The Hawaii men’s basketball team showed a complete disregard for its last-place predicted finish in the Western Athletic Conference last season, using it as motivation to exceed expectations.

A more favorable outlook in 2011-12 hasn’t much changed the Rainbow Warriors’ tune.

UH was picked to finish fourth among eight teams in its final go-around in the WAC in both the coaches and media preseason polls released Tuesday morning.

Not only that, but three Rainbows were tabbed for preseason honors, a rarity in recent seasons. Senior guard Zane Johnson, the top scorer among WAC returnees at 15.8 points per game, was a first-teamer in both polls. Junior center Vander Joaquim joined Johnson on the coaches’ first team. And freshman guard Shaquille Stokes was the media’s Preseason Newcomer of the Year.

Johnson, an All-WAC honorable mention last season, shrugged about the early-season accolades.

"I think they are paying attention to us, but we can’t let it go to our heads if a couple of us got first team or newcomer," the UH co-captain said. "We haven’t done anything yet. It’s all good and fun saying we’re going to be first team, but we’re going to prove it and ultimately you have to win. We don’t win, no awards."

The Rainbows went 8-8 in the WAC for fifth place last year, losing in the first round of the WAC tournament and then accepting a berth in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. UH lost key leadership from that team — forward Bill Amis and point guard Hiram Thompson — but is still expected to move up in a decidedly weak WAC.

Second-year UH coach Gib Arnold said the fourth-place assessment was "pretty fair."

"I think that’s probably right about where we should be," he said. "It’s progression of the program, which is great. … But we’re a long, long ways away from where we want to be. So if you’re asking are we satisfied with fourth, the answer would be no. But I don’t think we’ll ever be satisfied."

There was a split decision for both the WAC champion and WAC Player of the Year in the two polls. Five coaches picked talent-laden Nevada to win the league, while the media tabbed depleted-but-dependable Utah State to win its fifth straight regular-season title. New Mexico State, with senior forward Wendell McKines back in action from a redshirt season, ranked ahead of Hawaii in both polls.

Four different teams received first-place votes in the media poll, with Utah State receiving 13 of a possible 24. UH got three.

The potential of Johnson, Joaquim and Stokes was a big reason why.

Joaquim was good for a nightly double-double by the end of his sophomore season, then added a summer of training with the Angolan national team to his resume. He was named the other team captain at the onset of UH practices.

"I’ve been working hard the whole summer, since I left here (in the spring)," Joaquim said with a wide grin. "I took a one-week break and I’ve been playing (ever since). It’s good that they (the voters) picked me."

The plucky Stokes, the 2011 New York City Player of the Year, showed considerable potential in scoring in double figures against professionals in each game of the "Warriors to Asia" summer tour.

"(The newcomer award) feels great, I’m very honored to be a freshman at Hawaii," Stokes said. "I’ll just come out here and play my hardest. … if I win it, if I don’t win it, I’ll still be happy. I’m here with a great coaching staff, great team."

WAC MEN’S BASKETBALL

COACHES ALL-WAC PRESEASON TEAMS
First team: Deonte Burton, So., G Nevada; Vander Joaquim, Jr., C, Hawaii; Zane Johnson, Sr., G, Hawaii; Wendell McKines, Sr., F, New Mexico State; Brockeith Pane, Sr., G, Utah State
Second team: Kyle Barone, Jr., C, Idaho; Dario Hunt, Sr., F, Nevada; Hernst Laroche, Sr., G, New Mexico State; Brady Jardine, Sr., F, Utah State; Malik Story, Jr., G, Nevada
Player of the Year: Deonte Burton, Nevada
MEDIA ALL-WAC PRESEASON TEAM
First team: Deonte Burton, So., G, Nevada; Dario Hunt, Sr., F, Nevada; Zane Johnson, Sr., G, Hawaii; Wendell McKines, Sr., F, New Mexico State; Brockeith Pane, Sr., G, Utah State
Player of the Year: Brockeith Pane, Utah State
Newcomer of the Year: Shaquille Stokes, Fr., G, Hawaii