Brandon Jawato is ending his basketball career with the University of Hawai’i a year earlier than scheduled. To call it a frustrating finish would not be doing it justice.
“It’s been really tough for me; really hard,” Jawato said. “I don’t know, I just can’t seem to get healthy, but I’ll be alright.”
A couple of severe injuries and an on-target academic graduation were the key factors in his decision.
Jawato, a 6-foot-4 junior shooting guard, missed most of his sophomore season last year with an ankle injury that eventually required off-season surgery. This season, it was a back injury that has kept him off the court.
Unbeknown to most, Jawato’s current back injury is serious enough to make him ponder his long-term health.
“I’ve been talking to my trainer and several doctors and they were just talking to me about my future and if I wanted to move around like I am now,” he said. “It’s been really tough on me. I love the game of basketball, but then again, I want to be healthy when I’m older. It was tough, but I just have to move on and go to the next chapter in my life.”
Jawato is the longest-tenured player on the current roster – the only player remaining from the 2011 “Warriors to Asia Tour” in China and Japan.
He redshirted the 2011-12 season, then showed glimpses of shooting brilliance during his freshman season in 2012-13. He led the team that season with 43 3-pointers and a .413 percentage from 3-point range. The .413 percentage is still the fourth-best mark for a season in UH history.
Most memorable, he went 7 for 7 from 3-point range, all in the first half, during a victory over UC Riverside in 2013. “That was nuts,” he said. “Just the fans in the stands were going off, and I’m just going to miss all those memories.”
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Through it all, Jawato maintained his academic progress. He is on track to graduate this May with a degree in Family & Human Resources.
Jawato came to UH from El Segundo High School in Los Angeles, Calif. He said he has relatives in both Southern California and Bali, Indonesia. He said some of his immediate future plans include “travel the world,” including spending time with his family in Bali.
Jawato expressed gratitude toward numerous people for his stint in Hawai’i, including his parents and family, the coaches, teammates, and the fans.
The injuries put Jawato in the background for the past two years, but he was always one of the most positive and jovial members of the team. He was one of those guys who always had a smile on his face and an extended arm out, ready for a handshake. Regardless of what he may have – or have not – done on the court, he will be missed.
He will be honored during “Senior Night” at the home finale on Wednesday, when the Warriors host UC Santa Barbara. Senior Garrett Nevels will also be honored.