Michelle Wie taking the rest of the year off

JUPITER, Fla. >> Michelle Wie says she’ll take a break for the rest of the year to try to get healthy.

Wie had surgery on her right hand in October and tried to return in February, completing one tournament. She sat out a month and returned to the LPGA Tour’s first major and to her hometown event in Hawaii, both times missing the cut. After withdrawing from the U.S. Women’s Open, the 29-year-old Wie played in the Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National and shot rounds of 84-82.

In a tweet today, Wie says, “After doing everything I could to play this year, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off from competitive golf.” She says that will be her best chance to “finally get healthy.”

2018-19 Hawai‘i Athletics Season In Review

The 2018-19 University of Hawai'i athletics season featured success from its student-athletes and teams both on the playing field and in the classroom. The year was highlighted by seven team and nine individual postseason appearances.

Post-season appearances (Team):

The Rainbow Warrior football team qualified for the 2018 SoFi Hawaiʻi Bowl, its 12th all-time bowl appearance and second in three seasons under head coach Nick Rolovich.

The women's volleyball team earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament for their 37th overall and 26th consecutive appearance.

The Rainbow Wahine basketball team received an automatic bid into the Women's National Invitation Tournament after finishing as the Big West runner-up in the conference tournament.

The beach volleyball team became one of just five teams to appear in all four NCAA tournaments.

The coed sailing team advanced to its sixth ICSA Coed National Championships in the last seven years. It was UH's 18th all-time bid into the national championship.

The women's water polo team earned the Big West's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament after winning the BWC Tournament. It marked the program's sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2015.

The men's volleyball team earned the Big West's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament after capturing the 2019 BWC title. It was the Rainbow Warriors sixth NCAA Tournament appearance, and third in the last five years.

[and more]

NBA Awards 2018-2019

The NBA’s elite turned up in Los Angeles to see Shaquille O’Neal rap and the NBA’s major awards handed out, capping off a wild year in the league.

Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert (over Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul George)

Coach of the Year: Mike Budenholzer (over Nick Nurse and Doc Rivers)

Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams (over Montrezl Harrell and Domantas Sabonis)

Most Improved Player: Pascal Siakam (over D'Angelo Russell, De'Aron Fox, Derrick Rose)

Rookie of the Year: Luca Doncic (over Trae Young and Deandre Ayton)

where's the rest?

Most Valuable Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo (over Paul George, James Harden)

***

jaw-dropping moments

NBA Mock Draft 2019

6/20/19 - NBC mock draft 7.0

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

7.  Chicago - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia

8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke

9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France

10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnesota - Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga
12.  Charlotte - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga
13. Miami - P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky
14. Boston - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina

6/19/19 - Yahoo mock draft 5.0

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
5.  Cleveland - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
6.  Phoenix - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

7.  Chicago - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt

8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke

9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France

10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnesota - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga
12.  Charlotte - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
13. Miami - Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
14. Boston - Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky

6/18/19 - Consensus Mock Draft

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt

7.  Chicago - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke

9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France

10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas

11.  Minnestoa - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga / Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga
12.  Charlotte - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga

13. Miami - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina

14. Boston - Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia / Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky

6/15/19 - CBS Mock Draft (after Anthony Davis trade)

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt

7.  Chicago - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

8.  Atlanta - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France
10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnestoa - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke
12.  Charlotte - Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
13.  Miami - P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky
14.  Boston - Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga

6/11/19 - CBS Mock Draft

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  Los Angeles Lakers - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - De'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
7.  Chicago - Coby White, PG, North Carolina
8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke
9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France
10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnesota - P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky
12.  Charlotte - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
13.  Miami - Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
14.  Boston - Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga

Alika Smith to coach at Waiakea

Word got around quickly on the Big Island.

Then, Star-Advertiser All-State Fab 15 guard Kelsie Imai was called in for a meeting. Imai, Keeli-Jade Smith and Bethany Honma, Waiakea’s co-captains, met with their new coach.

Imai didn’t know a thing about Alika Smith, but she’ll learn soon enough that Smith led his previous team at Kalaheo to three boys basketball state titles. Smith replaces Brandon Kauhi, who was released shortly after the girls basketball season ended in February. Waiakea finished fourth statewide after winning the BIIF.

“We’ve been bugging our AD (Tom Correa) for the longest time. He said, ‘Stop asking already.’ But we want to have a good senior year,” she said. “We found out (Tuesday).”

Even months before Smith was hired by Waiakea to coach the girls basketball program, he mentioned to a reporter that he would apply for the job. It was so unexpected, it sounded like he was kidding. Why would a state-championship coach and (almost) lifelong resident of Oahu move to another island?

Smith coached at Hawaii Hilo for one season, after his playing career at Hawaii, and before his assistant coaching gig there. The former All-State guard and All-Western Athletic Conference performer was one of two finalists for the Waiakea position.

Over the weekend, a youth coach from East Hawaii noted that Smith was a finalist. Smith was at a tournament in Hilo watching his son play for a local club team. Smith denied that he had applied then.

Word got around by Tuesday night that Waiakea had selected Smith. Smith declined to comment. On Wednesday morning, Correa said the school was not prepared to make an announcement.

Waiakea ended a title drought by winning the BIIF last season under Kauhi, who was then released from his position. The Warriors hadn’t won the league since 2008, when Konawaena emerged as the dominant program. They reached the state semifinal round in ’18 and lost in the quarterfinals in ’19.

The Warriors won state championships in ’85 and ’86. Ten of the 14 players from last season’s team will return, including Imai.

The Smith family has a legacy matched by none in father-son state titles. The late Pete Smith guided the Mustangs to crowns in 1985, ’95 and ’01 at Kalaheo. Son Alika went 24-4 in one season at Punahou, then guided Kalaheo to a Division II title in ’12, and then the Mustangs took the ’13 state championship with a 60-54 overtime win over Maryknoll.

Two years later, the Mustangs edged ‘Iolani 53-45 for another state crown. Smith was released by Kalaheo after that season after he refused to sign a contract based loosely on the Positive Coaching Alliance principles. (PCA is a national non-profit organization which provides training workshops to coaches, parents, and administrators of schools and youth sports organizations and focuses on positive character building).

Smith has not coached in high school since.

college 3-point line moving back

The men's college basketball 3-point line is being pushed back next season to the international distance of 22 feet, 1¾ inches, the NCAA announced Wednesday.

The rule change was approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel. It will go into effect next season for Division I but will wait until 2020-21 for Divisions II and III.

"After gathering information over the last two seasons, we feel it's time to make the change," Colorado coach Tad Boyle, the committee chair, said when the proposal was made in early May. "Freedom of movement in the game remains important, and we feel this will open up the game. We believe this will remove some of the congestion on the way to the basket."

The current 3-point line is 20 feet, 9 inches; it was moved back from 19 feet, 9 inches prior to the 2008-09 season. The NBA 3-point line ranges from 22 feet in the corners out to 23 feet, 9 inches.

According to the committee, moving the 3-point line back will clear the lane for more drives to the rim, make 3-point shots more challenging and therefore less prevalent, and improve offensive spacing.

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel also approved resetting the shot clock to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound.

Three other proposals were also approved:

Players being assessed technical fouls for using derogatory language about an opponent's race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability;

Allowing coaches to call live-ball timeouts in the last two minutes of the second half and overtime;

Conducting instant replay review for goaltending or basket interference calls in the final two minutes of the second half and overtime.

Bob Nash selected for Circle of Honor

A “Fabulous” member of the basketball program, a decorated diver, a trail-blazing administrator and a generous supporter have joined the University of Hawaii’s sports elite.

Bob Nash, Emma Friesen, Hugh Yoshida and Carolyn A. Berry Wilson have been selected to UH’s Circle of Honor. They will be feted in a banquet in September.

Nash was affiliated with the UH basketball program for more than three decades, first as a power forward on the “Fabulous Five” teams and then as an assistant coach, associate head coach and head coach.

“I’m honored the (selection) committee saw fit to honor me with this award,” Nash said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about a group effort. You never do anything alone. You always have people who push you to the top, and I appreciate the people who pushed me to this level.”

Nash was a highly sought junior college player who appeared set to join Kansas. But he did not feel the same connection with the Kansas staff as he did with Red Rocha, who was UH’s coach at the time. Rocha showed Nash an 8mm film of the Rainbows, then pitched a vision of a team that was a few players away from success. “He was very honest, and that’s what I was looking for,” Nash recalled.

Nash, John Penebacker, Dwight Holiday, Jerome Freeman and Al Davis became the Fabulous Five, winning 47 of 55 games during the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons. The Rainbows qualified for the 25-team NCAA in 1971 and the NIT in 1972. In the 1971 Rainbow Classic, Nash grabbed a school-record 30 rebounds against Arizona State. In the 1972 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons picked Nash ninth overall — a spot ahead of Paul Westphal and three in front of Julius “Dr. J” Erving.

After his pro career, Nash returned to Honolulu, where he worked for an insurance company. At the suggestion of Riley Wallace, who was an associate head coach at the time, Nash returned to UH as an assistant while completing student-teaching work. In 1984, Nash earned his bachelor’s degree in education, and then was promoted to full-time assistant coach. Nash worked under head coaches Larry Little, Frank Arnold and then Wallace before being hired for the head job in 2007. After three seasons as UH’s head coach, he coached seven years in Japan.

Nash, who is in negotiations to coach with Japanese teams, often spends time in San Diego to be with his children, Bobby and Erika, and grandchildren. “Hawaii is home,” Nash said.

Ruiz upsets Joshua

Andy Ruiz Jr. had six weeks to prepare for the fight of his life.

He'll have a lifetime to celebrate one of boxing's biggest heavyweight stunners.

A massive underdog just like Buster Douglas, Ruiz knocked down British champion Anthony Joshua four times -- four! -- and the final two in the seventh round proved the decisive blows.

Ruiz, the first heavyweight of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight title, capped one of boxing's epic upsets to win Joshua's shares of the heavyweight championship Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

"I just feel so good, man," Ruiz said. "This is what I've been dreaming about, this is what I've been working hard for. I can't believe I just made my dreams come true."

Ruiz etched his name in heavyweight lore by TKO at 1:27 in the seventh round to become the surprise champ in a bout that had shades of Douglas' upset over Mike Tyson for the heavyweight title in 1990. Ruiz barely was on anyone's heavyweight radar when he was summoned as a replacement to fight the undefeated Joshua in front of a packed Garden.

Considered a joke by fans, all Ruiz did was dominate the British champion and used a TKO to turn his life and the heavyweight division upside down. The 270-pound heavyset heavyweight knocked down Joshua twice in the third round and did it two more times in the seventh before referee Mike Griffin ended the fight. Joshua was woozy and seemed to stumble toward the wrong corner after the final blow.

Ruiz stepped in after fighting on April 20, when he stopped Alexander Dimitrenko. Jarrell Miller's failed drug tests sent the challenger to the sideline and paved the way for Ruiz's unexpected title shot. Ruiz (33-1, 21 KO's) seized the opportunity and made boxing history to win the
WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO championships. He raised his arms in celebration and jumped around the ring as his corner quickly mobbed him and a wild celebration kicked off.

"I've got that Mexican blood in me," he said. "Talking about the Mexican style? I just proved it."

The true shock might have been that the Garden was packed on a Saturday night for a fight few expected to be competitive. Yes, Ruiz is up there with Douglas and Hasim Rahman for who-can-believe-it wins, but casual sports fans don't even know the names of most boxing champions -- consider, instead of pay-per-view parties, this card was streamed by DAZN.

When ring announcer Michael Buffer announced the name of the judges "should this fight go the distance," fans laughed at the ridiculous possibility as Ruiz was an ultimate underdog.

Joshua (22-1, 22 KO's) and Ruiz were both knocked down in an electrifying third round that had the sellout crowd of 20,201 howling with each heavy hit. Joshua knocked down Ruiz early in the round and the promise of an early finish seemed horizon.

Ruiz, his trunks a bit too low for his portly frame, came right back and used an overhand right that rocked the champ and sent him to the canvas. Joshua recovered only to get pummeled in the corner. Ruiz knocked him down again in the final ticks of the round as fans in a disbelieving Garden crowd screamed "Oh my God!" Again, Joshua beat the count but the bell saved the Brit from a going a second longer in his weakened state. Had it not been a championship fight, perhaps Griffin would
have stopped the bout.

Alas, for Joshua, it went on.