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Negus Webster-Chan is stirring the pot in Hawaii

Charles Carmouche, Negus Webster-Chan

LSU guard Charles Carmouche, right, knocks the ball loose from Missouri guard Negus Webster-Chan during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La., Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. Carmouche scored on after the steal. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)

AP

Negus Webster-Chan didn’t make enough of an impression at Mizzou.

That’s why he transferred to Hawaii.

In Hawaii’s active summer league, however, he’s made an immediate impression.

According to the Court Sense blog, he’s caused a bit of a stir, in fact. Not a bad idea in the laid-back Hawaiian summer league.

Chippy play in the second half of Solar Universe’s 97-84 win over Wealth Strategy Partners ramped up steadily, until a frustrated Julian Sensley got into it with UH senior guard Brandon Spearmanwith a minute or so left.

It was actually UH newcomer Negus Webster-Chan who was exchanging physical play and some elbows with Sensley on both ends and jawing at the proud (and pro) UH veteran some, especially after one deep 3-pointer. Webster-Chan had an otherwise great summer debut, scoring 25 points and affecting the game with rebounds and assists as well.

Anyway, some shoving ensued between Sensley and Spearman, and at least one swing (whiffed) was thrown by the latter. UH alum Zane Johnson (playing his first summer league game, in which he netted 33 points for Solar, the best of the night) applied a pretty impressive full-body tackle on the much bigger Sensley to get him to the floor and calm him down, and things settled down from there.


You’ll note that nobody laid a finger on Webster-Chan. Classic agent provocateur action.

Webster-Chan’s attitude might be exactly what the Rainbow Warriors need. Hawaii has been part of the Big West for a full season now, and they’re looking for an edge on their new rivals. Webster-Chan is a rangy wing player who presents matchup nightmares in the Big West. His ability to rile Sensley and get away with it is a good sign that Gib Arnold is acquiring the kind of muscle he’ll need to win his new league and garner an auto-bid to the NCAA tournament. He’s already scored with the addition of former Nebraska standout Christian Standhardinger, and another lanky power-conference transfer should make the Big West crown easier to claim.

Arnold seems like a shrewd operator. Keep an eye on him and his team in the future.

Eric Angevine is the editor of Storming the Floor. He tweets @stfhoops.