University of Hawaii basketball player Mate Colina out of ‘bubble’ after odyssey from Australia

For University of Hawaii basketball center Mate Colina, the “bubble” wrap has been removed.

Colina has completed the state’s re-entry phases for trans-Pacific travelers from Australia. When he arrived in Hawaii two weeks ago, Colina was the last of the eight returnees to rejoin the Rainbow Warriors.

The past week, Colina was in the “bubble,” a restriction that allowed him to go only between his apartment and the UH campus. While Oahu remains under a stay-at-home order, Colina now is allowed to go on essential errands, such as grocery shopping.

In April, three weeks after the ’Bows’ 2020 postseason was canceled and classes moved to online instruction because of the pandemic, Colina returned to his home in Melbourne. It was there where he worked out under the guidance of trainers for national soccer and basketball programs.

During his stay, UH’s other 7-foot posts — Dawson Carper and Owen Hulland — decided to leave the ’Bows. But Colina remained firmly committed to returning.

“I love Coach (Eran) Ganot and the rest of the coaching staff,” Colina said. “They keep things exciting here. They see big things for the program, and I see big things for the program. This is something I want to be a part of going forward. At the end of the day, it’s about leaving a legacy here, and making sure the place is better than the way you found it. I think in these next two years, I can really help continue the movement of that.”

About a month ago, Victoria, of which Melbourne is the largest city, went into a stage-4 lockdown. The curfew began at 8 p.m. and went to 5 a.m. Work and travel deemed essential were allowed. Waivers were granted for teams to train within specific times. “If you got caught outside those hours, you got a ticket for $1,600,” said Colina, noting it was a $200 fine for not wearing a mask in public.

To travel to Hawaii, he needed waivers to go from Victoria to New South Wales and then to the United States. He said there were no direct flights from Victoria to Hawaii. Colina said he traveled to Sydney, which is the capital of New South Wales, then spent the night in a hotel as part of the quarantine procedure. The next day, he took a non-stop flight to San Francisco and, after a three-hour layover, took a flight to Honolulu. He spent a week in a hotel, during which he received a negative result for the coronavirus, and then moved to his apartment for the “bubble” period.

He participated in small-group workouts in which players had their own balls. Coaches, staff and players wore masks while conforming to social-distancing rules. “We’re grateful for the opportunities we do have,” Colina said.

Colina is trying to expand his game from being a rebounder, defensive nuisance and screen setter. He has worked on his 3-point shot and ball-handling. “The biggest thing for me is ‘team first,’ ” Colina said. “I’ll do anything for the team, put my body on the line.”