Last summer, Hawaii’s Jack Purchase put himself in position — many positions — to improve his basketball skills.
“I was doing yoga seven times a week,” said Purchase, noting the yoga positions were helpful in “getting more flexible, being able to jump quicker, things like that. It’s pretty hard. If you go in there thinking, ‘it can’t be that hard,’ then you’re in there for half an hour and it hurts. But it definitely helps.”
This season, a more active Purchase leads the Rainbow Warriors in scoring (11.5 points per game) and rebounding (6.0). On Monday, Purchase was named to the All-Big West second team.
Drew Buggs, who leads the league with 5.4 assists per game, received honorable mention.
It also was announced that guard Brocke Stepteau was selected as the Big West player of the week after leading the ’Bows to consecutive road victories to close the regular season.
The fourth-seeded ’Bows play No. 5 Long Beach State in Thursday’s opening round of the Big West tournament. The tournament winner earns the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
“It feels good,” Purchase said of the Big West recognition, “but it will feel a lot better if we can get this championship done this weekend.”
Purchase, who was born and reared in Australia, spent all but two weeks training in Hawaii last summer. “I really only had two weeks off the last two years,” Purchase said. “I’ve been practicing, getting up shots, working on what I’m good at, working on what I’m not good at, and trying to get better.”
Purchase focused on his one-on-one defense and rebounding. In 2016-17, his first UH season of eligibility after transferring from Auburn, Purchase averaged 4.2 rebounds. He increased that to 5.1 last year.
“My first (UH) season wasn’t great,” Purchase said of his rebounding. “My second season was a lot better. This season was even better than that.”
His marksmanship has remained pure. He is UH’s career leader in 3-point shots made (196) and attempted (536).
Buggs also has improved steadily. He redshirted as a freshman in 2016-17 while recovering from a knee injury suffered in high school. The following year was the first time he played point guard. In league play this season, Buggs has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.9. The ’Bows average a team-high plus-6.43 points when Buggs is on the court.
“A lot of hard work and my love for the game to keep getting better,” Buggs said. “I really pride myself in continuing to improve. You can never be too good or satisfied. I always keep that mind-set.”
Stepteau is the only UH player to win the weekly award this season. Last week against UC Davis, Stepteau came off the bench to score 17 points in 29 minutes to rally the ’Bows from a 15-point deficit. Against Cal State Fullerton two nights later, he made his 20th start, scoring a team-high 21 points. He has made 34 consecutive free throws, a school record.
“Whether I start or come off the bench, I don’t feel my responsibility changes,” Stepteau said. “I’m still going to come in and do the same things — be aggressive, make plays for my teammates, make shots when I’m open, and play hard.”
UC Irvine’s Russell Turner was named the Big West’s coach of the year after the Anteaters claimed their fourth regular-season title in six years.
Cal State Northridge forward Lamine Diane was selected as the league’s top player, freshman and newcomer. Also named to the six-player first team were CSUN guard Terrell Gomez, UC Davis guard TJ Shorts, Fullerton guard Kyle Allman, Long Beach State guard Deishuan Booker and UCI post Jonathan Galloway. Galloway was named the top defensive player for the third year in a row.
Joining Purchase on the second team were center Amadou Sow of UC Santa Barbara, and guards Khalil Ahmad of Fullerton, Donovan Fields of Cal Poly and Max Hazzard of UCI.
