ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 1, 1996 TAG: 9612020118
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HILO, HAWAII
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
BASKETBALL, WEATHER, SCENERY. You can't beat Hawaii in November. Just ask anyone who's been there.
Hula hoops rule.
If you're a college player, coach or fan, or an NBA scout, there's only one word for the chance to play and watch basketball in Hawaii.
It's mahalo, baby.
"It's the greatest gig I know of,'' said ESPN analyst Bill Raftery, getting ready to work another Maui Invitational earlier this week.
"It's great basketball, great players, great weather, great scenery. How can you beat that?''
You can't. Especially if somebody else is picking up the tab.
"People, you know, have accused me of bribing somebody at ESPN for getting this assignment every year,'' Raftery said, laughing.
"Hey, as I always say, somebody has got to do it. And you know what? It might as well be me.''
For numerous reasons, coaches love Hula hoops as much as they adore a freshman who can play defense.
First, it gives their teams a chance to see how they measure up against some quality competition right out of the box.
Second, it allows their clubs to play three additional games that don't count against the 26-game regular-season limit set by the NCAA.
Virginia, for instance, lost in the Maui title game to Kansas, but its victories over South Carolina and Massachusetts could prove huge come NCAA Tournament bid time. Those two victories could push the Cavs over the hump if they're a team riding the fence.
"I don't think you can say these or any games in November are for NCAA bids, but at the end, sure, they could work in your favor,'' UVa coach Jeff Jones said.
Third, mentioning the word "Hawaii'' never hurts in conversations to prospective recruits.
"I know I would be excited if I were a recruit who heard a school was playing in Hawaii,'' said Myron Guillory, a Virginia Tech guard.
Not to mention the fact that a trip to Hawaii helps some coaches make amends for spending most of their time away from home.
"My wife and daughter have never been to Stillwater [Okla.] or Ames [Iowa],'' said Kansas coach Roy Williams, referring to Big 12 outposts Oklahoma State and Iowa State.
"But you mention Maui, and they're ready to go on the next plane with you. I don't blame 'em. It's only the most beautiful place in the world.''
For most players, the trip is once-in-a-lifetime deal. They see things they never have seen before and never may see again.
"It's a great experience for us,'' said Tech forward David Jackson. "I can't believe the scenery the waterfalls the cliffs, the rocks. Everything seems like it's a postcard.''
In addition to sight-seeing, the players have a chance to showcase their games in front of NBA scouts. Both the Maui and Big Island tournaments, in which Virginia Tech is entered, had credential requests from more than 20 pro scouts.
"I never miss the Maui tournament,'' said Los Angeles Lakers general manager Jerry West, seated in his standard front-row box at the Lahaina Civic Center.
"While I always love coming to Hawaii, I'm here on business, too. My job is to find some players, and there are players in these games. That's why I've got so much company here.''
Seated close by were recognizable NBA faces such as Mike Dunleavy (Milwaukee), Gene Shue (Philadelphia), Dick Van Arsdale (Phoenix), Billy McKinney (Seattle) and Mel Daniels (Indiana).
For fans lucky enough to have the time and money to follow their teams, Hula hoops are like no other games on the schedule.
Because of the cracker-box, high-school-like gyms - the Lahaina building allegedly has a capacity of 2,500 and the Big Island's Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium supposedly seats 3,000 - fans are right on top of the action.
One almost can hear every word exchanged by players, coaches and officials.
"It's almost just like playing back in high school again,'' Guillory noted.
Virginia appeared to have maybe 40 or so fans in Maui. In Hilo, which as the rainiest city in the world doesn't quite carry the lure of sunny Maui, Tech's cheering party was limited. There were four wives of Tech staff members, plus Blacksburg's Tom and Shirley Murphy, who work the scorer's table at Cassell Coliseum.
Ninety-five percent of the fans at the games are dressed in shorts. Of course, that's almost a necessity in the non-air-conditioned sweatbox gyms.
"It's my sauna this week,'' Raftery noted. "I can lose a few pounds Maui week.''
Raftery and ESPN play-by-play man Bob Carpenter may have been the only two men on either island wearing ties.
In both gyms fans mill around like there's a garage sale going on somewhere. Most everybody is smiling.
Except people in the lone line at the Maui Invitational. Battling the basketball fans for position on the ground floor of the Lahaina Civic Center were natives trying to get to the Maui Division of Motor Vehicles.
"Are they playing basketball again?'' one elderly resident asked, peering at the all the fans, many lined to the wall for $4 hamburgers.
Hilo's Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium is even more bizarre.
Remember your elementary-school gym that had the little stage at one end? Well, so does Afook Chinen.
On stage during the Big Island tournament, a middle-aged guy with shoulder-length hair led Hawaii-Hilo's "Bullpen Band.''
"That's Big Daddy, dude,'' said a goateed Hilo cheerleader packing close to 300 pounds.
"Big Daddy rocks, dude.''
What's Big Daddy say when approached?
"Cool, brother.''
Hula hoops jam, for sure.
Of course, with some people, no matter the place and time, some things never change.
Case in point is Tech assistant coach Bobby Hussey.
The only water Hussey ever got close to in Hawaii was in his bathroom. The hard-working coach spent 75 percent of his time locked in his motel room, either breaking down game video on possible Tech tournament opponents or watching other games on television.
"I've had withdrawal pains. Hey, I didn't get to look at any film all summer,'' said Hussey, who never wavered from his daily 5 a.m. film fest.
Hussey nearly ran Mike Kelly, the Hokies' new administrative assistant, ragged, going back and forth to Federal Express in Kona for game tapes.
"I didn't miss a minute of the Maui tournament,'' Hussey raved. "What I didn't see live, I got on tape. I had the VCRs burning up in my room. And it was great.
"Forget the sight-seeing. With all those games and tapes, I was in heaven.''
Just like everybody else.
LENGTH: Long : 127 linesby CNB