Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones is living his best life.
The New Zealand native grew up in Wellington, whose average of 16 mph gusts earns recognition as the world’s windiest city.
He played three NCAA Division II seasons in Hilo, known as this country’s wettest city because of an average monthly rainfall of 12 inches.
And the 6-foot-6 UC San Diego wing/guard is having a better-than-fine season in a place self-dubbed as “America’s finest city.”
“I think he presents a challenge to everybody in the league,” said Hawaii coach Eran Ganot, whose Rainbow Warriors play host to UCSD on Thursday night in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
On Monday, Tait-Jones was named the Big West’s Player of the Week after scoring 25 points against UC Santa Barbara and then 32 against Cal State Northridge.
“He’s super smart, super unselfish, and a team-first guy,” UCSD coach Eric Olen said.
Tait-Jones said: “We all know our roles, and what we need to do to make the team successful. When we do that at a high level, you see the good results. We practice hard, and we worked on that all summer. The results are showing now.”
After completing a four-year transition from Division II, the Tritons are now eligible for the NCAA Tournament and NIT. Olen said Tait-Jones, point guard Hayden Gray and sharp-shooter Tyler McGhie are at the controls of the Tritons’ winning 17 of 21 games overall and starting 7-2 in the Big West.
“Those are our big three,” Olen said. “Those are the guys who came back and stuck with us. This is their team. They’re all close. They came back to play together. They have a ton of ownership to what we’re doing. We have other good players, obviously, but those three are really driving this team and our success to this point.”
Tait-Jones, who can play positions one through four, is averaging 19.7 points overall and 22.6 in nine Big West games. Those are remarkable figures for a Triton with iffy long-distance aim and a late start to the sport. Growing up playing rugby and then soccer, Tait-Jones gave basketball a shot when he was 14.
“My coach back home, Kenny McFadden, worked me really hard on all facets of the game,” Tait-Jones said.
When UH Hilo coach Kaniela Aiona was in search of wings, he called McFadden. The two knew each other at Menlo College. “I got on the phone with Coach Aiona, and I knew it would be a perfect fit,” Tait-Jones said.
After three seasons with the Vulcans, Tait-Jones entered the transfer portal in April 2023. “Nothing against Hilo,” he said. “I was trying to find a new spot to work on my game and showcase it at a higher level.”
Olen was seeking a tall guard who could play the wing, drive or post up in the Tritons’ five-out offense.
“Like everybody else, you look at the transfer portal, you see who goes in, you look at their film, you evaluate their analytics, and you see what you think will translate to your team and how they can help you,” Olen said. “He checked the boxes of what we were looking for. He is a unique player.”
Olen explained that the 2023-24 season would be the last of the transition period. “That was the first (thing) Coach Olen told me in the recruiting process,” Tait-Jones said.
Tait-Jones flourished against a full schedule of Division I opponents last year. “The truth is, he’s exceeded all our expectations,” Olen said. “We thought he would be a good player, but he’s really grown and gone to a level that we didn’t anticipate.”
This season, Tait-Jones has mastered ball screens, finding angles to the lane, and finishing at the rim. His 59.2% accuracy is sixth best among wings nationally. He has converted on 62.9% of his 2-point shots, including 64.1% in league games. Tait-Jones also is clever in drawing fouls. He was 14-for-17 on free throws against UC Riverside, 13-for-14 against Cal Poly, 12-for-13 against CSUN.
“He’s such a smart and instinctual player,” Olen said. “He picks things up. He’s creative. He found a way within our framework to be successful.”
Tait-Jones said he is on another mission. “Poke and malasadas,” he said. “I’m looking forward to coming back home.”
BIG WEST MEN’S BASKETBALL
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Hawaii (12-8, 4-5 BW) vs. UC San Diego (17-4, 7-2 BW)
>> When: 7:05 p.m. Thursday
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM, 92.7-FM
