For the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team, it’s cross-the-fingers time.
The Rainbow Warriors arrived in California on Thursday evening with the intent of playing Long Beach State in Saturday’s Big West matinee in The Walter Pyramid. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.
With four cancellations in a row — including their first three Big West games of the season — the ’Bows have not played since the Dec. 23 second round of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. The ’Bows’ paused basketball-related activities on Christmas Eve because of injuries and safety-health protocols.
The ’Bows began sparsely attended workouts on Saturday. On Monday, coach Eran Ganot met with reporters in advance of Thursday’s scheduled road game against Cal State Fullerton. By that afternoon, UH announced that game was canceled because of safety-health protocols involving the ’Bows’ program. The Star-Advertiser learned the ’Bows had only five game-ready and available players for the CSUF game. The Big West requires a minimum of seven available players and one coach.
Ganot indicated the extra days in Honolulu enabled more ’Bows to rejoin the active roster. Because of the staggered times when players entered the quarantine, the release dates varied. “As of now, we have enough guys because of who’s trickled back,” Ganot said.
Bernardo da Silva, who has missed all but three games because of a hand injury, appears ready to play in a game. The 6-foot-9 post is averaging 15.3 points and 8.0 rebounds.
“He’s on this trip,” Ganot said. “Hopefully, he’ll get another practice (today) and we’ll see how it goes.”
The ’Bows departed Honolulu on Thursday morning. “We landed, got a good meal, went back to the hotel,” Ganot said. “The guys traveled well. … A big part of performing on the road is traveling well, and starting with that. The guys are in a good place.”
Long Beach State (4-8) had six cancellations in a row following a Dec. 12 loss to USC. To make up for the missed games, the Beach played Westcliff on Wednesday and UCLA on Thursday night. “Hopefully, they’re good to go,” Ganot said of the Beach. “From our end, we’re doing everything we can to be good to go. That’s where we’re at.”
Ganot said the ’Bows are following health guidelines set by the state of California and LBSU. “In general, we’ve been pretty careful and even more so with the recent surges, not just in Hawaii,” Ganot said.
