Anticipation for the 2016-17 basketball season at the University of Hawaii at Hilo went up a notch Wednesday when coach GE Coleman was able to confirm the acceptance of a letter of intent from 6-foot-3 guard Eric Wattree, from South
Anticipation for the 2016-17 basketball season at the University of Hawaii at Hilo went up a notch Wednesday when coach GE Coleman was able to confirm the acceptance of a letter of intent from 6-foot-3 guard Eric Wattree, from South Kitsap High School in Port Orchard, Wa.
Wattree played for Jon Callaghan, coach of previous signee Ryley Callaghan, a 6-2 guard transferring from Peninsula Community College, and comes with some captivating statistics. Wattree played in the backcourt at South Kitsap as a sophomore when Callaghan was the senior point guard.
Wattree averaged 23.2 points per game for the Wolves, far and away their top scorer in a season when injuries hampered them in a 9-13 season.
“He scored for us every night, regardless of who we played,” said Callaghan, “they all geared their defenses to stop him, but he kept getting the job done. This is a great kid, smart kid, loves the game. I know he and Ryley are excited about playing together again, it’s going to be fun.”
Wattree averaged 5 rebounds and and 3 assists to go with his 23 points per game and will supply the Vulcans an additional outside scoring threat to go along with Parker Farris who will return for his senior season after averaging 16 points a game last year.
As soon as the recruiting season opened, Coleman said incoming players would bring more size and versatility than was available last year, and he’s been true to that so far in his recruits, all three of them perimeter players. Callaghan is a point guard at 6-2 who will be close to five inches taller than the two Vulcans starters last year, Van Lockett and Russell Jordan. Also on the way is Donavan Taylor, a 6-3 wing player from perennial California JC power Chaffey College who is known for his rebounding and defending as well as his slashes to the hoop.
Wattree adds to the new look big boy lineup, something Coleman has lacked in his first three seasons with the school.
“This will be our biggest team even if we don’t get a ‘big guy,’” Coleman said. “We often play four guards and people can be pretty interchangeable, but we will basically be from 6-2 to 6-6 all through the rotation. The thing people will notice right away is our quality of depth will be very much improved.”
Coleman said it is too early to tell if Wattree will compete for playing time with Farris or find a role as more of a wing player but, “when we all get together, we’ll throw them in together and see what happens. It’s hard for a freshman to come in and start in this conference, but I wouldn’t say it can’t happen, either.
“Best thing about (Wattree) is that he’s been well coached, he takes pride in defense and that’s something we always look for,” Coleman said. “He’s a good ‘get’ for us, no question, and he’s the kind of player, once you see him, you realize he will only get better. That’s part of our job, to help him and all of them in that process.”
Coleman said he is working to sign the final two recruits. Practice starts in August.
