It was a tough call to take, in a game that inevitably ended as a tough defeat to take for Hawaii.

Late in the first half in UH’s 76-70 loss to UC Davis, it appeared Sheriff Drammeh had drawn one of his patented charges. But the one vote that counted, that of the referee, went against him, and the Rainbow Warriors guard was charged with a blocking foul.

As the mercurial Drammeh began to wander from the glut of players near the basket, a long arm grabbed him back to the group before he could express displeasure that the home crowd might like, but not the officials.

It was a little thing, but something Noah Allen wouldn’t have done earlier this season. Now, as often as not, he is the one calling the team together after fouls and during other breaks.

Allen has not only emerged as the leader on the stat sheet that UH fans had hoped for, but also in the intangibles that make a team a team. In addition to sometimes subtle, sometimes overt leadership, Allen did it by the numbers again. But this time it wasn’t enough.

Allen was game-high again with 26 points, as he was unstoppable going to the basket. But when UH was down 71-69, with about a minute to go, he didn’t get the ball.

UH coach Eran Ganot said in that situation he would’ve preferred the ball in his leading scorer’s hands rather than being shot from an awkward position behind the 3-point line by Jack Purchase.

“Some of those possessions, the game dictates,” Ganot said.

While Allen is gradually becoming more of a leader and a player who can take over a game, it’s clear the UCLA transfer is still getting used to the idea of being the first option.

“My job was to space the corners,” Allen said, when asked his role in the plays down the stretch Saturday.

Of course, the Aggies defense deserves some credit for negating Hawaii’s best scoring threat in crunch time.

But sometimes being a team player and a leader means demanding the ball if you’re the best option. As the season continues, Allen and the rest of the Rainbows will figure this out more often.

No one will get upset about it.

“It’s coming,” Ganot said. “Things don’t happen over night, especially for a guy who is naturally reserved. He knows we need that from a guy who is a senior and is showing it with his play now.”

For most of the game, Allen was superb. He’s the quintessential tough cover. He’s faster than even smaller players and willing to draw contact against bigger ones, as he did with colossal Chima Moneke at a key juncture.

It seems as if Allen can get to the free-throw line almost anytime he wants.

He’s also a solid passer — on the series after a strong move to the basket resulting in a 3-point play by Allen, Purchase found him cutting to the hoop from the left corner. As the defense collapsed on him, Allen passed to a wide-open Drammeh in the right corner, and Drammeh made the shot.

That was early in the second half, after the Aggies had scored nine of the first 11 points post-break and gone up 41-35, and it kept UH in the game the rest of the way, until with a minute left Allen didn’t get the ball.

Allen scored 25 and 30 in Hawaii’s previous two wins against Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge, garnering Big West Player of the Week honors in doing so.

This has come after an inexplicable slump that had him off the starting five for five games.

“A lot of it was mental and confidence,” Allen said.

Anyone can see his talent the first time they see him practice or in a game.

“Not much difference from the first practice of summer ball,” forward Gibson Johnson said. “None of us worried about it, we knew his game would come along. Just a really talented player. … We knew Noah’s talent level and weren’t worried about it.”

On Saturday, he was the player who did the most to keep Hawaii in the game against UC Davis. It’s too bad we didn’t get to see if he could win it for the Rainbow Warriors.