UH Hilo Vulcan basketball power forward Brandon James blocks out an opponent

A young University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo men’s basketball team finished the 2009–10 season 13–13 overall and 7–9 in the Pacific West Conference.

Head Coach is Jeff Law, the first UH Hilo coach to take the team to NCAA Regional competition.

First team all-PacWest shooting champion Justin Smith (63 percent from the field) is one of a dozen players returning for the coming season.

Also on the roster: Hawaiʻi players—5-9 sophomore guard James Samuel, Leilehua; 6-0 junior guard Nick Kanno, Mililani; 6-0 junior guard Vince Sanekane, Pahoa.

They are joined by mainland players—5-11 senior guard Kevin Bruce, California; 6-0 senior guard Andrew Gipson, California; 6-6 senior forward Brandon James, California; 5-8 sophomore guard Eric Jimenez, California; 6-6 junior forward Jimmy Lefebvre, Michigan; 6-2 junior guard Steve Schicker, Utah; 6-3 senior guard Lavell Shipman, North Carolina; 6-6 senior forward Justin Smith, California; 6-7 junior forward Zachary Wilde, Washington.

The team opens the season with the St. Martin’s Invitational tournament in Lacey, Wash., Nov. 12–13, with St. Martin’s and Western Oregon.

The Hawaiʻi Challenge, Dec. 9–10 in Lāʻie and Honolulu, features Brigham-Young University–Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Pacific and Chaminade.

Tags: athletics, basketball, UH Hilo, Vol. 35 No.2, Vulcans