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Cal Poly holds off Warriors on Senior Night

Vander1Poly

Senior Night was not meant to be for the Hawai’i basketball team. Cal Poly defeated the Warriors, 64-61, in the final regular-season home game at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Warriors had two chances to tie the game in the closing seconds, but could not convert a 3-pointer.

Hawai’i dropped to 17-12 overall and 10-7 in the Big West Conference, with two losses to Cal Poly. The Mustangs improved to 15-12 overall and 10-6 in the conference.

Isaac Fotu led the Warriors with 17 points and nine rebounds. Vander Joaquim added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Hauns Brereton scored 13.

It was the final regular-season home game for seniors Joaquim, Brereton and Jace Tavita, and they were honored after the game.

Hawai’i staged a furious rally in the closing minutes, cutting a 13-point deficit down to three, but Cal Poly managed to hang on at the end.

The Mustangs led by as many as seven points (21-14) midway through the first half, but the Warriors managed to tie the score at 25. Cal Poly eventually took a 27-25 lead at intermission, and the game stayed close for most of the second half.

The Warriors tied the game again at 33 early in the second half, but the Mustangs responded with a stunning 16-5 surge over a four-minute stretch midway through the second half to build a 61-48 lead. The run started with Cal Poly holding a tenuous 45-43 lead with 8:46 remaining, and ended with the Mustangs up by 13 with 4:46 left.

The Warriors staged a late rally, scoring 10 consecutive points to cut the Cal Poly lead to 61-58 with 2:28 remaining. The Mustangs again responded, this time with a wide-open 3-pointer by Reese Morgan to push the lead to 64-58.

Hawai’i got as close as 64-61 in the final minute, and had a chance to tie, but Brereton’s 3-point attempt bounced off the rim with 12 seconds remaining.

Cal Poly missed two free throws in the closing seconds, giving the Warriors another chance to tie, but Brandon Jawato’s desperation 3 came up short – and after the final horn.

The Warriors still have one more Big West regular-season game remaining. They will play at Cal State Northridge on Thursday, followed by the Big West Conference Tournament, March 14-16, at Anaheim, Calif.

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

8 Comments

  1. Hey Warrior MBB nation. Team did not quit. When they were down 11 or 12 points inside of 5 minutes or so, other teams could have folded, gave up and lost by 17 or 18 points. Credit to Gib and staff, the 1 through 12, and the 4 redshirts, NEVER EVER GAVE UP!!

    Great, great, great crowd. Nearly 10,000 tickets sold, and 8500 to 9000 in attendance, great atmosphere. Feel sorry for Vander, Jace and Hauns for not getting that final home win, however, they still have Northridge game to play next week Thursday. If UH gets that win, UH finishes 11-7 BWC and 18-12 overall. Then, BWC, tournament, UH plays strong and shoots well, and takes care of rebounds and the ball , they can go to the NCAA’s.

    I know some say, NO to C.I.T(College Insider Tournament), or N.I.T. would be disappointing, a big improvement from last year. UH won 7 or last 10, and possible finish win 8 of last 11, with great momentum going to Anaheim.

    Hey , Dayton, you kept WI MBB nation going. I love this team. Vander, Hauns, Jace, Christian, Davis, Brandon Spearman, Brandon Jawato, Gee Garrett Jefferson, Manroop Clair, Ozren Pavlovic, and the Thunder from Down Under, great guy, Michael Harper.

    Go Warriors. Get a win at Northridge, get a head of steam, and get to championship game of BWC!

    Good season, so far, ( wink, wink Eagle!) Still a possible 4 more games, and 5 more in a Post Season tourney whichever it might be.

    Good job Warriors, and great posts and support to this forum.!

    Vander, Jace and Hauns, classy people, great students, and will be missed! He Senior 3, go chase a championship and contiune a fun season!

  2. There, for Beeman’s gals game, great win! They had a lot of MBB fans in White Out shirts there too. Thanks to Jamie Smith, gets the young people and Maniacs, stirred up and created a great environment for MBB.!!

    Great job Jamie, hope to see you with UH next year.

    Maniacs rule! And Jamie Smith, and Gib’s vision is coming true, every game is a Party! Now when UH starts winning 20 games a year over next few years, including this year, UH MBB has something real special!

    If UH does not make it to NCAA’s Hope they have 18 or 19 win season and Ben Jay, can get paperwork going to host a couple of rounds of NIT or CIT tournmanets, that way we can see team a few more times at SSC. We know as fans and students at the SSC that UH does not match up with the BWC type of guard oriented, great coached teams, however, Gib has done a fantastic job with guys he has, and guys have responded big time.

    Stil a lot of ball to play. Ballers will stay up to midnight playing at playground courts or open gym. UH MBB Warriors, want to continue playing another 4, 5 or 8 more games in a Post Season tournament!

    Great job Warriors.

    Echo, UHF. we want the guys to rest, go to school and get ready for a 4 game stretch run, starting next week Thursday against Northridge!

  3. I hate Cal Poly.

  4. I am freaking bummed, totally , this was an exciting game ,great crowd , biggest of the season,total let down, Warriors never gave up, I hate Cal Poly, lose to them twice, unbelieveable , but no. 33 was the man ,he didnt miss tonight, need to play more box and one with these types of players, we REALLY NEEDED THIS WIN ! NOW BACK ON THE ROAD ,COME ON WARRIORS, GET A WIN!

  5. UH fans, I think NOW, Northridge game is most important of season. Reason, Overall record for UH would be 18-12, BWC 11-7 and 3, 4 or 5 seed possibly. Still maybe play a Davis or Poly, hey, in NCAA’s if UH makes it, they will play teams with guards, wings and posts that are quicker, possibly better shooters and rebounders and super defenders, i.e. when Riley’s teams faced, Syracuse two times in opening round NCAA games and an opening round game against Xavier back in the day. ‘

    So going against super quick and well coached guard/wing oriented teams, and great shooters, good preparation for UH post season, even if CIT or NIT.

    Keep heads up UH fans, minimum 2 more games for UH, and possible 4 more if UH wins BWC championship, and whatever amount of game, 4, 5 or 6 to have chance to win a CIT or NIT championship game. Without question, Gib is building team up, will let them rest Sunday, then Monday, get them ready to make the final stretch run to continue season. Just my thought, if UH makes it to NCAA, NIT or CIT and finishes with total wins of 20 or more, Gib did one of the best coaching jobs by a career 3 year HC at UH in a long time, since Riley Wallace did it by his 3rd year, with the Gaines, Bowe, Beaubrun, Houston, Smalls team that won, I think 25 games.

    Gib great job coaching this year. Look forward to team playing some Post Season, then a great season next year with the returnees and awesome RS’s and LOI signees, and potential transfers or preferred walkon PG’s(?)!!

    Go Warriors!!

  6. big let down indeed…we can’t beat BW teams….how are we suppose to compete against good level competition?

  7. Smh, if Gib doesn’t make it to another contract I would gladly take Cal Polys coach. Loved the way they played all game long. They got the game at their pace, took advantage of ALL UHs weaknesses and used their strengths to carry them through a tough road game and environment. Everything their coach did was successful and that’s what u need to build a program without top notch recruits. Just saying

  8. GreedyInc.: I agree with you on caliber of several BWC coaches, they use the good PG/SG, athletic wings, posts that are quick, type of athletes that are not DI major athletes, though LBSU and coach Monson is stock piling the transfers from big time PAC12 types. The UCSB, Pacific, Irvine, Poly , and Davis coaches, have the right schemes, their players execute to perfection, the work their strengths, they scout your weaknesses and attack it until you can stop it.

    However, I hope Gib is not going anywhere soon. Pretty sure he want his 5 kids to graduate here in the State of Hawaii. Gib is really keiki o’kaina. Now Gib has the culture, he is bringing in great kids from around the US mainland and globally, the kids love the coaches, Hawaii, the fans, the weather and dig the culture! With Jamie Smith and monies from UH MBB office, things are bought to bring students into games with the theme nites, and gift prizes,l , coaches and Jamie brainstorm what theme will be and how students will like it. It has been a great success in the last month of home games at SSC. Since the Fabulous Five days 40 years ago, as well as the Tom Henderson led UH teams, even the Alika/AC and Savo/English teams, never saw the UH students so involved in game, every game is a “Party”, they are having fun, and making SSC into a real college MBB atmosphere, the fans from the 1970’s have either passed away, are in care homes, or are too old to come out now. So a new generation of parents, couples with young ones are coming. And if Gib continues to win and is consistent in making Post Season Tournaments, he will be here hopefully for another 10 years. He will not leave unless it is offer he cannot refuse. One thing, after only 3 years., don’t think a Major school will offer Gib a 5 year guaranteed contract with incentives at 2 million a year. Gib would have to go to NCAA’s perhaps 7 years in a row and make it to sweeet 16 and elite eight before the big boys come calling. At this moment Gib is the right fit. He changed his approach inrecruiting, how he talks to his players, and coaching philosophy, he loves the kids to death. You notice, at this point last year or two, a few players, so discontent, could not wait to transfer out, or in TW ‘s case, the kid would not even enter a game. Gib will be here, he is a student of the game, when he has the athletes, he will run an exciting up temp and smash mouth ball similar to probably PAC 12 teams.

    I don’t think Ben Jay would offer, current BWC coaches a job if Gib leaves, he would have to step up, not lateral.
    Gib is doing well, right fit kids, not felons or head cases, fans are coming out, he can still win the BWC tournament and go NCAA dancing. and he loves the islands!

    He, Beeman, and Chow , all former USC assistants, when they have the right fit athletes students and citizens, will do very well, for Beeman, and Gib it is starting to show, the success, for Chow, hopefully this year.

    You are right Greedy, Cal Poly Coach, a good one, however, maybe he is one of the 9 other BWC who hate the one trip over 2700 miles of Pacific ocean who don’t like it. Gib and team accept it. at least 6 or 7 times a year they make the trek., no complaints. Gib will be here for awhile, next year will be awesome.

    And note to Vander, Jace, and Hauns and team, you all can win the BWC tourney and go dancing!
    Just play smart, hard, right attitude, listen to coach, shoot and rebound well, have 7 or 8 Defensive stops in a row, which UH, you have been slacking on, your outstanding D. When you guys are locking opponent in shutdown D,just letting a few 3 balls go down, you guys will beat Northridge, and whomever you meet in the BWC tournament, NO FEAR, you can beat any team in the conference, that tourney crown is yours.!

    Love your coaching and mentoring Gib and staff, you have 16 very loyal great student athletes associated with UH Warrior BB team, the hard core, real UH fans, love their effort and love for Hawaii and its fans.

    Great job Gib, love the work you Jamie, the staff and the players are doing, I mean, nearly 10000 tickets sold for your final home game! Fantastic, and about 9000 in house. Great job. Now, get the team ready, clean slate, and win at Northridge,and make it to the championship game ALL IN, of the BWC tourney, take a shot, ALL IN, High Rollers, YOU CALL, and Win that dang championship and NCAA bid, or with a 20 win season if you don’t win championship game, work with Ben Jay, to see if you can host 2 or 3 home opening rounds of NIT or CIT games, you all have a lot of BB to play, tell your players we really like them, classy, great young men!
    e

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