Cross one name off the list of prospective leapers in the dunk contest at the Hawaii basketball Green & White Scrimmage on Saturday.

"No, no, I’m not participating in the dunk contest," Brandon Spearman said with a laugh. "I’m too old, man. I gotta save these knees."

He’ll leave the aerial acrobatics to the youngsters, the Aaron Valdeses and Mike Thomases of the world. Spearman, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, is consumed by his full-time job as a team tri-captain.

On Tuesday, for example, Spearman demonstrated to his younger teammates the value of blue-collar basketball — putting your head down and going hard to the rim, or battling for rebounds. It might not look pretty, but it was somehow fitting, as the high-volume practice in Klum Gym certainly wasn’t pretty either.

UH coach Gib Arnold got into a few players for a drop in intensity on several plays. Some of the newer ‘Bows rocked back on heir heels.

Here, the Chicago native Spearman proves his worth as a well-traveled veteran, having gone through stops at Dayton, Indian Hills Community College in Iowa and finally UH.

"Just tell them to keep their head up, and next play, you know?" Spearman said. "There’s going to be times in games where you’re going to mess up, but you gotta always look at the next play. Some of the young guys are really starting to get it. I like ’em, these young group of kids, and they learning quick. I just can’t wait for them to play."

Spearman was the team’s most valuable perimeter player last season, a notion underscored when he missed key games down the stretch with a sprained ankle. He feverishly rehabbed to get himself back on the court for UH’s CIT game vs. Air Force, and amazingly played 32 minutes in that season-ending loss.

He directed his work ethic to his outside shot in the offseason, and has so far looked poised to better the 33.3 percent he put up on 3s and 9.6 points per game overall as a junior.

Spearman’s role has shifted somewhat with UH sporting a smaller, quicker lineup than last year’s Vander Joaquim-centric group. He’ll spend time at the 3 position, where he’ll sometimes have to go against players in the 6-6 or 6-7 range.

"I got no worry with a kid like Brandon Spearman at the small forward position," Arnold said. "Although that’s not your typical size at that position. It really doesn’t matter how tall you are; it matters how tough you are — and that’s one kid I’ll never question toughness."

Spearman has embraced that job description and attacked the glass with relish in practices, though he is not the tallest ‘Bow or the most prolific leaper.

"I’ve picked up on just how hard he plays, how hard he crashes the rebounds," freshman guard Jack Hackman said. "Just really trying to play as hard as I can just like he does and I think he really leaves it all out on the floor, so that’s something I look up to for sure. Try to mimic, definitely."

Admission to Saturday’s Green & White Scrimmage is free. It starts at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center. The dunk contest will take place between two 20-minute halves of intrasquad play.