Through aches, bruises and achy bruises, whenever the Hawaii basketball team calls roll, power forward Zigmars Raimo and guard Eddie Stansberry answer, “present.”
“They don’t miss anything, ” coach Eran Ganot said. “I don’t remember a practice, lift, anything, they’ve missed. They’ve been very professional in their approach.”
For the Rainbow Warriors’ two seniors, the not-so-long goodbye begins this week. Raimo and Stansberry are facing their final home games when the ’Bows plays Cal State Fullerton on Thursday and UC Riverside on Saturday.
“It’s a crazy feeling, ” said Stansberry, who joined UH in August 2018 after two seasons at City College of San Francisco. “I remember having interviews and talks about the beginning of the season. Now to be on the final stretch to finish off conference play is kind of crazy to think a season goes by that fast. … And now we’re coming to our last home games in the Stan Sheriff.”
Ganot said he wished Stansberry’s UH career would not expire at the end of this season.
“I think he’s a late bloomer,” Ganot said. “Eddie’s jumps in the last couple years as a player have been tremendous.”
Stansberry’s ascent began as an Archbishop Riordan High (San Francisco) senior. Although he wears jersey No. 3 and he has the same first name as his grandfather and father, Stansberry has not always mastered the 3. “I wouldn’t say I was a great shooter or a poor shooter, ” Stansberry said. “I was able to make shots when I needed to.”
He worked on his jumper to prepare for junior college. At CCSF, he began to envision long-range plans. CCSF coach Justin Labagh told Stansberry the key to separating from other players is an accurate deep shot. “Good shooters have rhythm,” Stansberry said of Labagh’s advice.
Last season, his first at UH, Stansberry hit 35.8% of his 3s and averaged 11.3 points. During the offseason, he worked on improving his stamina and smoothing his jumper. He leads the ‘Bows in scoring (15.9 points per game) and minutes (37.0).
“Eddie was in good shape (last year),” Ganot said, “and then he made a commitment this (past) summer to get in the best shape of his life. He’s probably one of the best-conditioned guys in our league, maybe the best. It’s allowed him to evolve offensively. It’s allowed him to be a good defensive player.”
Raimo also has evolved since joining the’Bows as a freshman in 2016.
“He came at one of the hardest times, that year when we were playing under a postseason ban and limited scholarships, ” Ganot said. “He’s the only one remaining from that group.”
Raimo, who is listed at 6-9, weighed more than 250 pounds through his sophomore year. He has since sculpted to 225 pounds. Raimo was mostly a center as a junior. This season, he has alternated between the 4 and 5. Raimo has developed into an active defender (7.0 rebounds per game, 1.6 steals) and all-points passer (3.5 assists). And he has maintained the weight loss.
“Some guys make a change, and they revert, ” Ganot said. “He didn’t revert.”
Ganot he will miss not having both players around after this season. Raimo and Stansberry are set to earn degrees in May.
“Eddie comes from a great family,” Ganot said. “I remember his (recruiting) visit with his mom, and how well he treats his mother.”
Ganot said of Raimo: “The way he treats people, the way he goes about his business, the way he works … he’s succeeded in every area. On the court, off the court, in the classroom.”
Stansberry said he chose UH because of the family atmosphere. “I wanted to have the family feeling wherever I went,” Stansberry said. “Hawaii did a great job doing that in the recruiting process. They made my decision easy.”
Raimo, who was born and reared in Latvia, also recruited his recruiting trip. It was the first time he and his mother had traveled to the United States.
When they arrived, Raimo recalled, “It was dark. I didn’t even realize we were in Hawaii. Coach (John) Montgomery took me to the hotel. The next day, I woke up and it was bright, and I was next to the beach in a Waikiki hotel. And that moment, I just realized, ‘Dreams can come true.’ I never thought I’d experience anything like that, seeing palms and ocean views outside my window. Hard work pays off. The longer I live here, the more I fall in love with it. I have good memories of Hawaii. I’m happy I experienced this.”
