Ferd Lewis: Losing Ahmed Ali is another early setback for ’Bows

The Big West Conference preseason media poll and all-conference team ballot sits in the inbox posing more questions today where the University of Hawaii basketball team is concerned than it did when it arrived earlier this week.

Namely, where do you pick the Rainbow Warriors now that one of their top recruits is gone and another won’t be available for the first semester?

The prevailing hope is that Ahmed Ali, whom UH said was declared medically ineligible, will regain his health whether he plays basketball again somewhere or not.

Meanwhile, his return home to Canada is also a significant setback to the Rainbow Warriors, one that is magnified by the unavailability of another guard, Junior Madut, who is not in school and won’t be until January.

Together they were the 1-2 punch of this year’s recruiting class, possessing the most experience and the most ability to step in and contribute immediately.

Before the announcement of Ali’s departure, UH looked like a good pick to finish third or fourth in the Big West behind defending champion UC Irvine, fast-rising UC Santa Barbara and, possibly, a talented Cal State Northridge team.

Now?

The Big West has long been a backcourt league and, as such, the position the ’Bows find themselves in as they attempt to work their way back into the thick of the conference race after a three-year absence is less than enviable.

The experience of Ali and Madut was being counted on to help fill a backcourt need that was widened by the departure of Brocke Stepteau. Nicknamed “Late Clock Brocke” for his clutch shooting and prime-time play, Stepteau leaves a considerable void.

UH returns Drew Buggs at the point and long-range specialist Eddie Stansberry, of course. But Buggs has frequently been hobbled by injuries and Stansberry could use some help from the outside now that UH’s career 3-point leader, Jack Purchase, has exhausted his eligibility.

Jessiya Villa just returned from a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Kameron Ng is a freshman walk-on. Justin Webster is also a freshman and it remains to be seen how much they will be able to contribute right away.

Which is why Ali, who started 24 games at Washington State and was among the Pac-12 Conference leaders in assist/turnover ratio (2.38) and averaged 7.3 points per game, was so key. His former coach, Kyle Smith, described the 5-foot, 11-inch Ali as a “bigger” and better-shooting Stepteau.

Madut, who had been Ali’s teammate at Eastern Florida Community College, is a 6-foot, 5-inch off-guard who can also play some point and averaged 9.6 points per game.

Madut, who signed with UH in April, has had eligibility issues and an NCAA process delayed his availability to join after the first semester. Meaning that he might not be on campus until mid to late December, at the earliest.

This is an important year for the Rainbows, who have hopes of being back in the championship hunt this season after having been middlin’ in the nine-member conference — 25-23 — since winning it all in the NCAA Tournament run of 2015-16.

And it just got more challenging.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.