Standhardinger and Fotu make history with Big West honor
Formidable forwards Christian Standhardinger and Isaac Fotu made history for the University of Hawai’i basketball team when they were both named to the All-Big West Conference first team on Monday.
It is the first time in 35 years of conference affiliation (33 in Western Athletic Conference and two in Big West) that two Warriors were named to the all-conference first team in the same season.
Standhardinger also became just the second player in UH basketball history to be named first team all-conference in back-to-back seasons. Predrag Savovic was an All-Western Athletic Conference first team selection in 2001 and 2002.
“It means a lot,” Standhardinger said. “I put a lot of work in, and getting recognition like that is obviously every time a little happiness. This time I was even happier that Isaac Fotu got it, too.”
Also, Fotu became the first UH sophomore to be named to an all-conference first team. All 17 other UH selections were juniors or seniors.
“I think a lot of credit goes to our guards,” Fotu said. “They find me and Christian all the time, and they make it so much easier on us. Also, it just shows how good the coaches are doing here as well.”
Standhardinger ranks fourth in the Big West in both scoring (17.7) and rebounding (8.4). He leads the conference in free throws made (181) and attempted (238). He is also one of just six players in UH basketball history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career, and he is the only UH player to reach that milestone in just two seasons.
Fotu is averaging 15.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and ranks third in the Big West with a .593 field goal percentage.
“I’m super proud of those two,” head coach Gib Arnold said. “Very deserving. Those guys have brought it every game for the entire year. They’ve been a nightmare for other teams, and we run our stuff through those two.”
A total of six players were named to the All-Big West first team. UC Santa Barbara junior center Alan Williams was selected the Player of the Year after leading the conference in both scoring (21.6) and rebounding (11.6).
The Hawai’i duo is looking to make more history later this week when the Warriors play in the Big West Conference Tournament at Anaheim, Calif. Hawai’i will face Cal State Northridge in a quarterfinal game on Thursday (5:30 p.m. Hawai’i time). It is scheduled to be televised on Fox Sports Prime Ticket (Oceanic channel 228).
Three games in three days will give the Warriors their first Big West title.
Here is the list of Hawai’i’s first team all-conference players:
Clarence Dickerson (1982)
Tony Webster (1983)
Reggie Cross (1989)
Chris Gaines (1990)
Phil Lott (1992)
Trevor Ruffin (1994)
Tony Maroney (1995)
Anthony Harris (1996)
Anthony Carter (1997)
Predrag Savovic (2001)
Predrag Savovic (2002)
Carl English (2003)
Michael Kuebler (2004)
Julian Sensley (2006)
Vander Joaquim (2012)
Christian Standhardinger (2013)
Isaac Fotu (2014)
Christian Standhardinger (2014)
Congratulations to Christian and Isaac. I am going to sorely miss the hustle that Christian brought to the game and want to wish him the best when he returns to Germany. Isaac, you amaze every time you get on the court. Please finish your time at UH so we can soak of your great talent.
Congrats again to Christian and Isaac! Looking forward to the game on Thursday, should be a good one!
Wow, didn’t realize that through all of the ‘Coach Nash’ years, not a single player made all-conference first team! What a shame. A couple of names that come to mind that I felt were deserving of it was Matt Lojeski (LoJo) and Ahmet Gueye…although I’m not sure if they graduated during the Riley Wallace era.
You are right ^^^ looking at this list makes you realize how special it is to get First Team recognition. Congratulations Christian and Isaac!
This list does stir up a lot of memories. Think of all the great UH players that are NOT on the list: Matt Lojeski, Ahmet Gueye, Little Matt Gibson, Phil Handy, Terry Houston, Troy Bowe, Troy Ostler, Bill Amis, Zane Johnson … who else?
Some others that come to mind: Alika Smith, Tes Whitlock, Roderick Flemings…anyone else?
Don’t forget Bobby Nash, remember how he used to shoot triples off the backboard?
Jared Dillinger even though he never made All-WAC is one of the leaders in the PBA.
Who was that guy that made the basket at the wrong end?
Anybody mentioned Phil Martin? I always liked Cliff Beaubrun. He came to Hawaii with Terry Houston from Miami-Dade CC. Both good players. Kari Anderson’s husband, I forgot his name.
And lest we forget Haim Shimonovich, probably the best center we’ve had in quite awhile. Nerius Puida was solid and Burneika could shoot 3s with consistency.
Alika! That’s a good one. Hard to believe so many good ones never made First Team.
Kari Anderson’s husband is Eric Ambrozich. He was pretty much a role player behind the “Dynamic Duo” of AC and Alika. Micah Kroeger and Erin Galloway too. Fun times with those teams, and this year’s group might be the most exciting since those days.
Wow… Gib has produced four 1st team all conference players is 4 seasons. Pretty fantastic. By the looks of things, Fotu should keep making the 1st Team All BWC as long as he’s healthy. Sham, NWC, and maybe Jankovic could possibly get some honors next year if they play to their potential.
Program is still rising. Lots of room to improve also.