Warriors rally to beat Fullerton in OT, 86-79
Stefan Jankovic hit the tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation, then scored eight points in overtime to help lead the University of Hawai’i basketball team to a hard-fought 86-79 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday at Titan Gym in Fullerton, Calif.
The Warriors improved to 15-2 overall with their seventh consecutive victory, and remained tied atop the Big West Conference at 4-0. The Titans dropped to 8-8 and 1-2.
Isaac Fleming scored a career-high 23 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead the Hawai’i offense. Jankovic added 21 points – all in the second half and overtime — and Roderick Bobbitt contributed 14 points and six assists.
The Warriors trailed by four points in the closing minutes, but rallied to force overtime. After taking the early lead in OT, the Warriors sealed it at the free throw line. Hawai’i had its best game of the season from the free throw line, converting 25 of 29 (86.2 percent).
The Warriors played without starting forward Aaron Valdes for the second consecutive game. The 6-foot-5 junior was still in a walking boot due to a turf toe injury on his right foot.
The Warriors fell behind, 8-2, at the start of the game, but then went on an 11-2 surge to take a 13-10 with 12:19 remaining in the first half. The game stayed close the rest of the way, and Hawai’i eventually took a 29-27 lead at intermission.
The Warriors had the halftime lead despite shooting just 33.3 percent (11 for 33) from the field in the first half, including just 15.4 percent (2 for 13) from 3-point range.
The Titans had a 40-39 lead early in the second half, but Fleming then drained back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Warriors a 45-40 with 13:36 remaining. Hawai’i led by as many as six points, but Fullerton managed to tie the game at 55 on a 3-pointer by Coggins with 7:35 remaining. The game went back-and-forth in the closing minutes.
Fleming made a 3-pointer from the deep corner just before the shot clock expired to tie the score at 65 with 3:03 remaining. The Titans came right back and took a 67-65 lead on putback by Jamar Akoh with 2:33 remaining.
Fullerton led by as many as four points with less than two minutes remaining, but the Warriors forced overtime when Jankovic drained a 3-pointer from the right wing to tie the score at 72-all with 7.9 seconds remaining.
Hawai’i took the lead for good by scoring the first four points of overtime on two free throws each by Fleming and Jankovic to take a 76-72 lead.
Khalil Ahmad led the Titans with 19 points. Tre’ Coggins, who was averaging 18.5 points per game, was held to 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting. He fouled out late in the second half.
More details will be posted as it becomes available.
(Game photo courtesy Warren Haraki)
What a win!!!! What a crowd to cheering on our Bows!!!!
Clutch plays and shots down the stretch from Janks and Isaac. Proud of this team to grind it out without Valdes and make their free throws! They’re growing up so fast before our eyes :,)
Even on a night with nothing in your tank they still find a way to win. This team is incredible when they play with their backs against the wall. 86% free throws? This team is money in crunch time. Awesome win.
WINNING Requires (Sometimes) Winning Ugly
Because The Alternative is Just Losing Ugly
Tough Late Second Half and O.T. By Janks
Soon, He WILL Realize What he CAN Be Playing 30-40+…
Tough Performances On a Tough TRIP All Around
TWO WINS
NOW This is ALSO A ROAD-WINNING TEAM…[2-1, èven TT Loss ‘Respectable]
86% FT Shooting on a night you ‘could not’ afford to miss one more without losing…
4-0 in Big West…
I would Say, “That’s a “PASS” ‘ on The First 25% Mid-Term for 2016 BWC…
Way To Go, ‘BOWS!
Work Hard AND Rest With TWO Leisurely Single-Home-Game Weeks Coming Up…
After The Gauntlet of Two (and Three)-A-Weeks
Get Stronger, Get Healthy, RE-Set and Upgrade The Schemes
Get Aaron Back
15-2, 4-0
Go, Go, Go, ‘Bows!
^UHfanzonly please pump your brakes and stop with the silly predictions about being undefeated in conference or ranked or whatever. The team’s goal is to get a high seed, win in Anaheim, and get to the big dance; nothing else matters.
I was screaming flash to the high post Isaac all the way from the east coast when he did it made that zone collapse with his ball IQ we got good shots.
Bigdaddy…Isaac Fleming best player on team
Real gamer..!
Wow. Just Warriors.
They took a punch. “I’m still in front of you”.
Halfway BWC ..UH will be 8-0..
and overall 19-2 ranked 15 in nation at that time..!
🙂
Only cocern 4 bottom feeders almost beat Warriors..competitive conferece, great coaches!!
🙂
Last place team only 3 games behind Irvine and warriors
Bigdaddy is absolutely right!
Most coaches agree that one of the BEST ways to beat the ZONE is to flash one of your best ballhandlers at the HIGH POST and attack the middle from there. In most 2-3 zone defenses, it’s usually the center who is positioned in that middle area (in Irvine’s case, that’s Mamadou).
What happens next is the center will commit to the attacking guard, the ZONE will then collapse, and the guard will be able to maneuver AROUND the center to either attack the basket, drop it off to one of the forwards cutting in, or kick the ball out to one of the guards who should be open because of the collapsed zone defense. The mismatch of the center guarding the quicker guard causes this to happen.
The key player to beat the zone would be one of the guards, especially a good ball handler. Bobbitt and Fleming both have the skill set to BUST the zone.
Amazing win go ahead zone Hawaii they will break it and make you pay. even the coach last year wasn’t 4-0
What an awesome win. And, to do it on the road. This team has grit. Someone always step up. These guys are a bunch of fresh air. Welcome back TEAM.
GO WARRIORS!!!
Let’s not get into comparing coaches. Last year was just that … last year. Most of us have moved on, and so, obviously, has the team.
Leadership, fleming..not coach ganot..the returnees, they making plays, fullerton last place, 8 guys should have won..so young..ncaa hit..one day:)
Uhfanzonly1, Isaac knows his situation he’s just making the best of I t and enjoying the ride with his teammates whom he call his brothers. Still no pg play very upsetting! (Just Rockout)
I really would like to see coach Ganot emphasize working inside-out. Too many three pointers are keeping the other teams in games. I would have thought things would’ve changed after the Oklahoma game, when UH were shooting unnecessary NBA-range three pointers, which weren’t going and and cost them the game. Unfortunately, they still have the green light and it’s hurting the team. Work the offense inside-out.
I also think Jovanovic should get more playing time than he is. He’s very productive and they play more team ball when he’s in. He may not be as flashy as Jankovic, but UH plays very well (and the scores show it) when Jovanovic is in, because he plays very unselfish and does a lot of things that go unnoticed.
Warrior08… The amount of 3s was one of the things that coach was critical of after the game. Its not that everyone has the green light. The light is yellow… take open and high percentage shots.
UHFO… Take the ball out of Bobbitt’s hands? You’re high. Isaac deserves the time he’s getting on the floor and should be start in Q’s place once AV gets back.
Uhfanzonly1,
I don’t get what you’re saying… You’re saying that the ONLY reason Isaac Fleming is NOT the PG is because Ganot is a rookie coach?
So… if Benjy Taylor was still the coach, you really think Benjy would take the ball from Bobbitt’s hands and anoint Isaac as the point guard? Rod Bobbitt? The senior poing guard? The BW’s leader in assists last year? Take the ball from his hands and give it to Isaac? Even Benjy Taylor wouldn’t do that.
Please stop living in the past…
Bigdaddy good dad great son help UH win a lot of games this year..where these guys come from?
2015 march run..nothing wrong with remembering MBB legacy..even ganot says that..recognize great mbb lineage…all fans of team correct? Aurite!!WI fairness..
Go bows!!
Dayton. Hey we are one ohana cheering on bows..no abuse here..:)
Hawaii coached by Ganot is 4-0 now can you dig that sucka
; )
What abuse? Because we don’t agree with you? You make outrageous predictions to try and create failure for the coach. You kiss butt to BD only because he’s disappointed in his son’s role and that helps you undermine the coach. All while you claim to support the players. I don’t think you even really care about them since it seems to only matter to you who recruited them. That is abusive to the team. Thank goodness you are so obviously “off” that no players or recruits reading your posts would take you seriously.
Tired of having my comments deleted while Uhfanzonly1 gets to talk crazy.
It’s not about taking the ball out of Bobbitt hands yal missing the point when he goes out the game why is he not able to run the pg it’s all about opportunity . I agree with the coach when it comes to Quincy it’s all about team XO’s.
Well said….Kaimiloa! I couldn’t have said it better! Go Bows!!!
Well, just got home from a disappointing Wahine loss. Before their game, I was simultaneously watching my beloved Packers and the UH Men’s Basketball game. Both were approaching game’s end and certain defeat and my husband was screaming profanities at Aaron Rodgers and various members of the UH squad who shall remain anonymous. And then…within minutes of each other, a Hail Mary and Stefan Jankovic turned all my frustration into extreme cries of joy! Momentarily for the Packers…but for UH…YES!!! They held on. They are my only team that won today. Thank you, boys!
It felt so ugly, but I’ll take an ugly win any day! I said it before…these guys have the magic. Oh yeah. Isaac, my man. That deep corner 3-pointer, almost looked like you were fading back…it reminded me of that shot last year, the amazing shot at the buzzer that they called a 3-point shot but after review, they changed it to a 2-pointer. You have that magic, is what ai’m saying, to hit those crazy, impossible shots….swooosh! I enjoy watching you when you’re in the groove, the rhythm is on.
I love all the guys, They did what they needed to do.
I hear you, Big daddy, and I agree.
Those who are not satisfied with the success of the team continue your ranting.
Those of you who are ecstatic continue your support and positive comments.
Different strokes for different folks and would it not be very boring if all humans were alike in their ways and attitudes. Oh yeah some here are a little more versed in the play of basketball and some are more versed in the spectatoring of the game. New word added to the webster dictionary. (spectatoring: a person who watches others doing their thing)
Enjoy watching this team and hope they go to the big dance. I am spectatoring.