Hawaii gets ‘big’ Latvian recruit

Acquiring size was a must for the depleted Hawaii basketball team.

Fortunately, some is being shipped from the other side of the globe. Latvian forward Zigmars Raimo has verbally committed to play for the Rainbow Warriors starting in the 2016-17 season.

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Raimo has experience on Latvia’s junior national teams. He said he chose UH over Arkansas State and Vermont in a text message exchange with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Wednesday.

“I had an offer from (assistant coach) John Montgomery and I watched march madness games and I saw that this team’s players are fighters. I really liked it,” Raimo messaged. “Then I had an opportunity to talk with (head coach) Eran Ganot. After that talk I was sure that I wanted to go to Hawaii. And also I heard good words about Hawaii from Davis Rozitis.”

Rozitis, a fellow Latvian, was a backup center at UH for three seasons.

In nine games of the 2015 U18 FIBA European Championships, Raimo averaged 9.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists for his country. It was a drastically expanded role for him from the previous year in U18 competition.

“I am strong under the basket and also I can be dangerous along the range,” Raimo said. “I can do whatever coach asks me to do. Of course there (are) a lot of things that I need to improve.”

European hoops scout Sam Meyerkopf lauded Raimo for his all-around skills.

“Zigmars is a very tough, strong and versatile player who often plays much bigger than his height,” Meyerkopf said. “He’s mainly played as a power forward and what sticks out about Zigmars is his ability to impact the game in so many different ways.”

He is the fourth player to announce a commitment to UH for next season, but the first big man. He has four years of eligibility.

UH lost its largest players, Stefan Jankovic and Stefan Jovanovic, from its reigning Big West championship team. The Rainbow Warriors are also presently banned from postseason play next season.

“I knew these things when I decided, but I know that practices with Eran Ganot will improve my (skills) and team skills so after this ban we will go and take that championship,” Raimo said.

Ganot can comment once Raimo’s letter of intent paperwork becomes official.