Hawaii basketball guard Ryan Rapp is looking forward to another surreal-life experience.
Growing up in Australia, Rapp watched telecasts of the the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. Foxtel, a carrier in Australia, showed ESPN programming.
“This was the only time you could really see Hawaii basketball play back home in Australia,” Rapp said. “It was really cool.”
Rapp recalled Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield’s success in leading the Sooners to the 2015 Classic title. Seven years later, Rapp had a close-up view of UH’s JoVon McClanahan hitting the winning 3-pointer in the 2022 Classic final.
“It was a surreal feeling,” Rapp said. “I want that feeling back again. It would be great to get back in that position.”
The Rainbow Warriors (6-3) host the eight-team tournament that opens today in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. The participants are a combined 53-25.
“Our mentality is to win every game,” said Rapp, whose ’Bows play Charlotte in the 6:30 p.m. game. “It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. We’ve got home-court advantage, which is the best thing about it.”
Adjusting to a roster with eight newcomers, the ’Bows have endured early-season hiccups. Utah Tech transfer Tanner Christensen has been an interior force, and guard Marcus Greene (previously with Houston Christian) and forward Gytis Nemeiksa (Xavier transfer) have moved into the starting lineup after leading the reserves. UH is averaging 31.4 bench points per game while outscoring opposing reserves by an average of 14.6 points.
The ’Bows averaged 9.7 turnovers in the first six games, but have lost possessions 53 times in the past three games. After committing 10 first-half turnovers against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s pressure defense, UH coach Eran Ganot simplified the ’Bows’ attack and directed the guards to feed the post earlier in the possession. That led to Christensen’s power moves — he had three dunks in that game, bringing his season total to 18 — or using a double team to pass to an open perimeter shooter.
The ’Bows also are seeking faster starts. Against Division I opponents, they have trailed or were tied at the first media timeout in seven of eight games.
“It’s just starting off the game and throwing the first punch, really,” Rapp said. “We feel we’re the ones having taken the first punch. And we kind of have to rally behind that in the second half. It’s going to come down to if we can put (together) a game for 40 minutes. We need to compete at a high level for 40 minutes.”
CHARLESTON COUGARS
> Conference: Coastal Athletic Association
> Records: 8-2, 0-0 CAA
> Head coach: Chris Mack
> Today: 10 a.m. vs. Oregon State
> Outlook: After successful runs guiding Xavier and Louisville (the Cardinals were No. 1 for two weeks in 2019), Chris Mack went on a two-year hiatus starting in 2022. He accepted the Charleston job in April, inheriting a situation in which eight Cougars entered the portal in a maddening March. Ante Brzovic, a 6-10, 230-pound post, rescinded his portal application, staying put as the Cougars’ leader. Brzovic, the league’s preseason Player of the Year, constructed his 19.5 scoring average on length-of-the-lane drives, jams and left-handed floaters. He has connected on 55.8% of his 2-point shots. He also has mastered the pick-and-rollout. Instead of rolling to the low post after setting a screen, he will drift to the top of the key for a 3 attempt. His craftiness extends to his wrap-around and skip passes. Ireland-reared guard CJ Fulton has hit half of his 34 3-point shots while compiling a 5.6-to-1 ratio of assists to turnovers.
CHARLOTTE 49ERS
Conference: American Athletic
Records: 6-4, 0-0 AAC
Head coach: Aaron Fearne
Today: 6:30 p.m. vs. Hawaii
Outlook: After an extensive career coaching and developing players in Australia, Aaron Fearne earned what was essentially an audition as the 49ers’ interim head coach. He aced the role, going 19-12 overall and 13-5 in the AAC last season. In February, he was named permanent head coach. Last season’s three leading scorers entered the portal. But Fearne brought in Florida Atlantic power forward Giancarlo Rosado to complement guard Nik Graves and forward Robert Braswell IV. Rosado suffered an injury in the sixth game and won’t be back for a while. But Graves has excelled as a distributor and creative scorer (16.7 points per game). The 49ers are fulfilling Fearne’s goals of minimizing turnovers and maximizing free-throw opportunities. The 49ers’ 8.7 turnovers per game are the fewest among Division I programs. They also are fifth nationally with 27.1 free-throw attempts per contest.
LOYOLA CHICAGO RAMBLERS
> Conference: Atlantic 10
> Records: 9-1, 0-0 A-10
> Head coach: Drew Valentine
> Today: Noon vs. Oakland
Outlook: The Ramblers will be without their greatest supporter, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, who did not make the 4,200-mile trip from Chicago. But Sister Jean, a spry 105 years old, still works five days a week at the university and continues to serve as the Ramblers’ chaplain. What travels well is the Ramblers’ generosity. They entered the week 14th nationally with 18.8 assists per game. A Rambler has assisted on 66.7% of the baskets. Loyola graduated six from last season’s 11-player roster, but returned rim protector Miles Rubin (2.3 blocks per game) and wings Des Watson, Jayden Dawson and Sheldon Edwards — each averaging in double figures. Francis Nwaokorie, a UC San Diego transfer, reinforces the post. He averages 9.2 rebounds per 40 minutes. Coach Drew Valentine is facing his alma mater. In four seasons as an Oakland forward, he is the winningest player (87 victories) in the program’s history. His brother, Denzel Valentine, was chosen national player of the year by the NABC and the Associated Press in 2016.
MURRAY STATE RACERS
> Conference: Missouri Valley
> Records: 6-4, 1-0 MVC
> Head coach: Steve Prohm
> Today: 4 p.m. vs Nebraska
> Outlook: The hana hou was off key for Steve Prohm in last year’s second season of a second tenure as the Racers’ head coach. After going 104-29 in a four-year run through 2015, Prohm rejoined in 2022 and went 12-20 last season. But he brought in several transfers for what has been 6-4 start to this season. Kylen Milton, who averaged 17 points and 6.6 rebounds for Arkansas-Pine Bluff last season, joined Ja Morant’s alma mater. Milton, a fan of Morant’s, is hitting 65.9% of his 2s but has struggled with his deep accuracy (25.7% on 3s). JaCobi Wood, in his third year at MSU after transferring from Belmont, has emerged as a rim attacker, ball-screen passer and 3-point marksman (40.4%). Southern Illinois transfer AJ Ferguson has connected on 52.4% of his 3s in his 10 starts at the wing. The Racers are limiting opponents to 27.9% shooting from behind the arc, ranking 20th nationally against the deep ball.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
> Conference: Big Ten
> Records: 7-2, 1-1 Big Ten
> Head coach: Fred Hoiberg
> Today: 4 p.m. vs. Murray State
> Outlook: Sharpshooter Kesei Tominaga was among six of last season’s rotation players who did not return. Tominaga and Hawaii’s Akira Jacobs were members of Japan’s national team that played in the Paris Olympics. Brice Williams, a 6-7 wing, has started 43 games in a row since transferring from Charlotte in 2023. Williams has upped his average by 5.5 points to 18.9 per game this year on 40.6% shooting from behind the arc. His speed-and-stop drives have enabled him to attempt 64 free throws, 25 more than any teammate. He has hit 89.1% from the line, including all 11 against Saint Mary’s and eight in an upset of then 14th-ranked Creighton. Connor Essegian has come off the bench in six games to provide instant offense (50 of his 73 shots are from 3-point range). Fred Hoiberg, who was assistant GM with the Minnesota Timberwolves and head coach of the Chicago Bulls, has mastered the pro game’s economic concepts while running multiple-ball-handling schemes.
OAKLAND
> Conference: Horizon League
> Records: 3-7, 1-2 Horizon
> Head coach: Greg Kampe
> Today: Noon vs. Loyola Chicago
> Outlook: In one of the 2024 NCAA Tournament’s most stunning outcomes, 14th-seeded Oakland upset No. 3 Kentucky in John Calipari’s final game as Wildcats coach. The Golden Grizzlies’ heroes — Horizon League MVP Trey Townsend and Jack Gohlke, who hit 10 3s — are gone. But Tennessee State transfer Jaylen Jones was brought in to form a 1-2 combo with DQ Cole in the backcourt. Cole is averaging 12.8 points per game, and Jones has dished a team-high 39 assists. Greg Kampe’s 41-year tenure at Oakland is the longest active residency for a coach at the same school. Kampe continues to befuddle opponents with his 1-2-2 and 2-3 zones. Kampe’s schemes, which are a popular topic on the lecture circuit, emphasizes pressure that forces long and looping passes, as well as pack-line concepts of sending a defender at a 3-point shooter while the others congest inside the arc.
OREGON STATE
Conference: West Coast
Records: 8-2, 0-0 WCC
Head coach: Wayne Tinkle
Today: 10 a.m,. vs. Charleston
Outlook: From Lithuania to Iran, OSU’s roster is populated with nine international players, the second most among Division I basketball programs. Michael Rataj, a 6-9 forward, is averaging team highs of 16.7 points and 9.0 rebounds. The other starting forward, Southern Utah transfer Parsa Fallah, also is 6-9. But at 260 pounds, Fallah is 55 pounds heavier than Rataj. Coach Wayne Tinkle is known for his 1-3-1 zone defense, in which he requires lengthy wings (6-8 Liutaurus Lelevicius and 6-5 Nate Kingz) to annoy perimeter shooters. The Beavers are sixth nationally in scoring defense (56.9 points) and have limited opponents to 29.1% long-distance shooting. Point guard Damarco Minor is a major distributor with 59 assists against 25 turnovers.
