Classic rewind
Some notes and observations after the University of Hawai’i basketball team’s 3-0 start to open the 2015-16 season.
• Roderick Bobbitt’s baseline-to-baseline drive for the game-winning layup should go down as one of the most exciting finishes in recent UH basketball history. It capped a furious ending that featured seven lead changes in the final 90 seconds. The last such buzzer-beater for the Warriors came in March 2014, when Garrett Jefferson similarly dribbled the length of the court to put in a running jumper to beat Cal State Fullerton, 90-88.
• Bobbitt’s 14 assists against Montana State set a new Rainbow Classic record for assists in a single game. And, yes, these Rainbow Classic records date back to the original tournament in 1964. That makes it a pretty significant accomplishment, considering all the great teams and players that have participated in the Rainbow Classic over the decades.
• It’s still too early to attach any significance to season stats, but Bobbitt is once again among the national leaders in assists (21) and steals (10). He led the nation last season with 100 steals.
• The Rainbow Classic went to a four-team format in 2009, and Hawai’i has won it three times since then (2010, 2012 and 2015). The Warriors won it 10 times when it was an eight-team tournament from 1964-2008.
• Hawai’i now has a 5-3 record in late-night games as part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. The Warriors had lost their previous two late-night games in 2013 (New Mexico State) and 2014 (High Point).
• Through the first three games of this season, five Hawai’i players are averaging double-figure points: Aaron Valdes (16.0), Bobbitt (14.3), Stefan Jankovic (11.0), Sai Tummala (11.0) and Quincy Smith (10.0).
• Jankovic leads the team with 25 total rebounds, followed by Valdes (17), then Bobbitt and Smith (13 each).
• Tummala is 9 for 13 from 3-point range, for a .692 percentage. He went 2 for 8 from 3-point range during his entire junior year at Arizona State last season.
• The Warriors have a .600 percentage from the free-throw line through three games, and it has been a group effort. Not a single player is shooting better than 70 percent from the line. “It’s now a recurring theme, it’s not a one-game deal,” head coach Eran Ganot said. “It’ll be a point of emphasis and we’re going to continue to do what we can to get reps.”
(Photos courtesy Brandon Flores / www.brandonfloresphotography.com)
great national TV espn exposure, win.. RBC champs… of course what team really wants.. finish what they started.. BWC championship game.. win and go to ncaa tourney !
that IS THE SEASON. the time to get real hyped.. prepare team for that run, 3 games, 3 wins in Anaheim.. they go dancing.. this RBC win.. will be forgotten by March. we all hope UH will win the BWC regular and Tournament titles. . two championships. so far and few between for UH hoops.. a lot of guys and fans will smile then. still a long, season, however. dang. 20 home SSC games. UH can win a lot..
Go Bows
POSITIVES: Suspected/Confirmed: Nevada IS A Program on the Rise: NBA Coach Musselman Blew Out Both Opponents, including NCAA Tourney Back-to-Back Team Coastal Carolina (THINK about How Great UH was (Best Teams ever?) The ONLY Time UH got Back-to-Back NCAA Bids; AND was seconds away from Stealing RC Title…
TOUGH Finish, BOTH Teams, AND Valdes, Jankovic, Thomas AND Bobbitt ALL HIT Clutch Shots down the Stretch even though they were Really Having ‘Off’ Nights…
FIVE Double-Digits Players connotes Balance And Talent
— 8 Deep (Really) @ All Three Positions
WHEN Do we ever have National Leaders in Any Stat ?
— Bobbitt (And Q BTW) Legit, Solid Point Guards
who Don’t Lose the Ball, Can Move It, Can Shoot it/Take it to the Hole
——————
A Few Weakpoints / Points of Emphasis:
Where the Attention Goes, The Energy Flows AND Improvement ‘Happens’!
1) Gotta Finish/Hit those Inside Shots / Lay-Ups
EG Pointed Out — some of those lay-ups Both Bobbitt and Quincy CAN Finish;
2) Free-Throws: The ‘Better Shooters’ gotta get above 75% even into the 80’s;
Everybody else 65-70% Plus
That’s the Serbian three-finger salute by the Serbs in the picture, i think. However in a Nov. 17 post picture, looks like Janks is showing the shaka. Sai -shaka. Sheriff-shaka on a hawaii athletics website picture. Valdez-shaka; Dyrbe-shaka; Roderick – No. 1 sign.
This schedule is weak and very home heavy and I hope that does not make this team unprepared for conference play later. BUT this is also very wise schedule for a team in coaching transition that needed some lesser competition to build confidence early. 3-0 right now and on the way to 8-0!
I still think would of been more worth it to play in the Las Vegas Tournament next week instead of Texas Tech. Road games at Top 25 Cal and San Diego State be better preparation and good chance for upset!
yes, we all know , 3 wins in BWC tourney , that is the most important.. second.. if can win BWC regular season.. UH success …then go win games in NIT or NCAA ..dances..long season..and I always wondered why Ganot backed out of that SDSU game.. win or lose.. good for team and test..schooling, and not wearing guys out, or as you say.. build up wins? I think build up wins. with 20 at home. UH will have 20 plus winning record.. if not.. kind of sad.. we shall see. fun to watch. they still going full bore. exciting.
Ok I’m over being excited. The only thing matters is today, what they do in practices, and trying to get better in all areas. This team has a very small margin. Even one injury to any of the primary rotation players is devastating. Basically, the team is using a core of 8 players. We need good karma and good luck.
well said.. stay focused, get better, healthy and finish strong.. hope this is the year..
Manroop is 6 for 6 on FT’s at Seattle Univ., averaging 24 minutes a game.
http://www.goseattleu.com/fls/18200/stats/mbasketball/2015-16/teamcume.htm
Re: schedules. I believe Long Beach’s Monson gets some kind of incentive bonus for playing a tough schedule, and you gotta hand it to him. While watching a little of Long Beach vs. Seton Hall in Carolina Classic, I checked on Long Beach’s schedule this season. Wow. They’ll play San Diego State, Oklahoma State, UCLA, Oregon, Arizona and Duke. Of those six games, only the one against San Diego State is at home. Too much?
Interested in getting an early look at upcoming Warrior foe Texas Tech? They’re supposed to play Utah on ESPN2 now.
Manroop is 4-13 for 3PT shots, his percentage is .308
Thanks Clyde,watched some of the game. Texas Tech missed some FT’s, shot 10-18, 55.6 %; Utah shot 21 of 27 or 77.8 % for FT’s. Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament.
Manroop should be a junior? He is a disappointment as far as basketball goes. From what I read and his accolades before coming to UH, I thought he would be a starting guard at some point during his career at the D-1 level. Anyway, I wish him well.