Warriors rally for 83-81 OT win at San Jose State
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Joston Thomas had a career-high 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Hawai’i basketball team to a thrilling 83-81 victory over San Jose State on Saturday evening at the EVent Center.
Zane Johnson scored all 19 of his points in the second half and overtime, and Vander Joaquim contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors.
Hawai’i improved to 13-9 overall and is alone in third place in the Western Athletic Conference at 5-3. San Jose State dropped to 7-16 overall and 0-8 in the WAC, including two losses to Hawai’i.
Hawai’i trailed for almost the entire first half, falling behind by as many as nine points late in the half. An 18-foot jumper by Joaquim just before the halftime buzzer sounded cut the San Jose State lead to 33-26 at intermission.
The Warriors committed nine turnovers in the first half, leading directly to 14 points for the Spartans.
San Jose State increased its lead to 44-34 with 16:24 remaining in the second half. The Warriors cut it to 46-40, but the Spartans then went on an 8-0 surge to take their biggest lead of the game at 54-40 with 13:14 left in the game.
Hawai’i then staged a furious 16-0 rally to take a 56-54 lead with 7:02 remaining. The game stayed close the rest of the way.
The Warriors had a 68-62 lead with 2:29 remaining, but the Spartans eventually tied it at 70 to force overtime.
Both teams missed opportunities in the closing seconds of regulation. With Hawaii up 70-69, Thomas missed two free throws with 11 seconds remaining. Then with 3.8 seconds remaining, San Jose State’s Keith Shamburger hit just one of two free throws to tie it at 70.
The Warriors are scheduled to return to Honolulu on Sunday afternoon. The next game will be at home on Thursday, when Hawaii will host first-place Nevada in the Stan Sheriff Center.
More details, including exclusive video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
(WarriorInsider.com file photo courtesy Brandon Flores)
RE=Post…
Thrilling … YES ! … W? ! Yes ….
———-
UGLY ? … But BIG Comeback in the Second Half …
Then similar to many recent games, stayed ahead; couldn’t always stay out of range of a long, late shot…but, again managed to win another close one… lately they’ve usually been close…(Win or Lose)
Make More Free-Throws and we should be able to avoid a future possible long bomb loss…
Time to Start Winning some games by “Safe” Margins … More “Laugher Wins” would be o.k., too [Fans don’t always “Need Drama”]
P.S. GOOD WIN !
Holy cow. What a comeback! Awesome win and a great way to kick off the second half of WAC play. They really fought back for this one.
“Safe” margins would be nice, but games like these are so much more memorable. Way to go Warriors!
Great win! Heck win by 1 or 2 or forfeit , a win is a win is a win!!!
Come back home guys, go get Nevada!!! ! Miah and others telegraph passes, gotta correct that, can and will straighten it out..but you guys played great defense in last few minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Team win! Joston beasting!!!!
Vander and Zane get it done in second half!!
Go Gib and guys…
Mahalo to Dayton , sponsors and support staff!!!
Great job by Joston, he willed the team to victory. Guys need to work on their free throws, especially with the game on the line.
Terrific win. What a comeback!
I was at the game, down by 14 things weren’t looking good but a huge comeback and Zane heated up after missing all his shots in the first half… made clutch free throws minus jostons 2 misses at the end. however his 29 career high was amazing. he also brough hawaii fans to their feet with his dunk. Also saw Dick Tomey at the game, sat right behind him. Aloha from San Jose, ktom out.
Thanks, KTom … Good to get another “Live” Report…
I Think IF UHAD wants to start filling SSC, we gotta get more of these games on TV — other casual Fans are starting to Notice
It’s About Time — and there’s still time — to get the fair weather fans fired up for the last four or six (post-season if any) games …
Awesome Win for the Warriors!!! Never Surrender ,Warriors protect the house this week!!!
Being Able to Bounce Back …
Able to Get Sops And Rally …
After Having Played several Complete or Near-Complete Games,
Being Able to WIN when you Don’t Play well the whole game …
Winning the Close Games …
Playing “Everybody Tough — Here AND There …
Undefeated in Overtime … [Xavier, Fresno, San Jose]
Players Really Stepping Up Big Time …
Winning When You Play Well
AND Winning When You (Sometimes) Play Ugly
Doing All that On The Road …
Doing that All despite the Above, Good Or Bad,
ALL Good … All Signs of A Determined Team Continuing to Improve …
Good Expectation for A Continuing or An Even Brighter Future …
Also at the game. And thanks to the Hawaii fans outside who gave us tickets. We were about three minutes late. Mahalo.