Warriors hold off Montana, 72-61
Christian Standhardinger scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Brandon Spearman added 13 points and five boards and Isaac Fotu finished 13 points and four rebounds tonight to help the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team hold off visiting Montana, 72-61.
An energized crowd of about 5,200 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Warriors improve to 5-2; the Grizzlies fell to 1-4.
Hawai’i jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the first six and a half minutes, spurred by tight halfcourt defense and Spearman’s seven points. The Warriors opened it up to 28-12 after an 11-4 run started by Spearman’s layup and capped by Aaron Valdes’ spectacular alley-oop slam dunk with 5:44 remaining in the half.
But UH managed only one field goal the rest of the half and Montana eventually closed it to 31-25 by the break after Brandon Gfeller’s 3-pointer with 54 seconds left. The Warriors made just 3 of 10 free throws in the first half.
Fotu started the second half with a dunk, but the Grizzlies responded with an 8-0 run capped by Keron DeShields’ 3-pointer to tie it at 33-33 two minutes in. Hawai’i answered back with a 17-4 surge punctuated by Standhardinger’s short bank shot that made it 50-37 at the 10:14 mark.
Montana got as close as 57-48 on Kareem Jamar’s leaner with 6:17 left, but Fotu’s free throw pushed the lead to 63-48 about 90 seconds later and the Grizzlies could not get closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
Good win!! However UH MBB shoot 75% from FT line they win by 25…but hey… a win is a win is a win is a win!!
Go Bows!!
😀
It was mostly Isaac and Christian that struggled from the line. Hope they fix that.
Spearman couldnt hit from the line either, too.
Expect Fotu to be like this for a few weeks. he’s got a broken hand.
Jessica: This team is playing so well, on Defense, and rebounding, they can go for a stretch not hitting free throws as well. Isaac, sheesh, he has broken bone, so he actually shot well from the field. He is a warrior, Plus, Christian, without his warrior mentality, this team, follows. Same with Spearman, Shamburger, Nevels, Smith, Enos, Valdes, Rozitis, very impressive, this team ONE OHANA, no matter who on the court, they battle, and Jessica, on the Stan Sheriff Center court, UH will be tough to beat.
Wish them well at high altitude, some 7000 plus feet from sea level, at N. Arizona next week. As well, as the challenge , of an athletic, though smaller, three ball shooting Chaminade team on Kauai.
The Rainbow Warriors, if they play solid D, and rebound, as well as get their transition fast break going, will have chance, to hopefully be 7-2 going into a great Diamond Head Classic.
Once, again, Spearman, hurt, Fotu hurt, Q Smith hurt, Jawato hurt, they all play through the pain, and still win. Great, great team and effort, these guys are winners, no question Jessica., The best UH MBB team, so far this season, that I have witnessed in past 10 years!
Go Rainbow Warriors! And Isaac, in about 3 weeks, drink milk, get calcium, and safeguard that broken hand, and you will be alright, being 19-20 yrs of age, you will heal fast.
I tell you all UH MBB fans, get down to Stan Sheriff Center for Diamond Head Classic, should be fun, with UH, in contention to win that holiday tournament!
Go Bows!!
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FOTU WILL Get Better — at worst Six to Eight Weeks as Coach Gib reported the broken hand may take to heal — Fotu said (teasing himself accurately) “…i looked like Shaq out there; my hands felt like stone, no feeling…” on the Fan Phones Post-Game Radio Show with Gary Dickman and Davis Rozitis, who took responsibility for suggesting trying free-throws left-handed, which Fotu tried @ Half-Time warm-ups with little noticeable improvement — he reverted to right-handed free-throws in the game… BSpearman has struggled with free-throws so far since his return; iʻm sure heʻll bounce back because his threes have improved…
iʻd say MONTANA Was Successful @ Forcing Hawaiʻi into their game, their style, their (slow) tempo, Reducing Hawaiʻiʻs SEASON Scoring Average 2 to 3 points per game in the Process… BUT i also think Hawaiʻi Succeeded in Beating Montana at its own game, with fewer turnovers (reported 11 versus 12), holding the Grizzlies in the 20 percentages for three-point shooting where they had hit 42% All Season long and 30ʻs versus 50ʻs for field goal percentage as well…
Kudos to Coach Gib and Staff — Clearly the Defense has Improved the last few weeks in On-Ball Coverage, Defensive Rotation, Three-Ball Coverage and Double, even Triple Teaming, Only One Grizzly in Double Figures and Most of it when the game was No Longer on the line…
GIB Might Note that he employed a FIVE-GUARD Team durng Keep-Ball-Away & Shoot Free-Throws Time;
WHEN has Hawaiʻi ever had Five Guards Who can All Handle the Ball, All Can Pass, All Can Score?
[Shamburger-Nevels-Spearman-QSmith-Enos]
i feel Confident that This IS a Better HAWAIʻI Team hitting the Road to Northern Arizona than the Missouri-Trip Team
— maybe good enough to show They CAN WIN On the Road, at least against teams we are supposed to be better-than. but also at High Elevation…
Our Waiter, Post-Game @ Zippyʻs KNEW that Hawaii was blowing teams out 30-Plus, KNEW Montana blew US Out the Last Time and he Does NOT Look Like a Basketball Player… SO Maybe…
The Word IS Getting Around AND…
When NEXT The ʻBows play a Game @ SSC
12/22 Versus BOISE State (Grrr!)
Who, Like Montana, is an NCAA Tourney Team
AND Returns ALL FIVE Starters
The Arena Will Be Deservedly PACKED…
GO ʻBOWS!
Cracking The TOP 150
5-2 HAWAIʻI Now Up to #146 In The Pomeroy Ratings…
Louisville 1
Pittsburgh 4
Iowa State (5-0) 23
St. Mary’s (5-0) 44
Missouri (7-0) 48
Boise State (6-0) 59
New Mexico State (7-1) 67
UC Santa Barbara 79
Oregon State 84
UC Irvine 122
HAWAI’I 146
Cal Poly 151
Pacific 152
Washington 153 (Defeted Montana by 4 Tuesday Night)
UNLV 156
MONTANA 167
W.Michigan 169
Nebraska Omaha 196
Long Beach State 231
CSU Fullerton233
UC Riverside 267
Tennessee State (0-7) 273
N. ARIZONA 279
CSUNorthridge 285
New Orleans 349
[Grambling 351 = LAST]
Christian Standhardinger, a very unorthodox basketball player but very hard working and not afraid to hit the ground.
Brandon Spearman, a very athletic specimen with a decent mid range jumper and can leap out of the building. Needs to work tremendously on his outside shooting and free throw shooting but definitely understandable why he’s a team captain and looks like he enjoys playing out there.
A hurt Isaac Fotu, still very good down in the post especially only at 6’8. I think he might be one of the quickest and fundamentally sound post scorers i’ve ever seen for somebody his age. Hopefully broken hand can heal whilst still playing, he is needed by the warriors for a successful season.
Can’t say enough about Garret Nevels. Pure athlete, face of pure determination every minute he is on the court. Great shot and not afraid to shoot it from long range purest shooter on the warriors side. Hopefully stays away from injury because he can take this team to the next level.
Shamburger is one of the best PGs UH has had in a long time. Enough said.
This team is too good in my opinion to be ranked so low in comparison to other big west teams right now. Going to be a very enjoyable season and can’t wait for the big west season to start to see where we stand.
Go UH!