Warrior Insider

The Inside Source for Hawaii Men's Basketball
Search

Warriors rally past Bakersfield to improve to 2-0

Bobbitt1_Bakersfield

Roderick Bobbitt had 16 points and seven assists, and Negus Webster-Chan scored 15 points to lead the University of Hawai’i basketball team to a thrilling 72-65 victory over Bakersfield on the second night of the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Rainbow Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Garrett Nevels added 12 points and Stefan Jovanovic 10 as the Warriors improved to 2-0.

Hawai’i rallied from a 10-point deficit, and secured the win with clutch free-throw shooting in the final minue.

The Roadrunners raced to a 20-10 lead to open the game, and stayed in front the rest of the first half. The Warriors got as close as 26-25 on a 3-pointer by Webster-Chan with 3:43 remaining in the half, but Bakersfield eventually took a 34-28 lead at halftime.

The Warriors finally caught the Roadrunners when Valdes made two free throws to put Hawai’i ahead, 45-44, with 12:40 remaining. It was part of a 15-0 surge that turned a nine-point deficit into a 50-44 lead for the Warriors.

The game stayed close throughout the closing minutes, and Bakersfield took a short-lived 57-56 lead with 4:29 remaining.

The Warriors regained control when Bobbitt completed a three-point play to give Hawai’i a 61-57 advantage with 3:35 remaining.

Bakersfield made a 3-pointer to cut the Hawai’i lead to 67-65 with 31 seconds remaining, but Nevels responded with two free throws to secure the win.

Hawai’i’s next game will be the Monday late-night ESPN2 contest against High Point. It is scheduled to start at 11:59 p.m. on Monday night and finish early on Tuesday morning as part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon.

High Point is 2-0 following a 74-62 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff earlier on Saturday night.

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

(Game photos courtesy Brandon Flores)

9 Comments

  1. Good win Rainbow Warriors…Bobbitt? Stepped up 9/9
    Go Bows!!
    Benjy and MBB great hearts!!
    🙂

  2. Where’s Jackson W’s laugh about Jovanovic ? I think he dismissed him as not being a factor for the team earlier. Also, Jeff P didn’t say much about Stefan after the game when Gary D said he played well .

  3. Jovanovich..lot of fans liked him from last year..he can score and bang..when he match up with other”42″ Ahmed..he holds his own..Stef is gratly needed
    as long as guys getting better and finding that warrior identity…
    heck with what jeff and jackson say
    still that personal agenda post GA..and why?
    Just ,be like thousands those about 3900-4000 in house SSC and thousands like us and guy’s families
    this team..very, very special and still we await Jawato..Sammis and Jankovich

    Go Bows!!

    Give the guys their due and Stef Jovanovich is good one on one with similar speed bigs..in fact very good
    pretty sure MT injured hand bother him..still waiting for his impact
    Q no worry bro..you helped team come back with awesome D
    it takes awhole team to raise a banner

    Love this team and what Benjy is doing so far..very good!!

    High Point might be past bedtime however will DVR it
    I am so impressed by this Band of Brothers!!

  4. What did portnoy and wheeler say about Stef? I’m so out of it. Love the heart and athleticism of this team. Let’s support them!!

  5. team win. I love how a different player is stepping up in each game so far. A minor concern is free throw shooting a lot of missed free throws.

  6. 14 missed free throws 22-36 61.1%

  7. 2-0

    This Team CAN Be Good…
    They Show Good Signs of being able to improve…
    AND Adjust on the fly; at least @ half-time;
    Cred to The Coaches for Adjusted Strategy
    AND The Players for Executing The Plan(s)…

    GOOD Teams Find Ways to WIN,
    Especially Important when things Aren’t All Going Right…
    When you can’t really Stop 42
    OR Make Your Shots/Free-Throws
    Found a Way, Again
    Keep Improvin’ ‘Bows

    Hit The High Point for UH, 3-0

  8. Whew! What a couple of days. This is exactly the team that Gib envisioned when he accepted the HC job in Hawaii. Now the jury is still out on guilt or innocence, but there is no question as to the type of character players he was looking for. Because no matter what the circumstances are, this team has endured and are playing together as a family. I see no bickering, no alienating, no blaming. Just playing as one Ohana. Even convincing one of their brethren that playing side by side on this team is where he should be. They are supporting each other. Nobody is down on the other when they make a mistake. Nobody is pouting at the end of the bench. Just a bunch of guys that know they will get better and better….as one.

    Guys, the State of Hawaii are proud of you!

    Go Bows!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. This team is total excitement. Better than last year because it is eight players vs. two that move in and out, up tempo, have great defense skills and heart. I believe everyone of them will have their night and that is what is so exciting. MT is going to bust out. These freshman are awesome and Reyes hasn’t even taken the floor. Granted, we will have trouble with bigs but Janks will help plug that hole before conference starts. Can’t wait to see Janks and Reyes playing together. On my past posts I kept touting Stephan. Admittedly he is a work in progress but he will be a fan favorite before he leaves.

Leave a Response

Login or fill in the fields below to comment. (New user? Register)

Supporters