Warriors focused on regaining momentum
Last week is last week. The University of Hawai’i basketball team is now focused on this week and returning to its winning ways at home.
After dropping two road games last week to open the Big West Conference season, the Warriors will host UC Riverside on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawai’i is 11-5 overall and 0-2 in the conference; UCR is 6-11 overall and improved to 1-2 in the Big West with an 81-69 road win at UC Davis on Thursday night.
“We just put it in the past and get ready for the next game,” senior guard Brandon Spearman said of last week’s losses at Cal Poly and Cal State Northridge. “We got Riverside coming in here and we’re going to do everything to get ready for them.”
The Warriors had won nine of 10 games heading into conference play, but the two road losses served as a humbling experience that they are vowing to learn from.
“I really learned that teams protect their home court; you can’t just go in there lackadaisical,” junior guard Garrett Nevels said. “You really have to come and play solid the whole game. We learned our lesson, so we’ll see how it goes the rest of the way.”
Sophomore point guard Quincy Smith added: “It was real intense. For a lot of guys, it was the first time going out there in a Big West Conference game, so it was a learning experience for us. We weren’t able to come out with the win, but we learned a lot and hopefully next week when we go on the road we’re going to get two wins.”
The Warriros are also aware that there are a lot more games remaining this season – 14 more Big West regular-season games are on the schedule, including eight at home.
“It’s a whole lot of basketball left to play,” Nevels said. “This is only the first two games of conference. Anything can happen. We can’t just have our heads down. We just have to take it every day and wait ‘til the next game.”
Despite the two setbacks, the Warriors remain the top-scoring team in the Big West at 80.7 points per game, and they are second in the conference in field goal percentage at .479.
Senior forward Christian Standhardinger is third in the league in scoring at 17.6 points per game, and he also leads the Warriors in rebounding with 7.4 per game.
Nevels is scoring 14.1 points per game, and leads the team with 33 3-pointers and a .485 percentage from 3-point range. Sophomore forward Isaac Fotu is contributing 13.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and ranks fourth in the Big West with a .587 field goal percentage.
The biggest concern after last week’s road trip was the status of starting point guard Keith Shamburger. He scored a total of three points in the two losses, but was affected by the news that one of his aunts passed away unexpectedly during the week.
He remained in Southern California for a few extra days to be with his family, and returned to practice on Thursday afternoon.
“We’re all a family, so if one of us is down, then we all feel for each other,” Nevels said. “I just hope he gets back out here soon and hope he’s feeling better.”
Meanwhile, incoming Missouri transfer Stefan Jankovic is still awaiting for some paperwork to get completed so he can officially become a member of the Warriors.
— — — — — — —
Cal Poly continued its surprising start to the Big West season with a 62-52 home victory over Cal State Northridge on Thursday. The Mustangs and UC Irvine are the only 3-0 teams in the conference.
Thursday’s Big West results
UC Riverside 81, UC Davis 69
Cal Poly 62, Cal State Northridge 52
UC Irvine 72, Cal State Fullerton 54
UC Santa Barbara 64, Long Beach State 51
Saturday’s games
UC Riverside at Hawai’i
Cal State Fullerton at UC Davis
Long Beach State at Cal Poly
UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Northridge
Conference records
Cal Poly 3-0
UC Irvine 3-0
Cal State Northridge 2-1
Cal State Fullerton 1-1
UC Santa Barbara 1-1
Long Beach State 1-2
UC Riverside 1-2
Hawaii 0-2
UC Davis 0-3
— — — — — — —
Game 17 Tipoff Notes
Who: Hawai’i (11-5, 2-0 Big West) vs. UC Riverside (6-11, 1-2 Big West)
When: Saturday, Jan. 18, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) – Honolulu
Television: Live on OCSports – Channels 16 (SD) and 1016 (HD).
Streaming Video: BigWest.tv
Radio: Live on ESPN 1420. Neighbor islands can listen live on KNUI on Maui, KHLO in Hilo, KKON in Kona and KTOH on Kaua’i.
Audio Webcast: Live audio streaming on espn1420am.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at HawaiiAthletics.com
Ticket Information: $26 (lower); $18 (upper-adult); $16 (upper-sr. citizen); $5 (upper-youth, ages 4-HS); UH Manoa students free with validated ID. Parking $6.
Promotions: Hawaii Pacific Health is the game sponsor and will distribute 3,000 eco tote bags and award great prizes throughout the contest. There will be an autograph session with the men’s basketball team in the arena concourse near Gate B following the game. UH Alumni Association paid members and military members receive 50% adult tickets (maximum of eight) when presenting UHAA or military ID at the Stan Sheriff Center box office. Tickets are in special sections and supplies are limited. Other restrictions may apply. UH Kids’ Club members are invited onto the court for the pre-game ceremonies.
warriors to bring their A game come Saturday night! Pack the SSC ! gotta support our student athletes, need all the students there to back the team.
jjay maybe you are UH student too, a good UH MBB fan, I always thought that part of the raise in tuition included sporting events too. For those that dorm on campus, or rent apts, studios near Manoa , should walk or ride bikes to games. Best deal around. If you have 350-400 STUDENTS making noise, the guys play much better than, if the faithful middle aged crowd waits to make noise on a good play, Either way young or old, student or retiree, UH games are a great event, and the team will play winning ball.
Come on out, Softball, Baseball, Water Polo, Track, Football, Swimming Diving, Golf, Tennis, teams, Cheer on the Warriors to victory! Lot of the UH MBB team members went to your events! With Jamie back, it will even be better jjay!
UH MBB team get the W against Riverside, must win, and you can go on another 7 game winning streak!
Eagle—strange how Demello, Leahys, hoopstalk, SA, just about every blog, forum, dumping on coach and athletes, Quincy and Nevels, being JC athletes, it was a big learning experience for them, first time, they going be ready.
Agree with Gib’s assessment, need that 16-20 pts off the bench in addition to the 63 pts a game from starters, then, UH at home and on the road, will be averaging legitimate 83 pts per game, top 25 scoring team in nation.
Go get em Gib and the boys, win first one against UCR, who, just won a big road game against Davis, so you know they going be flying, slamming and 3 ball shooting, to steal one , and crush UH, however, UH gotta protect home, no one come into your house and steal your treasure, the HOME WIN!
Go Bows!
Uhfanzonly1.
Bows: Be like the team that won 9 out or 10 games, and was averaging close to 84 pts a game. Then take that confidence, and smart, play hard and together to sweep the next two road games, then come home again for 4 game home stand, protect home again, then go out on road again at 7-2, you guys will be balling at the top!
Just get this W, one game at a time, and AV, MT, Enos, Jovanovich, Jawato, Harper, Hackman, you do it in practice, and when called bring the win home at home and on the road, you guys will play and Win a lot of games.
Heck with what SA, Leahys, hoopstalk, forums, negative ones say, just go out, as Eagle says, get better, hell it is ONLY two games into BWC season, and 8 new guys on team so takes time, however, key, get a red hot, Riverside team, brimming with dang confidence having upset Davis at their house
Wish could go, like a couple of hundred on this forum and from around the world, Eagle, and jjay, I hope at least 4000+ will show up, however UH fans, are fickle, wait until UH gets on a 5 game win streak and Jamie Smith returns, SSC will be rocking till midnite!
Go Bow..Warriors Rainbows!
😀
Game legs guys. Game legs. Even with this short time off, they have got to be ready to go each game. Not travel, not weather, and not school work (yeah, I’ll say it) should affect your game legs. You just need to prepare in advance: [it can’t be said enough]. You need to prepare in advance to have your game legs on.
Go Bows !
Warriors will be fine…rough road trip in which they should have gone 1 – 1 if not for some seriously shady officiating. Loss at Cal Poly nothing to be ashamed of, as they’re turning out to be a conference contender early on in conference play. They still look and sound 100% confident in their abilities and I have no doubt they will come back and get the 10+ wins in conference play. Really looking forward to watching them give Riverside a beat down tomorrow night. Let’s GO BOWS!!
No sense talking about what ifs, should haves, or buts. Whatever ails this BB team, just win the damn game on Saturday. Period.
I am so ready for tomorrow night’s game. Judging by their comments, it sounds like Spearman, Nevels and Smith are ready, too.
I expect them to thump Riverside and get the lousy taste of the road trip out of their mouths. Then go up to Davis next Thursday and notch their first conference road win. That would set up a great matchup at Irvine on Saturday, which would be a really tough game to win.
If they were to somehow pull that off, though, and with Jamie Smith getting the Manoa Maniacs back into full gear, the 4-game homestand afterwards could end up being a rocking time at the arena.
LET’S GO GET IT, GUYS!
Got my headset, saimin, natchos, hotdog, hamburger, chips, and large beer. winbows, just says WIN BOWS.
The guys have to relax, maybe, my theory, they have hit the WALL, usually happens to UH team about last week of BWC conference play, then fizzle in tournament. This time, might be good, scout, pour over video, all guys on board, plus Negus and Stefan Jankovic, burning the starters in practice, or simulating a Big West team, might be,with Smith at PG, Negus at 2, AV at 3, Stefan Jankovic at 4,and Stefan Jovanovich at 5, they would give the starters a run. maybe win 4 out of 5 scrimmages, and Hackman, Harper, would have thrived in Riley’s Flex Motion, guys have to set really legal and on time screens, shooters, just need a tiny window, and BOOM 3 ball down.
Come on down, UH coeds, professors, local boyz, old boys, all fans, I hoping as they all say, for 4000, however, you know how it is local style Cuz, unless, UH is undefeated and playing Irvine for top spot, there will be that 3800 core group, I hope I am wrong, come on down, UH students, add another couple of hundred, get the crowd loud, I think Ben Jay, is going to bring the upper level guys to lower bowl, that MVB game against UCLA was neat, seemed packed, and a lot of noise, and great view of action!
Go get those good athletes from Riverside, do not, I say do not, underestimate, UH you guys are good, however, not great, you have to play DHC or better to win against all the other 8 teams in league here and on the road. I still like this team, figure, pretty sure, they win this game, by miracle, sweep next 2 road swing, they can win 11 games, go 11-5, would be wonderful BWC so much parity, at the top 6 you might have 11-5,11-5,11-5,10-6,10-6 and 9-7, just wish UH is 11-5 or better , they will be, IF they play better all around, and win at Stanley and road. This team I still LIKEE~
Thanks , I have recently been searching for information approximately this topic for a while and yours is the best I’ve
discovered so far. However, what about the conclusion? Are you certain about the supply?
I every time spent my half an hour to read this blog’s posts everyday along with
a cup of coffee.
Hello, this weekend is nice in support of me, because this moment i am reading this
great informative article here at my residence.
I believe what you composed was very logical. But, what about this?
what if you were to write a killer title? I
am not suggesting your content isn’t solid., but suppose you added a headline that makes people
want more? I mean Warriors focused on regaining momentum | Warrior Insider is kinda
boring. You should peek at Yahoo’s home page
and see how they create news headlines to grab viewers to click.
You might add a related video or a related picture or two to get people excited about everything’ve got to
say. In my opinion, it would make your posts a little bit
more interesting.
Great site you have got here.. It’s difficult to find high quality
writing like yours nowadays. I truly appreciate
individuals like you! Take care!!