Jawato looking to build on freshman experience
There were many glimpses of a bright future for the Hawai’i basketball team during the 2012-13 season. Brandon Jawato was one of them.
The 6-foot-4 freshman guard led the Warriors with 43 3-pointers and a .413 percentage from 3-point range. He averaged 5.9 points per game, including eight games with double-figure points. “I think that was just a glimpse of what I can do,” he said.
The highlight of his season was a jaw-dropping 7-for-7 shooting performance from 3-point range in a victory over UC Riverside. All seven of those 3-pointers came in the first half of the game, and it set both UH and Big West Conference records.
Jawato battled hip and and leg injuries throughout the season, but he said some time off since the end of the season has helped to heal his body.
“I’m feeling fine,” he said. “I took a week off and then I’m back into it, trying to get bigger, faster, stronger, and more athletic.”
Jawato started four games during the season, but otherwise played a reserve role behind some of the upper classmen on the team. He said he is ready to take on a more significant role during his sophomore season in 2013-14.
“I’m ready to step up and take on a big role next season,” he said. “I’m very excited. We got Keith (Shamburger) coming and it’s going to be a great year.”
Jawato is from El Segundo, Calif., and he said he has already started discussing a summer workout plan with fellow California teammates Shamburger and Garrett Jefferson.
“Hopefully I’m going to meet up with Keith and ‘G’ and we’re going to get some workouts in,” he said. “We only live like 15 to 30 minutes from each other, so it’s going to be exciting.”
Great work ethic Brandon Jawato! Look forward to your summer workouts and continued growth as a player! You guys will be more explosive, with greater firepower from the perimeter. Mahalo for being a Warrior for going on 3 years!
I look forward to Keith, Gee and Brandon J. having a great summer in Cali and hopefully see you in summer league.
Go Warriors.
Mahalo Dayton for update with Brandon!
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Nice to see B. Jawato getting ready for breakout season next year. Love the California connection with Keith and Jefferson. That backcourt, wtih Jawato, Shamburger, Jefferson, Spearman, Harper, Clair, and Dyrbe, if all are working very hard in class and on the court, things will look good on the perimeter. I have a lot of confidence in you guys. Maybe Gib will get an extra backup point to releive you in the games. I sense the anticipation and excitement from all the returnees.
Thank you for every video and writeup Dayton. WI is still the best, for having personal access to coaches, staff, athletes and goings on of all things UH Warrior MBB. Thankyou Dayton, Valerie and Tony Schmidt, get better Hunter and eagle.
And clyde, no I am not trying to direct ones to a different source for MBB, this IS the site for fans,and families , potential recruits, I have seen some posts with links, so I thought it was okay. Well, I could just mention they can read online if they have service. Just wanted to clarify my statements on team. Make sure what I was saying had some credibility. Apologies too, to the great loyal, positive and objective supporters of this site, great people all. I guess, like my dad, we are great fans, we cannot attend as many UH events if at all, well some SSC for me being younger, however, despite the health issues, are hearts are with Gib and whomever the Warriors are for going on 50 years.
Mahalo again Dayton, and Sponsors , for the best Warrior MBB site on the planet!
There’s our explanation of Jawato’s inconsistent minutes… looks like he was fighting some nagging injuries. I don’t really remember anybody mentioning that as the season went by.
Jawato just needs to work on his defensive fundamentals and continue to improve his footwork on his shot. Hope he shows a little aggression driving to the lane to keep defenders honest so they don’t cram Jawato on the perimeter. Once Jawato shores up his defense, he will eventually be the starting 2 guard or 3 G/F vs Big West opponents.
UH will be much more athletic at the guards with a healthy Spearman and Shamburger in the backcourt plus the addition of Valdes (and possibly a late recruit or two). Although UH lost 3 Sr starters, they also lost their 3 slowest players at their respective positions. That’s actually a positive. Also, I’m his sophomore year at SJSU, Shamburger ranked 24th nationally in assist-turnover ratio, plus he’s a legit scoring threat avg 13ppg. His points will probably go down a little with Fotu and Standhardinger most likely being the top options on offense, but his assist #’s should improve quite a bit.
Looking forward to seeing UH push the tempo more next year. Tavita had an aversion to fast breaks and was terrible at running them on the rare occasions UH had the chance to run. I don’t think I’ve seen a PG with poorer court vision & anticipation on the break or a PG that was that bad at spacing the floor as Tavita. Even when UH had a numbers advantage Tavita would always stop short of the 3pt line and pull it back to run offense even when there were teammates running the court with an open path to the rim. Although pulling out and running offense cuts down on potential turnovers, it allows the defense to get set and clog the middle, which was clearly the defensive game plan vs Vander &Fotu.
The biggest weakness (on paper) that I see next year is 3pt shooting. Outside of Jawato, there isn’t a consistent shooter on the roster that I can see. I think Oz is the he other pure shooter and I think next year, he plays the role Jawato did this past season as the a 3pt gunner from the bench. If Oz gets his footwork in order on his shot and consistently squares his shoulders, he’s got the talent to be a lights out shooter. He’s got excellent range but he tends to twist a little on his shot, which makes it harder get the ball online.
Fotu and Standhardinger are rock solid and will be one of the best front court duos on the West Coast. Fotu is committed to improving and we all know Christian is a workhorse. not worried about them at all. I’m really interested to see what Dressler brings to the party. New-recruit Jovanovic looks like a project and will likely red-shirt unless there are injuries.
There also seems to be quite a buzz with the players for next season. I think they know/feel they have something special brewing for next year.
Even with a shaky finish to the year, the boys seem pumped up and eager for next year. Can’t remember this type of player excitement at this stage of the offseason before.
FUHA:
As always, great breakdown of team. Concise. Complete, Honest. I think the guys, a bunch coming back next year, just the experience of being together through the BWC wars, will be a much improved team. If Gib augments with a PG and great SG(that 3 point shooter you allude to), UH will be at the top of BWC. I like how you keep things objective, yet always positive!
You should know, as former collegiate athlete at UH, what it takes. It isn’t easy, however if the guys are really dedicated, and I sense they are, team will be monster in the SSC, and have the will to win on the road. Gib fourth year, can be a great one!
Can’t wait , for team to be set, and summer workouts, and summer leauge, and Cali updates, on how team is improving. Still a ton of interest in UH MBB.
Thanks for your analysis. You were right, the team speed, did increase. The athleticsm, will spiral upwards to. Maybe finally, we will see the transition, run and gun , excitement that UH MBB can be. Should be potentially good, very good 2013-14 season!
Just think if Jace had better vision and anticipation, and was quicker and more athletic, and had the ability to space the floor better … geez, he might have not only led the Big West in assists, he might have led the country. Not bad for a walk-on who paid his own way.
BIG WEST ASSIST LEADERS
1. Tavita, Jace-UH SR 18 99 5.5
2. Taylor, T.J.-UCSB SO 18 94 5.2
3. Young, Alex-UCI FR 18 81 4.5
4. Drew, Landon-CSUN FR 17 73 4.3
5. McCloud, Lorenzo-PAC SR 18 74 4.1
6. Mancasola, Paolo-UCD SR 18 72 4.0
7. Seeley, D.J.-CSF SR 15 55 3.7
8. Caffey, Mike-LBSU SO 18 65 3.6
9. Smith,Robert-UCR SR 17 61 3.6
10. Vaughn, Kwame-CSF SR 18 63 3.5
Jace Tavita. Class guy. Great Ohana. Paying his way with help of family through UH Manoa. Team first, and win first athlete. I always thought of Jace as being a 6’4″ Miah Ostrowski. Jace the captain of team, challenged by coach, as well as other 2 seniors and upperclassmen to aright the team ship. They went on that terrific 5 game win streak which included 3 wins in a row on the road. Hit some clutch 3 pointers to close out some games. Tough, tough young guy. He and Hauns, great friends and teammates.
Nothing but respect for Jace. On top of that , he will get his college degree. Kudos to Jace Tavita and the Tavita Ohana in Hawaii and Utah!
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