he has to continue to get better," new UH coach Eran Ganot said. "He’s moving up the scout (scouting report), so to speak. He’s got a target on him. People are aware of him. He has to be prepared to handle more attention. Night in and night out, he could very well be at the top of their scout."

To prepare for the added attention, Valdes bulked up by about 20 pounds (190 to 210) in the offseason through some vigorous weight training and by watching his diet carefully. But the 40-plus-inch vertical leap is still there, as he’s rattled the rim with regularity during preseason practices.

Against Chaminade in an exhibition last week, he compiled 31 points and 14 rebounds. He even had to fill in at center a little against the Silverswords, an unexpected move for the Rainbows, who were shorthanded due to injuries and foul trouble.

That doesn’t figure to happen much more, but the 6-foot-5 Valdes is attempting to be ready for anything.

"Just improving overall in everything I do," Valdes said. "Rebounding, dribbling, driving, shooting. I worked on all that in the summer, so I’m continuing to work on it as much as I can with school going and practices. I think it’s helped me a lot."

The most memorable play of his UH career to this point was actually not a dunk. In the Big West tournament semifinals against top-seeded UC Davis in March, he elevated to swat a floater attempted by conference player of the year Corey Hawkins. The key play — he got a piece of the ball near the apex of the high-arching shot — invoked comparisons to Erin Galloway’s block against Kansas. It allowed the Rainbow Warriors to hold onto a slim lead late in the game and reach their first conference title game in 13 years.

UH assistant coach John Montgomery wasn’t there for that moment, but he’s seen enough of Valdes in recent weeks to know he’s potentially special.

"He’s as athletic as anybody I’ve coached, which obviously is the first thing that’s eye-popping," said Montgomery, who works with the UH wings. "You see a guy who’s that athletic. What I’m trying to hammer home with him is, you can be a double-double guy. You can rebound. Obviously he had 14 the other night. But I’m working with him on rebounding the ball, trying to get him to be a little better ball-handler in the open court."

He’s going to be one of four perimeter players in UH’s four-out offense much of the time — he shot 36 percent from deep last year — but he also will have opportunities to exploit size mismatches and post up.

Valdes said the scheme isn’t quite second nature yet.

"We have a new system, so there’s always going to be some hesitation," Valdes said. "But it’s good, I like this offense a lot. A lot of dribble drives, getting the shooters open. We have a lot of guys who can score the ball, so it’s going to give them a chance to show that."

The return of sophomore Isaac Fleming added some needed depth on the wings. Fleming was on a leave of absence for nearly two weeks of preseason activity, but returned to practice in the days following the Chaminade exhibition.

UH’s top reserve last season has played with the second team this week. Ganot has declined to say how much playing time Fleming will see in the Rainbow Classic — three games in four days.

"He’ll be getting ball screens, he’ll have opportunities to impact the paint, so we can spread guys out," Ganot said. "He’s got to continue to work on his perimeter shot, his decision-making in the paint. He’s got the hard part — he can get in the paint."

Fleming and freshman Sheriff Drammeh — though classified as wings here — will basically operate as additional point guards when they see the floor.

Drammeh, of Sweden, was a late-offseason addition. The true freshman is the fastest player, end to end, on the team. He can play the 1 to the 3 and could get a chance in the backcourt this year.

"We’ve been kind of grooming (Sheriff) a little bit more as a point," Montgomery said. "I think he ultimately could become a pretty good 2-guard in our league once he gains some weight. He’s certainly quick enough and athletic enough, he can play that position."

‘Iolani product Zach Buscher is coming off a redshirt season and has practiced as a scout-teamer, but it’s possible he could see some spot action.

"I like to call him a good ball mover, but he’s really improved his shot to where he can make an open jump shot," Montgomery said. "But he’s also a very good penetrator, so he’s a guy who can catch it off an inside-outside kick and get to the paint, find the next pass."

Key to success: Valdes takes another proverbial leap from his breakout sophomore season to live up to his preseason all-conference selection. The dynamic driver Fleming buys in under a coaching staff that expects more from him, on and off the court. Speedy Drammeh chips in solid bench minutes.