Former UH HIlo basketball standout and longtime Hawaii Tribune-Herald sportswriter Bill O'Rear has collaborated with three of the top coaches in Vulcan history to roll out the all-time UHH men's basketball team.

By BILL O'REAR 
Retired Hilo sportswriter 

For the past 44 years, the University of Hawaii at Hilo has fielded a men's basketball team, initially at the NAIA level and later at the NCAA Division II level. 

The Vulcans have been successful at both levels — NAIA (1976-96) and NCAA DII (1997-present) — with some talented teams playing in conference playoffs, regionals, the NAIA National Championships, and/or the NCAA DII National Tournament. 

Along the way, the Vulcans have had many outstanding players who have been honored by the conference, region, or at the national level, with several players earning All-American honors. 

For the first time, based on my past experience as a longtime Big Island sportswriter and having seen every Vulcan team play over the past 40 years, plus drawing input from the three most successful UH Hilo coaches in school history, "The Vulcans All-Time Top Men's Basketball Players" list is being announced. 

A total of 17 players are being honored, with First Team (5), Second Team (6), and Third Team (6) selections. 

The selections are based on a player's overall career, season/postseason honors, team's success, and winning intangibles. 

Former UH Hilo coaches Jimmy Yagi (218-87 record), Jeff Law (209-188) and Bob Wilson (153-137) provided input. All three won conference titles and played in regional or national tournaments during their tenures. They combined to recruit the majority of players on the list. 

Here follows the top Vulcan men's basketball players in school history.

FIRST TEAM
* Jay "The Bird" Bartholomew, a 6-foot-4 forward, who played 2 seasons (1976-78) under Jimmy Yagi. He averaged 20.3 points per game (1st in career ppg average) and scored 1,136 points (4th overall) in his career. He helped lead the Vulcans to 2 straight NAIA district titles and 2 trips to the NAIA National Championships in Kansas City, Mo. Earned back-to-back first team All-District honors as well as All-American (honorable mention, second team) honors, respectively. First Vulcan basketball player inducted into the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (1993). The Vulcans were 50-8 (23-3, 27-5) during his 2 years, including upsets over DI Nebraska (71-66) and New Mexico (81-78). He had a school-record 33 dunks in his 2 seasons as a Vulcan, including six in a 101-80 win over rival Chaminade in his senior year. He transferred from Santa Rosa Junior College to play at UH Hilo in the season (1976-77) that college basketball reinstated the dunk.  

* Merriel Jenkins, a 6-7 forward, who played 3 seasons (1997-99) at UHH, the first two under Coach Jim Forkum and then the final year under new Coach Jeff Law. He is the school's all-time leader in points (1,538), rebounds (621), blocked shots (188), field goals made (561) and free throws made (385). He averaged 19.9 per game over 3 seasons on struggling teams that had a combined 38-52 record. As a senior, he earned first team all-conference and DII All-American honors. He was also named a preseason All-American heading into his senior year by The Sporting News and Street & Smith basketball magazine. He transferred to UHH as a sophomore and finished his collegiate career there. 

* Todd Zirbel, a 6-6 forward, who played 2 seasons (1978-80) for Coach Yagi. He averaged 17.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during his career, including scoring a school-record 664 points in his senior year. He scored 1,214 career points, 3rd best in school history. He helped lead the Vulcans to a 27-8 record as a junior and runner-up finish in the district; and a 29-7 record as a senior and district title as well as a berth in the NAIA National Championships in Kansas City, Mo. He was a 2-time first team all-district selection and also earned second team NAIA All-American honors as a senior. Transferred from Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif. to UHH. A member of the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (1994).

* Jim DeGroot, a versatile 6-5 point guard, who played 1 season (1986-87) for Coach Bob Wilson. He averaged 9.8 points per game and was often the team leader in scoring, assists and/or rebounds in many games that season while leading the Vulcans to the district title and a berth in the NAIA National Championships in Kansas City, Mo. The Vulcans advanced to the 32-team tourney's quarterfinals — the furthest a Vulcan squad has ever advanced in national tournament play. He was named second team all-district and second team NAIA All-American. He transferred from Phillips University in Oklahoma to UH Hilo. He previously led Phillips University to a district title and berth in the NAIA National Championships while earning all-district and All-American honors. A member of the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (1998).

* Scott Prather, a 6-0 point guard out of Maui High and the only player in school history to start 4 straight years (1999-2002). He played under Coach Jeff Law. He averaged 12.5 points and 5.2 assists per game during his career. He finished with 1,330 total points (2nd in school history) as well as 189 steals (1st all-time), 384 assists (2nd all-time), 346 made free throws (2nd all-time) and 146 3-pointers (4th all-time). As a junior, he earned honorable mention all-conference honors. Then as a senior, he earned first team all-conference honors. A member of the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (2012).

SECOND TEAM
* Osadonor "Skip" Esene, a 6-6 forward, who played 2 seasons (2003, '05) under Coach Jeff Law. He averaged 21.3 points per game as a senior while leading the Vulcans to an outstanding 25-4 record, the Pacific West Conference title, and a berth in the NCAA DII West Regional. The Vuls fell in the regional semifinals. He was selected the PacWest Player of the Year and named All-West Region. Transferred from Los Angeles City College to UHH. 

* Gilbert Hicks, a 6-4 forward, who played 2 seasons (1975-77) for Coach Yagi. He averaged 18.3 points per game during his career and as a senior, helped lead the Vulcans to a 23-3 record as well as the school's first ever district title and trip to the NAIA National Championships in 1977. He earned first team all-district honors. Hicks and Bartholomew are considered by many longtime Vulcan fans to be the best forward duo to ever play together at UH Hilo. The 1976-77 Vulcans squad is the only men's basketball team to ever be inducted into the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (2017). Hicks transferred from California JC champion Los Angeles Harbor, where he was teammates with future NBA star Dennis Johnson. Hicks is a member of the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (1997). 

* Mark Lovelace, a 6-4 point guard, who played 2 seasons under Coach Yagi. He averaged 5.6 points and a school-record 8.0 assists per game during his career. He finished with 455 career assists, tops in school history, including 16 assists vs. Alaska Anchorage in a 1978 game. He helped lead the Vulcans to back-to-back district titles and 2 straight trips to the NAIA National Championships in Kansas City, Mo. Transferred from Saddleback College to UHH. A member of the Vulcan Athletic Hall of Fame (2010).

* Fred Crawford, a 6-6 forward, who played 2 seasons (1992-94) under Coach Wilson. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game during his career, and shot .592 percent from the field. He was a first team all-conference selection as a senior and earned second team NAIA All-American honors. He helped lead the Vulcans to a berth in the NAIA National Championships his final season. Transferred from Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Calif. to UHH. 

* Vincent Ray, a 6-5 guard, who played 2 seasons (1986-88) under Coach Wilson. He averaged 19 points per game as a senior, shot .472 percent from 3-point range, and was named second team NAIA All-American and first team all-district. As a junior, he earned second team all-district honors. He finished 9th in school history in free throws made with 216 during his Vulcan career. Transferred from College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. to UHH. He went on to play professionally in Denmark. 

* Jeff Garner, a 6-4 guard, who played 2 seasons (1991-93) for Coach Wilson. He averaged 19.6 points per game and scored 1,001 career points, 5th best in school history. He was a 2-time first team all-conference selection and earned second team NAIA All-American honors as a senior. He shot .832 percent from the free-throw line in his career, 4th best all-time. Transferred from Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs, Wyo. to UHH. 

THIRD TEAM
* Tony Thomas, a 6-4 guard, who played 2 seasons (1988-89) under Coach Bob Wilson. He averaged 17.7 points per game during his career, 8th best in school history, and scored 992 career points (8th overall). He shot .579 on 2-point field goals (6th best overall) and made 380 field goals. He was a 2-time first team all-conference selection and also named NAIA All-American honorable mention during the 1987-88 season. Transferred from a junior college in Oregon to UHH. 

* Alan Thomas, a 6-4 guard, who played 2 seasons (1999-2002) under Coach Law. He was a 2-time first team all-conference selection. He averaged 19.9 points per game and finished with 1,056 career points, ranking 5th in school history. He transferred from Los Angeles Valley College to UHH. 

* Alex Cabagnot, a 6-2 point guard, who played 2 seasons (2003-05) under Coach Law. He averaged 12.2 points and 4.7 assists per game during his career to go with 90 steals. He earned honorable mention all-conference as a junior and first team honors as a senior. He went on to become a star player in the Philippines Basketball Association, winning 9 titles, being named an All-Star 7 times, and earning the 2017 Finals MVP. He is in his 15th season in the PBA. Transferred from Los Angeles Valley College to UHH. 

* Justin Smith, a 6-6 forward, who played 2 seasons (2009-11) under Coach Law. He was a 2-time all-conference selection and averaged 18.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during his career. He transferred from College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. to UHH. He currently plays professionally in Germany. 

* Trevor Wright, a 6-1 combo guard, who played 2 seasons (1988-90) under Coach Wilson. He averaged 17.5 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists per game as a senior, and was named first team all-conference and second team NAIA All-American. As a junior, he earned second team all-conference honors. He finished 5th in school history in 3-pointers made (137) and 9th in 3-point field goal percentage (.416). Transferred from Allan Hancock College to UHH. A member of the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (2000).

* Nelson Wong, a 6-4 forward out of Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama (Oahu) who played 4 seasons (1987-91) under Bob Wilson. He was named a first team all-conference player and honorable mention NAIA All-American in his senior year. As a junior, he earned NAIA Academic All-American honors. A member of the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame (2004).

Other Vulcans that were considered for the list, who also had solid careers at UHH.
Tom Zeimantz, James Bradley, Ia Saipaia, John Smith, Justin Griffin, Marcus Rogers, Marcus Owens, Neville Brandt, Pat Fitzgerald, Bill Walling, Mike Redwood, Andy Ground, Gene Arceneaux, John Jones, Rene Sanchez, Matt Smith, Terry Huffman, Brian Austin, Mario Claytor, Parker Farris, Ed Patrick, Mick Corkeron, Jay DeMaestri, Russ Harper, Sean Grey, Eric White, Kelly Thomas, Andy Smith, Kyle Bartholomew, Mike Thrower, Steve Cavalin, Zachary Wilde, Sam Wilhoite, Ryan Hogue, Andrew Gipson, Maceo Thomas, Todd Miller, Booker Waugh, Rodney Odrick, Cris Murphy, DeShaun Hall, Brian Ngo, CJ Brown, Jacob Briggs, Brian Ishola, Kupaa Harrison, Stanley Ibia, Ryan Abrahams, Joe Travis, Mario Long, Salim Gloyd, Larry Bush, Tre Johnson, Ryley Callaghan, Vince Alvarado, Paul Lee, Andy Thompson, Kris Terrell, Brian Lewis, Ray Donnelly, Aukai Wong, Kimo Keiter-Charles, Randan Berinobis, Brian Graham, Frank McKinney, Travis Sobers, West Hawthorne, Joe Marsh, Justin Dobson, Terrence Troupe.

Note: The list includes only players who played during the NAIA era or NCAA DII era in school history.

(Statistics were provided by UH Hilo Sports Information Director Russ Blunck and much of the statistical info can be found on the Vulcan website at: hiloathletics.com.) 

COVER PHOTOS
Left--Vulcan Jay "The Bird" Bartholomew (15) dunks during an NAIA game in 1976 at a sold-out Hilo Civic. He was the first Vulcan basketball player inducted into the inaugural class of the UH Hilo Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.

Middle--UH Hilo head coach Jimmy Yagi cuts down the net after his Vulcans claimed the 1979-80 NAIA District 2 title at Hilo Civic. With the win, the team earned a trip to the NAIA National Championships in Kansas City, Mo. The Vulcans fell in the first round of the 32-team tournament.

Right-- UH Hilo's Scott Prather (5) goes to the basket against DI LSU during an NCAA game at Hilo Civic during the 2001-02 season. Prather is the only Vulcan to ever start four straight years during a UH Hilo basketball career. He is a member of the school's athletic Hall of Fame. (Photo by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.)