UPDATED: Warriors put in Classic effort but fall to Yale in championship game
A lot of rebounds could not make up for a lot of missed shots for the University of Hawai’i basketball team in a 62-59 overtime loss to Yale in the championship game of the Outrigger Rainbow Classic.
It was a classic defensive battle that ended in frustration for the Rainbow Warriors. Hawai’i could not convert on its final possession with a chance to win it in regulation, and then also missed twice with a chance to tie it on its final possession in overtime.
“Great game,” Hawai’i head coach Eran Ganot said. “You can see two teams battling. There was a possession here or there that made a difference. We’re better for it. We’re better today than we were coming into this.
“Really proud of our defense and our fight. Our guys emptied the tank. So did (Yale). On the third day (of the tournament), that’s what good teams do. They leave it all out there.”
A crowd of 2,601 at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center watched the Bulldogs out-score the Warriors 11-8 in the overtime period to improve to 4-0, including 3-0 in the four-team Rainbow Classic. Hawai’i dropped to 2-1
The Warriors won the rebounding battle by an impressive 53-33 count. However, they shot just 32.8 percent (22 for 67) from the field, including 28.6 percent (6 for 21) from 3-point range.
Yale was not much better offensively, shooting 37.5 percent from the field (24 for 64), including 18.8 percent (3 for 16) from 3-point range.
“Usually when you win by 20 on the boards and you hold teams under 40 from the field and defend the way we do, you should be on top,” Ganot said. “(But) we had 17 turnovers and they had eight. We were quite clearly discombobulated offensively and so we have to go back to work.”
Junior guard JoVon McClanahan broke out of an early-season slump to score a career-high 15 points, including 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range to lead the Warriors. He also grabbed seven rebounds.
“Obviously, you don’t want to lose games, and it was a close one, but I think we can learn from it,” McClanahan said. “I think you guys can see that our team is battle-tested and we’re not going to shy away going into overtime or forcing an overtime.”
Junior guard Noel Coleman added 13 points and six rebounds, but he went 0 for 6 from 3-point range. Junior forward/center Bernardo da Silva contributed 12 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 4:35 remaining in overtime.
“I think going forward we need to learn that we have to be sharper in everything we do,” da Silva said. “We’re a good team, they’re a good team, too. It just comes down to execution and who wants it more. That’s what we can take away from this loss.”
The tone was set early, when neither team scored for the game’s first three minutes. Hawai’i eventually crawled out to a 10-4 lead with 10:29 remaining in the first half. That would be the largest lead for either team at any stage of the game.
Yale eventually took a 17-16 lead at halftime, with both teams shooting under 30 percent in the first half.
The pace picked up in the second half, and the lead changed nine different times. Two free throws by Coleman with 32 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a 51-49 lead. Yale tied it on the next possession on two free throws by August Mahoney with 18 seconds remaining.
On Hawai’i’s final possession of regulation, Coleman drove to the basket but had his layup attempt blocked.
Yale scored the first five points of overtime, but the Warriors tied the score at 56-all on a driving layup by McClanahan with 1:24 remaining. The Bulldogs then stole the momentum back when Isaiah Kelly got behind the UH defense for an easy dunk that gave Yale the lead for good.
Mahoney added two more free throws with 13 seconds remaining to give Yale a 62-59 lead. On Hawai’i’s final possession, Coleman missed a 3-pointer, but Beon Riley grabbed the offensive rebound. Samuta Avea then missed an off-balance 3-point attempt at the final horn.
Riley contributed four points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Warriors. Hawai’i’s next game will be this Saturday, November 19, when they face Hawai’i Pacific at Cannon Activities Center in Laie.
Matt Knowling led Yale with 18 points. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
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Outrigger Rainbow Classic
Monday’s Results
Eastern Washington 60, Mississippi Valley State 51
Yale 62, Hawai’i 59 (OT)
Final Standings
1. Yale (3-0)
2. Hawai’i (2-1)
3. Eastern Washington (1-2)
4. Mississippi Valley State (0-3)
All-Tournament Team
Terry Collins, Mississippi Valley State
Angelo Allegri, Eastern Washington
Bernardo da Silva, Hawai’i
Noel Coleman, Hawai’i
Isaiah Kelly, Yale
Most Outstanding Player: Matt Knowling
