Former Hawaii forward Stefan Jankovic was effective in his first NBA summer league game, scoring 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting for the Miami Heat in a 91-71 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday.
Jankovic, who went undrafted and is hoping to earn a free-agent contract, played 20 minutes off the bench and added three rebounds and a blocked shot. He was 2-for-4 from 3-point range.
He occasionally went up against Maryland alumnus Diamond Stone in a rematch of UH’s second-round NCAA Tournament game. Stone scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds for the Clippers.
The Heat take on the New York Knicks today at 9 a.m. The game will be broadcast on NBA TV.
Christenson, Shoji lead U.S. past Australia
The U.S. men’s national volleyball team, with two Hawaii prep products in the starting lineup, swept Australia in FIVB World League play on Saturday in Dallas.
Setter Micah Christenson (Kamehameha) had 16 assists to go along with two blocks and two aces in the 25-14, 26-24, 25-15 win at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Libero Erik Shoji (Punahou) had a match-high eight digs, while older brother Kawika, a reserve setter, played in Set 3, finishing with an ace and one assist.
The U.S. improves to 7-1 heading into today’s final pool-play match with Russia (5-3). The Americans are in second place behind Brazil — the only team to beat the U.S. in World League — and are looking to advance to the final round with a top-six finish in group play.
Taylor helps U.S. sweep Peru
University of Hawaii incoming senior Nikki Taylor was the starting opposite for the U.S. volleyball team that swept Peru in the XV Women’s Pan American Cup opener Saturday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Taylor finished with four kills, two blocks and two aces in the 25-20, 25-19, 27-25 victory in Pool B. Today the U.S. will play Trinidad & Tobago, which was swept by Cuba on Saturday.
3 Hawaii boxers earn gold
Team Hawaii boxers won eight medals, including three golds, at USA Boxing’s Junior Olympics, Prep National and Youth Open Championships on Saturday in Dallas.
Two of the golds came in the junior division, where Nes Tiburcio Jr. of Honolulu defeated Timothy Melancon of Louisiana in the gold-medal fight at 114 pounds, and Waianae’s Jorickson Galiza defeated Nishaheen Williams of New York at 125 pounds. Both boxers fight out of BoxFit808.
Also winning gold was Danten Kaheaku in the pee wee 60-pound division.
Silver medals went to Asa Stevens of Waianae, who lost his junior division 106-pound bout to Jesse Rodriguez of Texas, and Waipahu’s Zachary Jones, who lost to Christian Montano of Texas at 178 in the youth division.
Alisha Ricks of Aiea finished with a bronze, losing in the semifinals to eventual intermediate female-106 champion Delaney Sandoval of Texas. Also taking bronze were brothers Lyndon Patricio Jr. (bantam 90) and Lorenzo Patricio (peewee, 9-10 50).
