Hawaii Warrior World

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 men’s basketball: ‘Bows unveil new locker room

By Brian McInnis on July 18, 2019

Whistles and wide eyes greeted the latest upgrade for the Hawaii men’s basketball team. When players rounded the wall corner inside their locker room, there was amazement, especially among the returnees who’d used the 25-year-old facilities in place since the Stan Sheriff Center opened in 1994. The makeover was complete. There were glistening new lockers (16 of them), showers, sinks, toilets and urinals, flooring, carpeting, ceilings, televisions, a sound system and a brand-new lounge and snack area, all at a […]

Hawaii women’s basketball: Toeaina, Salanoas help win gold for American Samoa

By Brian McInnis on July 16, 2019

Behind three former Hawaii Rainbow Wahine, American Samoa ended the 2019 Pacific Games the same way it started competition — by winning with authority. Sarah Toeaina poured in 29 points on 9-for-14 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead her adopted team to a 74-53 win over Fiji on Wednesday night in Samoa (Tuesday in Hawaii). Lahni and Leah Salanoa added a combined 21 points and nine rebounds for the U.S. territory. American Samoa (5-0) swept through the Olympic-style competition between […]

Hawaii athletics facilities: Gym I renovation complete, track in progress

By Brian McInnis on July 16, 2019

The other half of David Matlin’s “game-changer” upgrades to Hawaii’s basketball and volleyball practice facilities has been realized. That’s what the $9-10 million project was called by the UH athletic director last year. And reality appears to have lived up to vision. Gym I, the ground-level counterpart to the already completed Gym II, was recently unveiled for use by UH student-athletes. Like Gym II, which was completed in December, it is climate-controlled, with brand-new floors, paint, lighting and acoustics. Of […]

Hawaii men’s basketball: New Lakers assistant Phil Handy expresses ‘gratitude’ for Toronto

By Brian McInnis on July 15, 2019

Phil Handy has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time, a skill he demonstrated yet again last NBA season in Toronto. The former Hawaii men’s basketball guard and two-time NBA champion as an assistant coach is leaving for Los Angeles, where his career took off as a player development coach with the Lakers back in 2011-13. The move was first reported by Marc J. Spears of ESPN and The Undefeated. The Lakers, who feature […]

Hawaii women’s basketball: New locker room in progress

By Brian McInnis on July 13, 2019

The Hawaii men’s and women’s basketball programs undertook significant upgrades of their respective Stan Sheriff Center locker rooms in the 2019 offseason. While the Rainbow Warriors’ new digs are said to be done (and could be showcased in the coming days), those of the Rainbow Wahine still require some work for completion before next season. Both hoops programs have fundraised independently for the locker upgrades; no money was directed to the projects from UH’s haul from the state legislature. Athletic […]

Hawaii women’s basketball: Sarah Toeaina, Salanoa twins reunite in Pacific Games

By Brian McInnis on July 8, 2019

A few former Hawaii women’s basketball teammates have reunited on another island. Four-year Rainbow Wahine players Sarah Toeaina and Lahni and Leah Salanoa are teammates competing for American Samoa in the 2019 Pacific Games, an Olympic-style multi-sport competition between island nations and territories of Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia held every four years. This year it is the 16th edition of the games and is being hosted by Western Samoa. Toeaina and the Salanoas are from the U.S. mainland but share […]

Hawaii football: Reactions to death of linebacker Scheyenne Sanitoa, 21

By Brian McInnis on July 5, 2019

Linebacker Scheyenne Sanitoa, who was about to begin his junior season in Manoa, was reported dead today by the University of Hawaii football program. Sanitoa, 21, of Fagatogo, American Samoa, died on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/lF5KInFHwX — Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) July 5, 2019 In addition to the tweeted statement from UH, the athletic department put out this statement from athletic director David Matlin: “It’s with deep sorrow that we share the tragic news that Scheyenne Sanitoa, a student-athlete with our Rainbow Warrior […]

Hawaii men’s basketball: Noah Allen makes Wizards’ NBA Summer League roster

By Brian McInnis on July 3, 2019

Former Hawaii men’s basketball forward Noah Allen has another opportunity to impress in NBA circles. Allen, who was drafted by and spent last year with the Washington Wizards’ G League outfit, the Capital City Go-Go, received an invitation to play for the Wizards’ NBA Summer League squad in Las Vegas beginning Saturday. “I’m just excited and blessed for the opportunity and hope to make the most of it,” Allen messaged Hawaii Warrior World on Wednesday. Allen averaged 26.4 minutes in […]

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