'Bows 7-footer Kurtz will debut against Lamar
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
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In an effort to patch its losing streak, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is bringing in reinforcements.
Seven-foot center Douglas Kurtz is expected to make his season debut tomorrow when the Rainbow Warriors host Lamar.
The game is scheduled to start at 5:05 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawai'i is 2-4 and on a four-game losing streak. Lamar is 3-5.
The NCAA suspended Kurtz for the first six games of this season because he played briefly with a professional team in Brazil several years ago.
"Just the feeling that you cannot help the team is so frustrating," Kurtz said. "I'm ready to get out there and play with my team ... finally."
Kurtz did not travel with the team during an 80-70 loss at UC Irvine on Wednesday. Instead, he said he trained on his own to prepare for tomorrow's game.
"I wanted to be with my team to give them support," he said. "But when they told me I couldn't go, I worked hard right here. I went in the weight room every day, and then I worked on my post moves."
Kurtz will not be in the starting lineup, and will still have to earn his playing minutes, according to Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash.
"He hasn't played in a game situation yet, so he has to get in tune with the rest of the guys, and that may take some time," Nash said. "But he is a big man and he takes up a lot of space near the basket, so he can be a big presence for us."
Another suspended player, junior guard Dwain Williams, is also eligible to play tomorrow. He sat out the last two games for violating team rules.
Williams' two-game suspension is over, but his playing status for tomorrow is still under review, Nash said.
"He's supposed to take care of some business in the classroom," Nash said. "If he's done that, then we can work him back in."
Williams, who started the first four games of the season, is second on the team in scoring with 13.3 points per game.
Senior forward Bill Amis is still out with a foot injury.