Warriors win Classic championship in thriller over SMU, 58-57
JoVon McClanahan hit a running 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining to give the University of Hawai’i basketball team a thrilling 58-57 victory over SMU in the championship game of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
The Rainbow Warriors overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half to secure their first DHC tournament title before a raucous crowd of 3,331.
Bernardo da Silva had 13 points and five rebounds to lead the Warriors. Beon Riley also scored 13 and Noel Coleman had nine. McClanahan finished with five points and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Hawai’i had possession of the ball trailing 57-55 in the final minute, but turned it over with 11.6 seconds remaining. Phelps then missed a free throw, but UH again turned it over with 6.4 seconds remaining.
Samuel Williamson then also missed a free throw and Hawai’i grabbed the rebound and called timeout with 4.8 seconds remaining. McClanahan then took the inbounds pass and dribbled to the top of the 3-point line and drained the shot as he was running.
Hawai’i, which was playing in the championship game for the first time in the 13-year history of the Diamond Head Classic, improved to 9-3. The Mustangs dropped to 5-8.
The Mustangs out-scored the Warriors 16-4 in the final five minutes of the first half to take a 31-22 lead at intermission. Hawai’i shot just 24 percent (6 for 25) from the field in the first half, including 16.7 percent (1 for 6) from 3-point range.
Phelps scored 15 points in the first half, including a buzzer-beating putback that gave SMU a nine-point advantage at halftime.
The Mustangs increased the lead to 12 early in the second half, but the Warriors cut it to 48-44 on a putback dunk by Mor Seck with 6:21 remaining. The game remained close the rest of the way.
A short shot from Seck cut the SMU lead to 54-52 with 2:16 remaining. He was fouled on the shot, but could not convert the free throw. Phelps then drained a 3-pointer to give SMU a 57-52 lead.
Coleman countered with a 3-pointer to get Hawai’i within 57-55, setting up the dramatic finish.
More details, including video highlights and interviews, will be posted later.
Sunday’s Results
7th Place: Seattle 85, George Washington 67
5th Place: Iona 76, Pepperdine 66
3rd Place: Utah State 82, Washington State 73
Championship: Hawai’i 58, SMU 57
