Warriors move closer to title with win over CSUN, 89-78
The magic number is now down to 1.
The University of Hawai’i basketball team is now one victory away from clinching its first Big West Conference regular-season championship after a convincing 89-78 victory over CSUN on Saturday night.
A sellout crowd at the Stan Sheriff Center watched the Warriors improve to 23-4 overall and 12-2 in the conference. The Warriors are one game ahead of UC Irvine and two games ahead of Long Beach State with two games remaining.
CSUN dropped to 10-19 overall and 5-10 in the conference, including two losses to Hawai’i.
Stefan Jankovic continued his mastery of the CSUN defense with 28 points on 8-of-9 field goal shooting and 10-of-12 free-throw shooting to lead the Warriors. In two games against CSUN, he has 62 points on 22 of 25 shooting from the field.
Sai Tummala added 16 points, Quincy Smith scored 11 and Roderick Bobbitt had another all-around performance with 13 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Those are the three senior players on the roster who were honored after the game, along with fourth-year junior Dyrbe Enos.
The Warriors broke away early in the second half, and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the final minutes.
Bobbitt was not in the starting lineup, apparently due in part to the previous game, when he exchanged words with UC Riverside head coach Dennis Cutts both during and after the game.
Freshman Sheriff Drammeh got the start instead, with Quincy Smith moving from shooting guard to point guard to open the game. Bobbitt entered the game with 12:29 remaining in the first half.
Hawai’i led by as many nine points midway through the first half, but the Matadors rallied to take a 41-39 lead with 1:52 remaining in the half.
Jankovic scored 17 points in the first half, including two free throws with 2 seconds remaining to give the Warriors a 43-42 lead at intermission.
The Warriors opened the second half with a 15-5 run in six minutes to increase their lead to 58-47. The Matadors never got closer than eight the rest of the way.
Hawai’i will conclude the regular season with road games at UC Davis on March 3, and at Long Beach State on March 5. The Big West Conference Tournament will follow, March 10-12, at Anaheim, Calif.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
(Game photos courtesy Matt Osumi)
Saturday’s other Big West results
at Long Beach State 66, UC Riverside 55
UC Santa Barbara 80, Cal State Fullerton 62
UC Irvine 62, at UC Davis 61
Fleming..?
When will Fleming grow up? Looks like his time at Hawaii is done
What happened to Isaac Fleming? Need the guy .Team not in sync. Good win for seniors. Hope team ready for hardest part of season. Thanks Rod,Q , Sai and Dyrbe plus graduating May Jankovic and Valdes! Fun year. Coach has to refocus team. Get new start! Go Warriors!!
Something amiss? Maybe we know in next few weeks.
We cheered our hearts out at SSC for seniors. With Fleming out semmed not right hope Isaac okay.Irvine right behind warriors and Davis and 49ets waiting for warriors!! Go team one ohana..
KelleyO nice comments we enjoyed 3 year 20 win run and hoping ncaa’s!!
It’s obvious Fleming is in the dog house with Ganot. He’s an important component to the team. Whatever is wrong, hope it’s fixed soon. Mahalo to Bobbitt, Smith, Tummala and Enos. They really made this team fun and I don’t think we will see another team of this greatness for a while.
Winning is bigger than a players ego and selfish attitude . Fleming needs to see the bigger picture of what was happening in the game and it required better perimeter defense which Fleming is not particularly strong at. Coach Ganot and staff know what they are doing and the team is bigger than one player . Go Bows
Free Fleming
We need Fleming come BWT. He looked checked out. I’m saddened by what is transpiring all around. Some here are knocking the young man. I personally can’t do that. I hope things get better before tournament time because as it stands now….the only person who can spark some offense off the bench besides Tummala is Fleming. We need as much depth as we can. I hope thing rebound. Go Bows.
This team will look very different next year! Extremely likely Jankovic Valdes and Flemming will move to greener pastures. Unless the NCAA comes back and nullifies post season ban before the end of the school year (very doubtful). Really too bad
All the top scorers will be gone after the season if Rob T is correct , that would definitely have a detrimental affect to our program , Ganot will definitely have to recruit guys that can score as we will lose all our offensive threats, with the ensuing post season ban , going from one of the best in the west to a mediocre or bottom team will he hard to swallow .
Coach should sit down one to one with every guy on team. Spell out what their role and attitude should be.
That is what coaches do. Either part of team as ONE or not. Love Fleming game. As oldet to be junior he has pro
Potential. Seems like similar ego things last year. Guys have loving parents.I am one. Love mine. Speak honestly with them and reason with them. They respect that not alwalways agree however we are cool
Hope Eran coaches mentors team throgh hardest part of season. Happiness first in family. Hope warriors get to ncaa tourney!!
.
That is why this group led by 4 year at UH guys Valdes ..Enos have to go far in ncaa or NIT..Ganot recruiting rough under sanctions. Go warriors!!
Its time for a Ho’oponopono (talk story) session. Get everyone including the coaches and lock the damn door. Let each person get whatever they have off their chests and put it out in the open. Everyone opens the pepeau (ears) and hear each other out. Yeah it will be emotional in there but lay it all out on the table. Fix what can be fixed and move forward as one unit. Something has got to give. This team has worked to hard to get up to this point. Its not over….Go Bows!
It’s always great to get a win, especially on Senior Night. I think this article is somewhat generous in calling it a “convincing” win, but I’ll take it. I am concerned about the number of turnovers we continue to give up, passes are not sharp, too often “lazy”, especially at this point in the season. Unfocused on defense. And the substitution choices baffle me, but we won and finally busted free in the last 8 minutes of the game, so I can only hope the coaching staff knows what they’re doing. They just don’t seem to be blending well. Perhaps it’s just that the other team’s defenses are more tuned into us and making it more difficult to be in synch. But when Q gets subbed out while Sherriff stays in? SMH.
I must say that Quincy’s brother was great at tucking the ball away while driving the basket. Q schooled him a couple times, though….oh yeah!
The Technical foul against Mike Thomas was absurd. I hope and pray we are done with this officiating crew for the year. They better not be doing the tournament.
Janks is a great interview and makes me believe the team will be ok. I do think we are more focused on the road and I’m already excited and nervous for Thursday. I don’t think I could stand it coming down to Long Beach on Saturday.
Congratulations again to the Seniors — Q, Rod, Derby, Sai — and mahalo for sharing your gifts with us.
Go Bows!!!
Time to set egos aside (all parties involved) and put the team’s interests before individual motives. Enough is enough. Next year is shaping up to be a really, really down year. So this is it. This is the year.
It would leave a really sour taste in my mouth if we went down in the conference tournament by not playing our best players. I think getting the freshman early playing experience is valuable, but correct me if I’m wrong- the guy looks like a deer caught in headlights when he catches the ball.
Set your egos aside. Suck up your pride. I want to see Isaac “Showtime” Fleming ball out! Let the boy loose!!!!!
Soljah, it’s a great idea, I have thought that myself, but there would have to be a professional kumu or mediator who understands and can guide the process. And the coached would need to participate as equals. And although Ganot has been here before, he’s not local so I don’t think he knows or appreciates the value of this sort of approach to peace and reconciliation and the power it could bring to the TEAM. Ganot is very young and I sense he has his own ego to deal with in all of this drama. I like how you think, though!
Thought Reggie Theus should have used Cutt’s defense on Jankovic. After warriors were struggling to get big lead going into half..I was thinking Reggie double right away Jankovic when he had ball or front him with backside defender. Would not make Jankovic get into his offensive moves..no big in league can stop him one on one. Look for Davis and LBSU to zone and help double Jankovic when he has ball. Then he is limited. His scoring at will and csun going one on one not being able to hit outside shots lost them the game. . If Theus only doubled Jankovic and finished the turnovers by warriors into points would have been second straight loss for warriors. Davis coach Les and LBSU coaches now know how to shutdown warrior primary scorer. These next 2 road games not easy wins for warriors. Ganot rookie coach will earn his salary! Love March madnes!
Go warriors!!
I really feel for Isaac. His body language is not good but I think he is trying hard and he is still being yanked out by the coach and chewed out by his teaamates.
I think its best he go somewhere because he is not a good fit for Ganot’s style of offense. Isaac would thrive in an offense that have more free lancing. Lot of time when he came in….he did his dribbling exhibition and you can see guys like Tumala and Valdez throwing their hands in the air as to indicate WHAT ARE YOU DOING???
Isaac is also tight with Bobbitt and with Bobbitt graduation…he would be losing his best friend.
Losing his best friend……falling deeper into Ganot’s doghouse and not getting minutes would be enough to drive one to leave.
I would love for him to stay but with such unhappiness being displayed on the bench even when the team is winning….I don’t see anything that would keep him here in Hawaii.
Isaac is a good dude……just not a good fit for this team.
Just hope Isaac finish well in spring semester. At arena it is still like he is odd man out. If he given reins at pg to spell bobbitt he is something special creates havoc with other teams. He can drive and finish or penetrate and dish. I hope he finds good fit if his and parents desire.
Another school or pro and get degree later. All these guys are nice young adults not everything goes as planned that is why Ganot should be frank and honest with him what his role is. What near future is. Such a big time talent as are many of these athletes! Wish Isaac well he currently does not look happy . Isaac hamg in there. Make good choices we love you bro!
I honestly think that whatever is bothering Fleming is best dealt with by letting him play through it, and obviously coach is Ganot letting him do that lol…
What a shame, but leads me to believe like previous posters about the doomsday scenario with the juniors moving out come next year. Hopefully we can get Jovaovich to stay at least haha
I had given up posting but the last few games have me worried. Players seem frustrated and coaches seem to not adapt to whats happening on floor. Zone D and shooters on bench, static offence etc. Tonight wierd subbing and to not put Derby on -smh, He is a good shooter, it was his last game and you still put him on in the rigid order you keep. Lost respect for the coaches tonight. Say all the right things in media, talk about your family, who treats family like that! Did not want to be negative but we had to chant to get you to do what you should have done. If the players are as close as they seem, this will hurt everyone. Stick with it boys, believe in yourself
According to the box score Drammeh tied with Jankovic and Bobbitt for most minutes. He played 32 minutes! More than Q, AV and MT! Is that not a head scratcher or what?!
Coach has lost this team. Turnovers mounting, technicals, unsatisfied players, last-minute comebacks, poor substitutions, etc…Next year without Gib and Benjy’s players Ganot will be exposed. He is a good Xs and Os guys but he can’t run a team with leadership skills yet. Maybe in time but remember these players aren’t his and we have to give credit where it is due and these are the last regime’s players. Most of my friends feel this way and so I’m posting on behalf of our opinions. While we should be rejoicing, we are down on this team. I don’t think our hunches are too far off in saying that Ganot needs to shape up. If you disagree, fine, but you have to at least acknowledge that this is all bad timing. Kill me for saying this but honestly I still would rather have Gib and Benjy here any day.
And only now are people starting to realize a certain starter’s weaknesses and why I’ve been commenting about why Ganot is not playing Fleming? Ganot, wake up please!!!
Nah…I still. Ganot will do ok with his own team. I definitely don’t think Ganot will be able to assemble the type of athletes we have now but will recruit to his style of play. He will probably recruit more shooters and less “playground” type. Less alley oops…less dunking….and less one on one type.
I like the crowd pleasing plays of this team….but I think Ganot will pattern his team like St. Mary and be more discipline and less flashy. It will take time for me to adjust to a different style.
When I watch St. Mary on Tv I can see they are a good team but the style of play doesn’t excite me.
That’s why I want to enjoy this team now. It will be hard to get a collection of such good athletes like this again.
I think Sheriffs increased playing time is a look into the future. He’s a good defender…but definitely should not be starting or getting more minutes than other players on our team. I think Ganot is playing him to get him more experience for next year, after the mass exodus of players from our team.
96744 my thought exactly , but he needs to be shoot more so he get used to it!
What an odd bunch of mostly negative comments for a team that is 23-4 and one win away from the Big West regular season title. This team is TWENTY-THREE and FOUR under Ganot, yet he is being dismissed by so many UH “supporters” on here? Smh.
If Gib were still here you’d continue to have players leaving constantly as demonstrated during his tenure. It was due to his style. You can also thank him for the NCAA debacle. And the scholarships taken away from the NCAA is due to Gibs transgressions. Benji had poor control of the academics of the team as he was not properly monitoring the team. You can blame Eran but players are playing hard for him and his staff. The players are playing hard for all the fans and the state that has supported them all year long. Now the team can just concentrate on winning the next game without distractions
Go Warriors.