The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is reopening its European pipeline.

Petras Balocka and Lasha Parghalava are committed to playing for the Rainbow Warriors next season, according to their junior college coach.

Paul Swanson, head coach at Pensacola (Fla.) Junior College, said both players will sign national letters of intent next week to play for Hawai'i in the 2008-09 season.

"They were both being recruited by some high-level programs, but they both really liked Hawai'i, and their minds are made up," Swanson said. "I think Hawai'i is getting one really good inside player and one really good outside player."

Balocka is a 6-foot-8, 250-pound power forward from Vilnius, Lithuania. Parghalava is a 6-2, 175-pound shooting guard from Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.

Balocka averaged 13.7 points and 11.2 rebounds as a sophomore last season. He finished second in rebounding in Region 8 of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

"He had 19 double-doubles for us last year in what is probably the best junior college league in the country," Swanson said. "He's a really strong, powerful player."

Swanson said Balocka was a perimeter player in Lithuania, and is still learning how to play in the low post.

"He can shoot it a little from the outside, even though he has kind of an odd shooting form," Swanson said. "But his body type is built for the post. He really improved with us, and I think he'll only get better."

Balocka was a reserve player at East Tennessee State as a freshman.

He was also being recruited this season by Rutgers and Kent State.

Parghalava averaged 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists this past season, and led Pensacola with 45 3-pointers.

"He's an excellent shooter with good range, and he can also slash and take it to the basket," Swanson said. "He's also a solid on-the-ball defender."

Parghalava first committed to play for South Florida during the "early" signing period last November. However, he was not able to complete his paperwork on time.

"His mom was supposed to sign the letter (of intent) in Georgia, but she wasn't able to mail it back before the deadline, and so South Florida gave the scholarship to another player," Swanson said. "The timing of it wasn't good at the time, so I'm glad it worked out with Hawai'i."

The 'Bows won back-to-back Western Athletic Conference Tournament titles in 2001 and 2002 with a nucleus of European players, including Predrag Savovic, Nerijus Puida and Mindaugas Burneika.

Balocka and Parghalava are expected to submit their letters of intent to UH during the "late" signing period, which runs from April 16 to May 21.

Assuming both those players fulfill their commitment, the 'Bows will then have three more scholarships to fill during the late period.

The 'Bows signed one recruit during the early period — Adam Jespersen, a 6-7 forward from Canada. They also gave a scholarship to point guard Hiram Thompson, who is returning from a two-year church mission.

The 'Bows lost seven seniors from last season's team, which finished 11-19. The only returning starter from last season is forward Bill Amis.