Ostrowski joins Rainbow Warriors
Well, this certainly softens the blow.
Good timing by UH coach Gib Arnold and Co. to announce the addition of UH football player Miah Ostrowski to the basketball team just as the Rainbow Warriors lose guards Jordan Coleman and Anthony Salter.
It will be interesting to see how much of his basketball ability Ostrowski has kept from his Punahou days. Fans have been pining for this move for a long time.
Here is what I wrote for the breaking news section of our website:
Hawaii football player Jeremiah Ostrowski has finally crossed over to the UH men’s basketball team.
Ostrowski, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound point guard out of Punahou, brings much-needed depth to the Rainbow Warriors’ backcourt, though not immediately. At the same time as his addition was announced by UH this afternoon, the departure of reserve guards Anthony Salter and Jordan Coleman was made official.
He won’t fully join the basketball team until after the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve, meaning he’ll miss the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic but be ready for the start of Western Athletic Conference play.
Ostrowski, who will be a two-sport player for UH, will have two years of eligibility for UH basketball coach Gib Arnold — the rest of this season and 2011-12. Though a sophomore on the football team, he will be listed as a junior with the hoops team because his eligibility expires after the fall of 2012.
“We’re excited to have him join us and we welcome the winning attitude and toughness he brings after being part of our 2010 WAC champion football team,” Arnold said in a UH release.
On Coleman and Salter, Arnold said: “Jordan and Anthony have chosen to leave the team and pursue other schools where they will have the possibility of more playing time. We appreciate their efforts and wish them all the best.”
The move by Ostrowski was long rumored and anticipated, though the former Buffanblu standout hasn’t played hoops in an official capacity since high school in 2007.
His explosiveness off the dribble and fearlessness going to the basket despite his limited height made him one of the most exciting players in the state. However, he was also a gifted receiver, and opted for UH to play football as a slotback over other schools’ offers for basketball.
Ostrowski was a four-time all-state first-team selection in basketball. As a senior, he led the Buffanblu to the Interscholastic League of Honolulu title and the 2007 state championship game against Kaimuki.
He grayshirted at UH after high school, then redshirted in 2008. He’s been a reserve for Greg McMackin’s team since, appearing in nine games over the last two seasons.
congrats miah…a dream fulfilled.
on another note…it is funny at the same time because gibber’s statement is short and sweet. no digs, politically correctly, and very gentlemanly. class act.
great examples of selfishness and unselfishness in one day….
Can’t wait! Get me those season tickets! Miah is just awesome! UH told so long for this!
Too bad Salter and Jordan weren’t given more playing time. Maybe the coach thought they weren’t quite ready yet ?
Ostrowski has experienced patience and hard work while being on the football team. This will serve him well on the basketball team. Good luck to him.
From what i could see they got “more” than the PT they ‘deserved’…
Playing Time is something you EARN … there is UNLIMITED PRACTICE Time which allows you to get good enough to Earn Your Coaches’ and Teammates’ respect … all due respect and gentlemanship aside, when Salter chose to try to put on dribbling exhibitions instead of looking for his teammates giving up two turnovers in the process during his debut, he was already starting to show HIS colors; Basketball IS The Ultimate TEAM Sport … Talent Counts, Skills Count, but Team-Work (Defense, Passing, Unselfishness…) Wins … and he never got to even practice enough to learn some of Gib’s Best Lessons to take with him …
Just my opinion, but i think it’s sad that between sitting out, (maybe) learning a new system, etc. it’s likely to be A LOT longer before Salter (or Jordan) get much more PT… where they ‘coulda been’ potential starters with an injury or two or a senior (Hiram) graduating AND knowing the system well enough to Earn That PT…….
ON The Other Hand (it’s still early and our other Freshmen seem to be doing well), this WAS part of why the previous coaching regime limited freshman recruits — we won’t really see the homesickness effects until after the current crop comes back the second time (when they go home they’re reminded of what they’re missing — girlfriends, family, driving, etc.)
DOES Any one have an update on how our other two departee’s are doing?
[That’s Dwain Williams and Jeremy Lay…]
Lay is at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He’s played in 7 games, started 2. Averaging 25.1 minutes/game. Shooting 35% from the field, 43.3% from 3-pt. land. He’s averaging 12.7 point per game, second best on the team. Team-high 4.1 assists/gm. The team is 7-3 overall. SWOSU currently competes in the Lone Star Conference but an announcement was made last month that several Oklahoma and Arkansas schools will be forming a new Great American Conference. http://www.swosu.edu/news/releases/2010/2010-11-23e.asp
SWOSU plays in Division II by the way.
According to Portnoy’s blog, Salter had very high credentials coming out of Jr. college. Too bad it didn’t work out. Also, Jordan was the first recruit for the new crop of players. Why was he given only a minute here and there ?
Jordan was actually Nash’s recruit. Gib probably kept him to honor the previous staff’s scholarship offer.
Coleman IMHO isn’t physically ready to play at the Division 1 level. He certainly does have talent but weren’t the original plans for Coleman to redshirt this year?? Good addition with Ostrowski on the basketball team, but what will happen with him next year? There is no way he can juggle football and basketball and with Pilares graduating he was slated to be in the running for a starting position on the football team.
MV7,
The plans right now for Miah are for a similar situation next year. He will be devoted to the football team again during its season, then switch over to basketball when the season is over. And yes, Miah realizes he’s possibly in line for a starting job at slot.
GREAT Update 808 — thanks !
i like Bobby Miles’ comment – “They could have got through it, but hey, they made their choice to go on with life. ”
i’m guessing, Gib will need to temper the “you could play right away” part of ‘first-year’ recruiting — ALL the New Guys coming in will be a year behind in system … and system counts for a lot;
i was impressed that Gib allowed Salter onto the court right after returning from injury (similar with Dominic Brumfield) because he knows that speeds their overall growth as players ( i guess it also raises some of their own expectations; and Salter couldn’t even tell he was only hurting the team, both on the court (so far) then more so, by leaving)…