At approximately $23,000 per year, an out-of-state athletic scholarship to the University of Hawai'i does not come cheap these days.

And, junior center Petras Balocka, coming from Vilnius, Lithuania, is definitely out-of-state.

But even at the going rate, Balocka is turning into quite the bargain for the Rainbow Warrior men's basketball team.

Last night's double-double in an 85-75 victory over Chicago State — his second in three games — underlined just what Balocka can mean to these 'Bows and this season.

To help get them to 5-3 — the first time UH has been two games over .500 in Bob Nash's 38-game head coaching career — Balocka hoisted the 'Bows atop his shoulders for 32 minutes from the opening bucket, in the process matching personal season highs in points (21) and rebounds (10) along with adding a career-high six assists. All with just one turnover.

To be sure, UH has had big men who could crash the boards and put up points, but rarely ones that can flip smooth, precision passes and dribble from either side. Surely few as intuitive around the court as the 6-foot-8 Balocka has shown capable of being.

"He did a lot of damage," acknowledged Cougars coach Benjy Taylor. "He scored, he rebounded ... and he was a much better passer than I thought. From the middle of the zone, he found people (to pass to)."

Not for the first time this year has the head coach of an opponent been left to marvel at — and bemoan — the diverse skill set that Balocka can call upon.

Nor, really, can you blame them based upon a quick review of the tape. To size up the 255-pound Balocka at a quick glance is to expect, in Nash's words, "a heavy-legged big man."

Balocka is a granite presence inside. But a "statue of limitations" as some of his predecessors have been dubbed, Balocka is assuredly not.

In a young season in which high-scoring guard/forward Roderick Flemings is becoming — and deservedly so — the rage at the Stan Sheriff Center, Balocka is also managing to make a name for himself. Which is remarkable unto itself, considering the effort that goes into pronouncing "peh-tras ba-lowtch-ka." Only now it is no longer foreign over the PA system.

Last night, he weighed in practically from the opening tipoff, scoring on a reverse lay-in to start the game and help UH to a 9-0 lead. And when things got a little tight in the second half, Balocka was usually there to provide breathing room, whether it was threading a pass inside, yanking a rebound or sinking a 3-pointer with 1 minute, 18 seconds remaining.

"I try to do a little bit of everything," Balocka says. "I'll do whatever they need from me on a certain night."

Last night, the 'Bows needed a lot of everything from Balocka.

And, he did not disappoint.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.