The truth of the dare is wariness.
“I’m trying to tell our guys to be open to trying things, but … kangaroo?” University of Hawaii coach Eran Ganot said about the culinary options for his basketball team’s trip to Australia.
The Rainbow Warriors depart Wednesday on a four-city tour during which they will play four exhibition games against teams that might include players with professional experience. The ‘Bows’ goals are to bond, play competitively and wade into the culture in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne.
“I want to make sure we’re getting better, not just on the floor, but making sure these guys get experiences,” Ganot said. “Absorb themselves, try different foods, meet people. I expect it to be an experience they’ll never forget. That’s the objective.”
Owen Hulland, one of three Australia-reared ‘Bows, wants to introduce teammates to vegemite, a thick spread made from brewers’ yeast, vegetables and spices.
“It’s savory,” Hulland said. “It tastes not that great. You have to have a little bit of it. I really like it. Some Australians don’t like it. I put a little on some buttered toast. It’s good. … Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to eat a little bit of kangaroo. I don’t know if the boys will be up for that. It’s really good. It’s like beef. I’m going to get the boys to try some.”
Ganot said he has seen kangaroo and crocodile listed on menus in Australian restaurants. “It doesn’t mean I’m trying it,” Ganot said, smiling.
Ganot jokingly refers to Australia as his “second home.” This will be his third basketball tour to Australia, the previous two as an assistant coach at Saint Mary’s. Since being named UH head coach in 2015, he has taken two or three recruiting trips each year to Australia. The program’s first scholarship player from Down Under — Jack Purchase, a pick-and-pop artist — is now a senior.
“Jack had a good experience here, and here comes Owen and Mate (Colina),” Ganot said of the Australian pipeline.
Hulland and Colina are 7-footers with polar skills. Hulland is a stretch-4. Colina, who enrolled at UH in January and redshirted the spring semester, is more a prototypical post.
Ganot said he hopes to make use of the NCAA exemption that allows Division I teams to tour internationally once every four years. The accompanying 10 extra practices prior to a trip also are beneficial for installing schemes and creating chemistry.
“It’s kind of weird going two hours (of practice) in August when we usually do individual workouts,” point guard Brocke Stepteau said. “We want to be in the best shape and go to Australia and win those games. To do that, we have to treat it like this is midseason.”
It should feel that way for the ‘Bows. Hawaii’s summer is Australia’s winter.
“You can’t complain about getting a chance to play games earlier than expected,” point guard Drew Buggs said. “That’s fun. As a player, you can’t wait to play in actual games. That what you look forward to. Usually, it’s a long offseason and you can’t wait for a chance to play again.”
The ‘Bows installed their base sets. But they have not fully implemented the wrinkles off the sets. This year, the ‘Bows are expected to accelerate their offensive pace.
“That’s exciting for the guards,” Buggs said.
With the addition of the tall newcomers, as well as the wings being used more on post-up positioning, the ‘Bows have more offensive flexibility.
“In the past, we’ve been a small team that’s had to fight,” Stepteau said. “Now we’ve got some size to go along with everything. And everyone’s gotten better. We’re building something special this year.”