I was wrong: 76 percent is not “80 or 90” percent
I said on the radio yesterday that “80 or 90” percent of players that former coach Gib Arnold brought to UH did not complete their basketball eligibility at UH. I came up with that estimate after seeing how many players from Arnold’s first class didn’t finish at UH and adding in 7 out of 8 departures from two years ago.
After a careful count with assistance from our UH basketball beat writer, Brian McInnis, it comes to 76 percent.
I could take the easy way out by rounding up to 80 percent. But, instead, I will just admit I was off a bit.
The point remains that the revolving door was not healthy for the program. And 76 percent is way above the 40 percent that Arnold and others cited as the NCAA average of transfers in men’s basketball.
Admittedly, there is a transfer culture in the NCAA. Whether that is good or bad can be debated. It is pretty easy to see, though, that having 20 of the 26 players you bring into a school during a three-year span not remain on the team and complete their eligibility is NOT a good thing in building a program — unless a good chunk of those 20 are going to the NBA. And that was definitely not the case here.
It feels like 80 to 90%, especially early on. I think the trend continues this year as Fleming may be moving on, especially if Benjy does not get the job. Gib did a ery good job recruiting so these defections didn’t hurt the on court performance.
IN EACH OF THE SUSEQUENT YEARS THAT NEW PLAYERS CAME TO HAWAII TEAM, PLAYERS OF EACH PREVIOUS YEAR KNEW WHO WAS COMING, AND REALIZED THAT THE NEW GUYS WAS BETTER THAN THEY WERE. THE INCUMBENTS FIGURED THEIR PLAYING TIME WOULD BE REDUCED MORE THAN THEY CARED FOR. THAT’S THE MAIN REASON THEY TRANSFERRED OUT. IN THE CASE OF SHAMBURGER, THERE WAS A RS FRESHMAN, WHO WAS OUT-PLAYING HIM IN PRACTICE. THAT’S WHAT I HEARD, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE BLIND NOT TO SEE THAT THE PLAY WAS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER EACH YEAR. THE ONLY THING THAT CAN STOP UHBB IS THE NCAA.
Gib did a pretty good job getting the players here but I don’t think the players understood what kind of a coach Gib is/was. He probably was really nice in the recruiting process but once he got them here, he laid the wood down and gave them an old school whooping. The constantly yelling and putting them down like no other .. Why do you think hawaii always started off the season good? Then as the season wore on the play got worse and they began to lose? The constant vocal beat down took its toll and the players stop giving a ____. They wanted out as soon as the season was over. 20 of 26 really says something. You had players that were going to be starters or get serious playing time going into their 2nd year but they left for one reason or another.
I mean it’s no coincidence that Trevor Wiseman and Gib got into it during the game and didn’t want to go back in or shamburger got suspended for a half. I also partially remember an incident with josten thomas but can’t put my finger on it. Anyways as you can see from opinionated point of view, Gib showed old fashioned, tough love, and as time goes by and the kids become softer and softer, this way of coaching will be harder to sustain.
Deerest: I used to feel like the old-school way was the right way, but it simply doesn’t work with a lot of young people anymore.
Benjy tries some discipline by letting a player or two stay on the bench for awhile. I wonder, though, what kind of discipline, if any, is coming for Riverside hotel antics. Soft love. But he has to keep the team together.
Yup – there was something definitely wrong with Fibber , look at the high exodus figures .
In fact, Gib has built up the UH Basketball program. What would our record be now if those 20 players that left were still here? Other than Isaac Fotu, who is playing professionally, I think the players on the current team are more talented than the ones who left. If the team can retain the current players that were recruited by Gib, the foundation is solid for the future of the Men’s Basketball program. Hiring Benjy as the coach may be the key for this team being successful in the present and near future or starting all over again in trying to build a good team and program.
Built up UH men’s bb? To what? Middle of BWC and first round exits from BWC tourney? Constant shell game with Gib. Add to the transfers Gib’s great recruiting class where nobody qualified. This young team plays hard but still in 5th place . Thank goodness for Southern, Prairie View, Marist, and the two cupcakes to open the season. Gib did great for Gib. And he is stil trying to squeeze what he can from UH. Can’t wait to see what happens with program. Thanks, Dave, for pointing this out. Hope Gary Dickman reads this and gets off his high horse.
Players figured Gib out before any of us. BJ still hasn’t figured it out yet.
Looks like you were off by one player to get your 80%.
I believe Vander was seriously considered leaving the program. Not sure what Gib told him to change his mind and comeback (promises of the NBA?).
By the way, did Vander even get his degree when he left after he struggled during his senior year?
How many others seriously thought of leaving but decided otherwise? If you included those players I bet you get close to 90%!
If you’re going to cheat the system, make sure you’re going to somehow benefit. When you’re taking high risk (potential NCAA violations) that only ends in no reward (no postseason tournament) it’s looks downright ridiculous.
This fiasco makes it very difficult for fans to digress.
why are we even bringing Gibson Arnold up, just another way for Dr to bring some negative spin on a program that is exciting and promising.. Forget give already focus on the good no wonder I TV was Brian that corrected u but also Flemming isn’t going anywhere he has said many times how he loves Hawaii and the people.
Same thing has happened this year (at least) to men’s volleyball. In particular, no stretches of the truth or imagination, a California recruit was approached and the coach hi-pressured to come to UH to play VB as the position he played for 6 years prior, along with club teams and coaching. The father asked about grants or scholarships, but there was nothing available, and the recruit was so stoked to live and play VB in Hawaii, that he signed his letter of intent. The intensity of the coaches’ recruit talk, the dad had high hopes for his son to play. No mention of the small print regarding ‘local play’ policy, and that is actually what has happened . No play for the haole. Except he’s 1/2 Pilipino. All the gang got caught with alcohol in their dorm the other night, and everyone played except the ‘recruit’. If in fact this coach does not like him at all, which the recruit suspects, where is the professional attitude that ‘you do what’s right for the TEAM’? Never mind personalities.
It is so painful to hear he has sat out almost every game. Apparently the loyalty to the local boy far surpasses any rational team play. Thanks for letting me ‘sound’ on your page. Just wanted to let you know it’s business as usual in VB recruiting also.
blancachica, Are you sure of the local play policy and what does that mean exactly? If the performances are equal, I don’t have a “big” problem in letting the local player start as you want the local fans to attend. If the mainland player is better than of course, he should be starting. Also being half filipino does not make you local.
So, the only 2 local players starting are Fey and Kanetake and both have played well. Hartley has stepped up recently so we’ll see what happens. So that leaves Kanetake and Komisarek who came here in 2013. How did you find out about the alcohol, are you a parent?