Summer League: Waiting for the playoffs

Tuesday night was the regular-season finale of this year’s edition of the College Summer League. At the games, it was announced that the playoffs have been pushed back from this week to Aug. 16 and 23 (and taken from Maryknoll School back to the Manoa Park new gym) because of the double severe storms headed Hawaii’s way.

It’s a long wait, but it’s still a good move. Who knows, people may have to take shelter in Maryknoll’s gym.

Everyone bunker down and stay safe out there.

As for Tuesday’s action, there was a “last day of school” vibe. As in, several key players sat out. Clark Hatch Fitness played without Isaac Fleming, but won anyway, 103-87 over struggling Grantco Pacific, which was without Christian Standhardinger.

Incoming UH freshman point guard Brocke Stepteau did what he could in Grantco’s sixth straight loss heading into the playoffs. He scored 15.

Adding a layer of difficulty (and perhaps explaining Fleming’s absence), the Rainbow Warriors’ on-island players had an intense workout with the UH coaches in the afternoon.

“I was tired (at summer league) at first, but I mean when I’m out there playing I don’t worry about any of that,” Stepteau said. “I just try to have fun and play hard, and so I got into a good rhythm early. I just forgot about being tired from practice.”

Head coach Gib Arnold arrived back in town from recruiting this week, which you can bet changed the tenor of the practice session.

It was Coach Gib’s first day back, so the intensity picked up,” Stepteau said. “But Coach Senque Carey ran the practice, and from the moment we started to the end it was just nonstop conditioning, but still basketball-related. And so I threw up, other people were, we had to take breaks. He’s getting us into shape, he’s a real good coach. So, yeah, it was a good workout.”

In the nightcap, Dyrbe Enos helped Derrick Low-less Solar Universe outlast Chosen Few 72-68. Chosen was without the likely league MVP, Bill Amis. Enos scored 16 in the win, including a few free throws and a key steal in the final seconds.

Here’s the seeding for the playoffs, which begin a week from Saturday with four games to be played that day. The top two seeds get a bye in the first two games, but must play those winners in the semifinals the same day to set up the Aug. 23 championship.

• 1. Chosen Few (7-3)
• 2. Clark Hatch Fitness (7-3)
• 3. Solar Universe (6-4)
• 4. Wealth Strategy Partners (5-5)
• 5. Grantco Pacific (3-7)
• 6. National Fire Protection (2-8)