Plenty of holiday Purchases
Jack Purchase may not be able to play for Hawaii this season, but that doesn’t mean the forward hasn’t been seen or heard from.
The 6-9 transfer from Auburn has been a steady practice player and scout teamer, and lately has embraced the role of one of the “Hawaii 5-O” bench mob ringleaders along with Niko Filipovich. After all, he came from “The White Caboose” with the Tigers. He even volunteered to be the “surfboard” in this picture which went viral.
We go from riding waves at Waikiki to catching them on the bench #Hawaii5O pic.twitter.com/Ozf5rs5zHe
— #Hawaii5O (@Hawaiii5O_) November 17, 2015
Of course, being the dude at the bottom of that photo is not the only pedigree Purchase has. His family in Australia is very well known in hoops circles, particularly his uncle, Andrew Gaze. Down Under, Gaze is widely considered the best player in the history of Australia’s National Basketball League, and among the best of the best in Australian hoops in general. He participated in five different Olympic games, a staggering span from 1984 through 2000.
“He’s a great guy. He’s an ambassador over there in Australia. He’s inspiring a lot of guys,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “He’s a special guy. Nice to have him and his family (here). A lot of (our players’ families) trickling in for the holidays.”
Gaze and Jack’s father Nigel (an accomplished NBL player himself) are taking a three-week visit to Hawaii with some of their children. They’ll be here through the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic starting Dec. 22. On Wednesday, Jack’s sister Lucy and cousins Mason and Courtney attended practice. They are up and coming hoopsters as well.
“It’s good to have my whole family here. I grew up with them and we always did things together,” Purchase said.
“Dad used to say to me when I was younger, ‘If you don’t play basketball, you don’t eat.’ So, I’ve always been playing with these guys. Andrew would always coach me, Dad or Andrew, or a couple other coaches back home. They’ve been a big influence on my basketball career. It’s good to have them out here.”
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Since his absence from action against HPU, point guard Roderick Bobbitt has steadily played back into his usual role in practices this week.
He was a second-unit guy on Wednesday, but in Thursday’s practice in Gym 1 he wore the green jersey of a first teamer.
Wow! Andrew Gaze, he sure aged a bit. Great guard at SetonHall, the team that went to the final four coached by P.J. Carlisimo. That was a terrific team.
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to the Purchase and Gaze family. Hope your trip here is wonderful. From the WI site Jack White should be visiting soon hope purchase can put in a good word for Hawaii being a fellow Aussie.
GOOD WARRIORS! . That’s really seriously great for other larger universities players to transfer to the University of Hawaii basketball program!. The school should go out and get a lot more players! Not only basketball !. It’s really seriously most in other sports program like baseball!. But really seriously more in football program!. It’s alright from the PAC 12 teams! But otherwise like SEC, ACC,BIG 12 and BIG Ten university?. Lot’s of great players from their football program of other sports program. Don’t want to be a back up players for they’re school! . Just like the quarterback from Texas A&M he wants to transfer to other university and he is a five star player too!. Why show him the Warriors pride of the University of Hawaii football program! So much others too!. If they do come down the here to play for the University? The football program might have a great turnaround and win more games and fans around the world!. The University of Hawaii sports program should get really seriously about this now!. Because there are lots more unhappy players out there want to transfer to other university to play for and show them what they have to give to the University! . Remember just like Colt Brennan he was a five star player out of high school. But made a bad decision in his life in other school. But transfer to the University of Hawaii football program and see where he taken us too!. But not like Matt he was in the wrong time and a wrong program under Norm Chow. But if he was playing in a run and shoot he would had been a great player!. But that was a start for the football program! When there got a player from UCLA and had played eight games for them already!. We need a lot’s more of them even in other sports program and even in Baseball, Basketball and other sports program! Just bring back the Hawaii and Warriors pride back to stay! .