In a thrive-and-survive basketball game, the University of Hawaii gritted out Thursday night’s 76-70 victory in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
A crowd of 3,713 in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center saw the Rainbow Warriors construct a 19-point lead in the second half and then weather the Waves’ frenetic comeback. The ’Bows advance into tonight’s semifinals against Washington State. Tip-off is advertised at 7 p.m.
“I’m appreciative of moving forward,” UH coach Eran Ganot said.
The Waves twice cut the deficit to four points — 60-56 following a 12-2 run and, with 15.1 seconds to play, 74-70.
Point guard JoVon McClanahan was fouled on a drive with 14.5 seconds left, and his ensuing free throws provided the final cushion.
“I think I’m a pretty good free-throw shooter,” said McClanahan, who was 8-for-10 from the line in the second half to finish with a career-high 17 points. “I missed a couple early. It surprised me. But I’m confident to go to the line and knock them down.”
The Waves, who fell to 6-6, entered hitting 40.6% of their 3s. Their three playmakers — wing Maxwell Lewis and guards Houston Mallette and Mike Mitchell Jr. — were a combined 46.9% from behind the arc in the Waves’ first 11 games. But the Waves, who averaged 10 made 3s per game, were held to four 3s, including zip on five attempts in the first half.
Lewis, who is considered a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, scored 23 points on 9-for-21 shooting. But he could not find his 3-point aim, missing four of five, against the static-cling coverage of Samuta Avea and Beon Riley.
“They have a lot of firepower,” Ganot said of the Waves, particularly 6-foot-7 Lewis. “Guys like that will still put up good numbers. Did we make him work for it? … I think over the course of the game, (Avea) and Beon were able to do that. (Lewis is) a 40-minute cover, and (the Waves) are a 40-minute cover, and they showed that today.”
Post Kamaka Hepa and combo guard Noel Coleman were able to provide a jump start, combining for all but eight points to stake the ’Bows to a 38-24 lead at the intermission. Hepa and Coleman each scored 13 points in the first 13 minutes. Coleman finished with 22 points and Hepa 19.
But during a five-minute stretch in the second half, the Waves forced turnovers and were quicker to the boards, as a 19-point deficit dwindled to 60-56.
“We really lost our minds for that stretch, to be honest,” Ganot said. “We played really well for 80 to 90% of this game. The game’s very humbling. We played really bad for a short time, and they took advantage of it, and got back in the game.”
Of the Waves’ slow start, Lewis conceded, “we weren’t playing together at the beginning. It really took us until the end to really start going. We came back, but we’re still working on playing as a team. We’re young.”
The ’Bows were able to quell the Waves’ first comeback when Coleman threw from the lane to McClanahan on the left wing.
“I yelled, ‘lift,’” McClanahan said of the locator call, “and he knew that and hit me right in the chest (with a pass), and I was ready to shoot the ball.”
McClanahan’s 3-point shot was true.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Ganot said. “Our good is really good. Everybody goes through ups and downs. Our downs can’t be as bad. But hopefully that experience will help us moving forward.”
Gamebook Pepperdine at Hawa… by Honolulu Star-Advertiser
