Court Sense

Formerly about Rainbow Warriors basketball, but now covering all University of Hawaii sports.

About the blog host

Brian McInnis has covered sports on Oahu full time since 2007, when he joined the Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff as a general reporter. He was the UH basketball beat writer from the 2008-09 season through 2017-18. Follow him on twitter @Brian_McInnis

Latest news

Hawaii soccer: Mata, Wahine explore new frontier in Dakotas

By Brian McInnis on September 4, 2019

For the first four games of the Hawaii soccer season, goalkeeper Lex Mata has ventured to the four corners of the pipes and all space between. Mata, the newly minted Big West defensive player of the week, and her Rainbow Wahine teammates will now range far and wide together. UH (1-2-1) heads to the Dakotas for a groundbreaking three-game road trip spanning this week and next in the Central Time Zone. North and South Dakota are two states the program […]

Hawaii football: Cole McDonald not lacking for motivation against Oregon State

By Brian McInnis on September 3, 2019

Cole McDonald has nothing personal against Oregon State. He even has fond memories of some former members of the Hawaii coaching staff who now work in Corvallis. But come Saturday at Aloha Stadium, the Rainbow Warriors’ starting quarterback plans to hold nothing back. The opponent is immaterial to him. In Week Zero against Arizona, McDonald thrilled a national TV crowd with some freewheeling gunslinging, uncorking four touchdown passes to go with four interceptions. But with his fourth pick, coach Nick […]

Hawaii women’s volleyball: Dual setters Iosia, Choy outduel St. John’s

By Brian McInnis on August 31, 2019

One of the biggest questions of the preseason for the Hawaii women’s volleyball team was the roles of senior setters Norene Iosia and Bailey Choy. Coach Robyn Ah Mow decided on a straight split heading into Friday’s opener against No. 21 San Diego, and stuck with it Saturday night in a second straight five-set comeback, this time against St. John’s, 26-28, 25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12 in front of a Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 4,623. >> HAWAII VS. ST. JOHN’S […]

Hawaii soccer: Wahine depart for road with mutual shutout

By Brian McInnis on August 31, 2019

In a possible farewell to game action on its campus field, Hawaii won plenty of possession and created copious opportunities. Somehow, that resulted in a scoreless draw with Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon. UH (1-2-1) now heads for the road — a three-game swing through the Dakotas — feeling better about its lineup versatility but still searching for finishing ability. The Rainbow Wahine outshot the Hornets (1-1-1) of the Big Sky 15-4, to no avail. “We had balls off the post, […]

Hawaii women’s volleyball: Freshmen display poise in upset of San Diego

By Brian McInnis on August 30, 2019

After the madness was over, Hanna Hellvig allowed herself a deep breath to process what she’d just experienced. The sights, the sounds, the setting. College volleyball in front of 4,947 screaming people. What a debut it was for Hellvig and Hawaii’s other on-demand true freshmen Friday night. “It’s a big difference,” said Hellvig, a 6-foot-2 hitter from Stockholm, Sweden. “Back home, back in high school, we had like max, 50, in the audience. So this is huge. And everything around […]

Hawaii women’s basketball: 2019-20 schedule release teased

By Brian McInnis on August 30, 2019

Hawaii women’s basketball fans anxiously awaiting the release of the Rainbow Wahine’s 2019-20 schedule were thrown a bone on Friday morning. The Wahine basketball Twitter account put out a graphic of the schedule … but obscured with fog. The official 2019-2020 schedule for #HawaiiWBB…. or is it? Can you make out who we’re playing this season? #GoTheDistance pic.twitter.com/9gNcanQwww — Hawai‘i Women's Basketball (@HawaiiWBB) August 30, 2019 It was possible to make out most of the nonconference opponents on the left-hand […]

Hawaii soccer: Sumida gets Rainbow Wahine on the board

By Brian McInnis on August 29, 2019

It had been a frustrating afternoon all the way around for Hawaii and Nevada for two full halves of scoreless play. Some opportunities and close saves at both ends teased a positive outcome, only to have it revoked repeatedly like Charlie Brown lining up for a kick. True freshman Kelci Sumida helped leave most of the frustration on the Wolf Pack’s side with her header goal on a cross from Daelenn Tokunaga in the 96th minute at the UH Lower […]

VIDEO: Hawaii football’s Saint Louis, Bishop Gorman alums trade chatter ahead of ‘The Showdown’

By Brian McInnis on August 29, 2019

“The Showdown” between prep powerhouses Bishop Gorman and Saint Louis School will have far-reaching implications from Aloha Stadium on Friday night. One of those teams remain in the discussion for a high school national football championship. But maybe more importantly, bragging rights will be firmly established over on the UH Manoa campus, and more specifically in the Rainbow Warrior football team’s locker room. UH has healthy representation on both sides, with a dozen combined players and coaches part of the […]