UH looks to Latvia

Hawaii has gone Latvian in its search for size.

Forward Zigmars Raimo of Latvia has offered a verbal commitment to the Rainbow Warriors and is expected to become official soon, possibly as soon as Thursday. He’s the fourth commit for next season, and second of the spring. He’s also the first front-line player of UH’s 2016 class.

He’s 6-7 with four years of eligibility. His most notable playing experience is with the Latvian U18 junior national team. There’s a photo gallery of him at that link.

Raimo has played against UH alum Davis Rozitis, who helped seal the deal with some positive words about his UH experience, Raimo said. Rozitis is the only previous Latvian in program history.

Here’s a video of Raimo, albeit from a few years ago with the Latvian U16 team.

More recently with the U18 team at the 2015 Euro Championships, he averaged 9.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

UH has 11 total scholarships available for next season (a reduction of two thanks to the NCAA sanctions). With three scholarship players returning (Jack Purchase, Mike Thomas, Sheriff Drammeh) and four now committed for next season (Matt Owies, Drew Buggs, Leland Green, Raimo), that still leaves UH with four openings.

For more on Raimo, including several comments from him, check out Thursday’s print edition of the Star-Advertiser.

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UCLA’s Noah Allen affirmed he visited the Manoa campus last weekend. It sounds like UH is close to securing his services as well, but Allen stopped short of announcing a commitment at this juncture.

Allen was recruited out of high school in California by both Eran Ganot and Adam Jacobsen, when they were assistants at Saint Mary’s and Pacific, respectively.

“The guys were real cool,” Allen said of his visit. “Obviously Hawaii’s an incredible place, so it wouldn’t be too hard of an adjustment. And obviously the relationship I have with the coaching staff, Coach Ganot and Coach Jacobsen, I feel real comfortable. I trust them. They know me from high school, they know my game.”

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Nothing new on Odessa (Texas) JC guard Larry Lewis, who visited last week, or on Salt Lake CC forward Gibson Johnson.