Alika Smith made a lot of long shots as a player, so it was probably fitting that he overcame long-shot odds to become an assistant coach with the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

Smith, a standout player at Kalaheo High and UH in the 1990s, joined Riley Wallace's staff as a full-time assistant yesterday.

"I was a little nervous," Smith said after his first practice with the Rainbow Warriors yesterday afternoon at the Stan Sheriff Center. "It's been a while since I've been on that court."

Smith was a shooting guard at Hawai'i under Wallace from 1994 to '98. He is third in Hawai'i men's basketball history with 1,415 points, second with 152 steals, and third with 161 3-pointers.

During his junior and senior seasons, Smith and Anthony Carter were nicknamed the "Dynamic Duo."

Smith said this season's team could be better than the NIT teams he played on in 1997 and '98.

"I think they can be more dynamic, from what I've seen," he said. "When I was playing, we had a couple shooters. There's four or five shooters out there (this season), so it's going to be hard to guard."

Wallace said Smith's responsibilities will include developing the Hawai'i guards, scouting opponents and some recruiting.

"He's one of the all-time great players in the history of this program," Wallace said. "I think he will add a lot to what we already have going on a good season."

It will be Smith's first coaching position on the NCAA Division I level. He was an assistant coach at NCAA-II Hawai'i-Hilo under Jeff Law during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, and also assisted at Kalaheo in recent years.

However, Wallace said some of the schemes the 'Bows use now are the same from Smith's years as a player.

"He knows our stuff from the inside out," Wallace said. "And he was always a very coachable person himself."

At Kalaheo, Smith's coach was his father, Pete Smith.

"It was in the blood," Alika said. "He was the guy I learned from, in school, out of school, on the basketball court."

Pete Smith is still recovering from a stroke he suffered while undergoing surgery for colon cancer in 2003. Pete's verbal skills are limited, but Alika said he got a much-needed sign of approval from his father yesterday.

"He didn't say anything — he smiled," Alika said of his father's reaction to the coaching position. "That's more words than you can imagine."

Alika Smith, 29, is married (Sunshine) with two sons (6-year-old Jalen and 7-month-old Peyton).

He replaces Bob Burke, who left UH in September to become an assistant coach with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers.

Wallace's first choice for the position was his brother, Loren Wallace, but that idea was rejected last month by UH athletic director Herman Frazier.

GIBSON STILL SUSPENDED

The indefinite suspension of "Little Matt" Gibson will last at least through Hawai'i's next game, according to Wallace.

Gibson was suspended from the team last Saturday after a verbal altercation with the Hawai'i coaches.

Wallace said Gibson will not play against UNLV on Tuesday. Gibson has also not been allowed to practice with the team during the suspension.

Wallace said Gibson is still attending classes at UH, and has expressed an interest in returning to the team.

"It's still an indefinite suspension, for now," Wallace said.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.