Warrior Insider

The Inside Source for Hawaii Men's Basketball
Search

Warriors rally past UC Santa Barbara, 70-66

Jace1UCSB

Jace Tavita scored a career-high 17 points — including five 3-pointers — to go with five assists and Vander Joaquim added 16 points and nine rebounds tonight as Hawai’i held off UC Santa Barbara, 70-66, in crucial Big West Conference men’s basketball action.

An energized crowd of about 4,800 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Warriors improve to 17-11 overall, 10-6 in the Big West. The Gauchos fell to 8-19, 4-11.

Hawai’i led, 40-34, after Christian Standhardinger’s short turnaround banker three minutes into the second half, but T.J. Taylor answered with his second straight 3-pointer to start the Gauchos on a 17-3 run capped by Alan Williams’ 15-foot turnaround jumper that put UCSB ahead, 51-43, with 8:40 remaining in the game.

But Tavita — whose previous career-high was nine points — drained a 3-pointer with just over eight minutes left to ignite the Warriors on a 15-6 surge capped by Isaac Fotu’s two free throws to put UH back in front, 58-57, with 2:32 remaining.

The Warrioirs eventually went up, 64-59, on two free throws by Brereton with 41 seconds left, but Michael Bryson swished a deep 3 and Kyle Boswell — who finished with a game-high 27 points, sank three free throws with 13 ticks remaining to close it to 66-65.

Joaquim then swished two more free throws to make it 68-65 five seconds later, and grabbed the rebound and was fouled after Taylor missed the second of two free throws on purpose (after making the first) with 0:04.8 showing on the clock. Joaquim then sealed it with two free throws one second later.

Brandon Jawato’s off-balanced 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining before halftime put Hawai’i up, 30-28, after a back-and-forth first 20 minutes.

Brereton added 14 points and four rebounds and Fotu finished with 12 points. Alan Williams, a powerful post player who was injured in Hawai’i’s road victory at UCSB earlier this season, scored 14 points and grabbed nine boards.

More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.

11 Comments

  1. Great win guys! A Win is a Win! Jace, a warrior, big time 5 of 6 threes, and 2 for 2 from FT line when it counted! Vander, settled down, and hit clutch 6 for 6 FT line down in crunch time. Hauns, kept on keeping on, …Seniors, and Fantastic Frosh Fotu, helped team to gut out a great win. 17-11, and BWC 10-6. When is the last time UH MBB team had that record with 2 more BWC games to go? Long time.

    Great win Gib, staff and the 1 through 12!
    Hope Tonganator,
    Aussie and Ozi Mums, Memphis, Chicago, and all followers of UH MBB caught the game on live stream!

    We hope this Saturday on Senior Night, UH has a big win against a tough Cal Poly team!

    Go for it Warriors(Go Bows!)!! πŸ˜€

  2. For those able to, young and old, students and community, hope you can pack the house with 7000+ for Senior night. The great hard core fans and the Maniacs, Jamie Smith, and Cheer , Spirit squad, and band, great job this season!!

    πŸ˜€ !!

  3. And thankyou to Gib’s wife and great kids, what a season. Thanks for supporting Gib!

  4. Glad to see the team pull out the win (no matter how ugly the game was). Much credit goes to Jace Tavita, who hit crucial shots in crunch time. Cal Poly game up next with huge implications for Big West seeding. Let’s send Jace, Hauns, and Vander out in style with a W.

  5. Big win! Jace and Vander were clutch tonite. Keep it going guys.

  6. Funny how game turned out, I had no idea! This is what I posted yesterday, before UCSB game: Recap of comments=

    This game against Santa Barbara is a huge one. Have to get this win. UH will be going against an all conference player in Alan Williams, 6’7β€³ 250 pounds, legitimate post player, averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds, plus over 2 block shots per game. Last time on mainland, Alan was hurt. Once again Warriors, have to play even, better than against N. Arizona. Don’t let this game slip away! Shoot well, defend, rebound, pass well and take care of the ball, you should get the win. Never take any team lightly, or go half speed, you do, and you could lose!

    Give huge effort , 40 minutes of intense Basketball, get a good lead, and increase it. If game comes down to the wire, close out with good Free Throw shooting, and take care ball against their press, work ball into, Vander and Fotu, and Christian and Hauns will do their perimeter, mid range to 3 line game.

    Such a must, a weakness for Jawato, Standhardinger and Isaac. You three have to make 75% or better of your Free throws, since , things will get physical, and you three will be going to the line. Even Jefferson and maybe, they might chase after Jace to foul him, Jace, toughen up and focus, relax, bend knees, take a deep breath, good form, ball coming off of fingertips, nothing but net. Jefferson, and Jace, in fact, the whole team have to start shooting 75% or better for these last 3 BWC games and into BWC tournament. And of course keep turnovers to 10 or less per game. Also, play strong, the officials are letting a lot of physical contact go on, so be strong with the ball, beast on the boards, no weak stuff.

    The Poly game, mark on your calendar, that is one team , you want to get a return W against, send Hauns, Vander and Jace and whole team out with a win before going on the road against Northridge , then the tournament in Anaheim 2nd week in March!

    Go Warriors

    P.S. Aussie Mum, your son Michael, might have a career in entertainment, he is not shy, a real trooper and good sport!

    Glad the Free Throw shooting at end, Jace 2 for 2, and Vander 6 for 6, helped UH seal victory, way to go guys, whole team, including Isaac and Christian, Jefferson, Davis, Jawato, have to keep shooting, relax, bend knees, deep breath, release off fingertips, nothing but net, and huge WIN. Go Warriors!

  7. Great game warriors – Jace congratulations on a fantastic game – keep the mmomentum up for Saturday night.
    UHF your comments are always spot on whether they are pre game or post game.

    And yes your are right – Michael is a good sport – he takes all his roles, basketball, academics and now acting in UHBB movies, very seriously. I think he is quite good at it !!! lol

  8. it just shows u that anyone can win in the BW….Hawaii isn’t a very athletic team but in this conference whoever is hotter will win…uscb could’ve won….tavita can shoot the ball and would be a pretty good 24 hour/ymca member but I think when the lights are on he chokes….I believe Hawaii is the best team but compared to other mid-majors/WAC…were in the bottom to middle of pack

  9. Bout time you start shooting the ball lil bro. Good game leading into senior night. It’s been a long ride, but play hard and have fun on your way out. LOL @ hawaiifan09, so are you saying the lights were off? Don’t hate and appreciate what your team is trying to do. Been grateful to all the fans for taking care of my brother during his time in Hawaii. It’s been fun following the season, but I’m more excited for being there for graduation. I will tell you this…you’ll never have another team at UH with players paying for they’re own way that are contributing and doing it for the love of the game. Sounds like the island spirit to me. Much love to the coaches, players, fans and seniors on Saturday. Mahalo and GO WARRIORS!!

  10. 801 Reppin:

    Appreciate your comments, have nothing but total respect for UH preferred walkons paying their own tuition, not on scholarship. These young guys, are on pace to graduate, good citizens, love Hawaii, the coaches, fans and team. Jace, Michael Harper, Dyrbe Enos, kudos and props for working hard in school, and still playing hard in practice…

    and for Jace, he has become THE most improved player in the most important stretch run towards a possible NCAA, NIT or CIT berth. Jace, has a monster game, if he wanted to, he would easily score in double digits every game, however, he is Gib’s floor general. Jace, now has confidence, he will go to FT line and nothing but net. Add a few drives to the rim and score or dish, and still facilitate. Jace has my greatest respect, terrific mature leader, a guy who you would go to battle with! No choking in that young man. He represents Tavita Ohana well!

    Hfan, lest we forget, the young guys are student athletes, not professionals, doing a great job, and going to school on top of that. Gib loves Jace , Vander, Hauns and all the guys, whatever happens rest of season, this is a very special team, sure maybe not McDonald’s All Americans, however, terrific hard working, and now Winning Basketball players. True Hawaii Warriors!

  11. First Off …Good Win! Congratulations on Pulling Through,
    Mustering Enough to comeback from 33+ Poor/Weak Minutes of Effort & Focus
    to Overcome a Significant Deficit (again) and a pretty hot-shooting team…
    IT TOOK ALL of Jace’s Now Reliable(?) Threes and the Harassing D, Boards and Outstanding Free-Throw Efforts,
    even every Turnover-Avoiding Bench-Called Time-Out…

    In a Tight #2 thru #6 Conference Race where anyone “Can” Win, it’s important to Find Ways to Win,,,
    These are the Last Chances to UP Your Focus, Belief, Efforts, Results…
    You’ve probably already earned a good mark for a season of learning & improving
    IF We’re Gonna have a “Magical” Season, You KNOW Three “Complete 40+ Efforts at the BWT is the Surest Way…

    ! Please Don’t Ever think you ‘Can Pull that’ again & Get Away with it …
    NOT Against a better Cal Poly team and NOT on the Road…
    These Great, Smart guys ARE Capable of 120 + Minutes of All-Out Effort & Focus

    DON’T Show Up Weak or Lackadaisical Again in the Big West Tourney
    OR in whatever Post-Season Fortunes may follow
    or you Might Just Nail Y-OUR Own Season Shut, Dead, Done…

    Congratulations Again on All the Step-Up Efforts AND Total Teamwork…
    And GO AHEAD, Raise Our Expectations
    Make OUR Season!

Leave a Response

Login or fill in the fields below to comment. (New user? Register)

Supporters