HONOLULU – (Hawaii Athletics) The
University of Hawai'i men's basketball team finalized its 2012-13 schedule with
a pair of games, including UH's first-ever visit to the island of Moloka'i.
Added to the schedule is a home exhibition game against Hawai'i Pacific on
Friday, Nov. 2 in Honolulu and a regular-season match-up versus Chaminade on
Saturday, Dec. 15 at Moloka'i High School in Ho'olehua. The contest versus the
Silverswords is believed to be the first-ever regular-season game in any UH
sport on the "Friendly Isle." The game will be played at "The Barn," the 2,000-seat
home gym of the Moloka'i High Farmers and will tip off at 7:30 p.m.
"We play for and represent all of Hawai'i," UH head coach Gib Arnold said. "We're
grateful for the support of our neighbor island fans and want them to know how
much we appreciate them. We're thrilled to play on Moloka'i and thank Chaminade
and the people of Moloka'i for making this possible."
The Rainbow Warriors basketball program has ties—both past and present—to
Moloka'i. UH assistant coachBrandyn Akana is a native of
Kaunakakai. Meanwhile, his brother Jarrin was a standout player for UH
and was a member of the 1994 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
This marks the third straight year that the 'Bows will head to the neighbor
islands in regular-season action. Last year the 'Bows played UH-Hilo in Kona on
the Big Island, then two days later faced North Carolina A&T in Wailuku, Maui.
In 2009, UH faced Chicago State at the Lahaina Civic Center. UH won all three
games.
The game versus the Division II Silverswords will be just the fifth all-time
regular-season meeting between the two schools, which are located less than a
mile apart. UH won the last meeting, 70-61, during the 2009-10 season.
The Rainbow Warriors will see their first live action of 2012-13 in an
exhibition against Hawai'i Pacific on Nov. 2 with a 7:00 p.m. tipoff. The
contest is scheduled one week before the team's regular-season opener against
Maryland-Eastern Shore in the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Rainbow Classic.