The return of "Little Matt" Gibson to the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team will have to wait until next season.

Head coach Riley Wallace said Gibson will not play the rest of this season in an effort to gain a medical hardship.

Gibson, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, has missed Hawai'i's last 10 games because of a team suspension and then a staph infection near his chest.

Wallace emphasized that Gibson's situation has nothing to do with the early-season suspension. Wallace mentioned on his radio show last week that Gibson was going through "personal problems," but he declined to elaborate yesterday.

"He's filing for a medical redshirt, that's it," Wallace said. "At the advice of the medical people working with him, he is going to (sit out)."

Gibson was able to practice with the team yesterday for the first time in almost a month.

"Definitely good to be back," he said. "I just want to help as much as I can in any way I can."

Gibson led the Rainbow Warriors in scoring last season with 13.0 points per game. He was suspended for three games earlier this season after a verbal altercation with Wallace.

"It has nothing to do with me and coach," Gibson said. "Besides my parents, he's been the most patient guy with me my whole life. As for a conflict between me and him, there is none. He's given me chances time and time again, so all I can say is I have a lot of appreciation for him keeping me around."

If the medical hardship is approved, Gibson will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Junior guard Bobby Nash has a shoulder injury and is also sitting out this season in an effort to gain a medical hardship. Nash and Gibson were supposed to be the top reserves this season.

"They've both been out a while, so it won't be any different than what we've been doing," Wallace said.

Senior point guard Deonte Tatum and junior shooting guard Matt Lojeski will continue to start. Freshmen Hiram Thompson and Dominic Waters, and junior John Wilder have all had increased roles off the bench in place of Gibson and Nash.

"It's never a good thing to lose two of your top shooters," Lojeski said. "People might think it's better for me because I get more playing time, but having those two guys around made me better."

The 'Bows will have nine scholarship players available when they play Western Athletic Conference games at Louisiana Tech on Thursday and at New Mexico State on Saturday. Those nine all contributed in a 73-69 overtime victory over Nevada last Thursday.

"Depth comes into play a little more on the road, so we'll see how it goes," Wallace said.

Hawai'i and Louisiana Tech are the only 2-0 teams in WAC play so far this season.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.