UH walk-on watch list grows

Add one more player to the list of prospective walk-ons for the Hawaii men’s basketball team.

Dallas native Warren Oishi, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound guard, is hoping to become the latest addition to the Rainbow Warriors roster while he tries his hand at the College Summer League in Manoa.

He joins hopefuls Malik Fields and Wesley Armbrust in the CSL. Oishi hit three 3-pointers for nine points on Thursday night for Central Medical Clinic in a 115-105 loss to Wealth Strategy Partners.

Wealth Strategy got a lift from summer league legend Llewellyn Smalley, HPU’s all-time leading scorer who is in town for a couple weeks. The 40-year-old Smalley, who was known to routinely drop 50-plus in his heyday, had 13 in his return, including a soaring alley-oop dunk to open the second half.

Oishi had back-to-back 3s in that period to put then-first place CMC (5-2) up by a point, but sharpshooting Kawika Lyons and William Broadus combined for 56 points for the game to complete the upset for WSP (3-4). Kyle Pape scored 23 and Bill Amis added 21 in the loss.

Oishi played point guard at Coppell High in Dallas, then attended Texas Christian University in 2012-13 — but he did not play basketball in his freshman year. He should still have four years of hoops eligibility.

His Hawaii tie? His father went to Punahou.

“I had a walk-on spot last year on the (UH) team, and I decided not to come … it was mostly a burnout,” Oishi said. “And then the year without basketball, I really missed it, so I wanted to come fight for it. So I told my dad and we got a flight out here, even though Coach (Scott) Fisher told me there’s a full roster. I said OK, but I still came down here and met with the coaches and said hi. They’re getting me in open gym, and they got me in the summer league. So I’ve just been playing my butt off.”

He recently applied to get into UH in the fall, so that’s one more thing that will have to go his way if he is to make the team.

Here’s the list of walk-ons for 2013-14 at present:

Definite: Dyrbe Enos, Niko Filipovich, Michael Harper (after being scholarshipped for spring 2013 only), Aaron Valdes. Possible adds: Warren Oishi, Malik Fields, Wesley Armbrust.

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Game 2 of the night went to Solar Universe, which held on tight to beat National Fire Protection 104-99 after enjoying a 22-point lead. Thirty points apiece from UH teammates Brandon Spearman and Negus Webster-Chan got it done.

Solar assumed control of the league lead at 6-2, while NFP dropped to 4-4. Artie Wilson’s squad is positioning itself back as the favorite with Derrick Low still playing at a high level and stopper Kawika Smith doing his thing.

UH newcomer Garrett Nevels dropped 28 points in the loss. He was clearly frustrated afterward; another strong scoring night did not yield a winning effort. Stefan Jovanovic added 19 for NFP, including a 3-pointer (!).

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Action continues Saturday with Central Medical taking on Clark Hatch Fitness at 6 p.m. and Grantco Pacific facing National Fire at 7:30.