Head coach Eran Ganot was involved in the Hawaii basketball team’s two-hour practice on Friday, but it still has not been determined if he will be on the sidelines for the coming Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
The four-day tournament, in which each of the eight teams plays three games, begins Sunday.
On Nov. 6, two days before the season opener, Ganot went on medical leave because of an undisclosed condition. In recent weeks, he has increased his presence in the office and his involvement in practices.
Chris Gerlufsen, who was hired as assistant coach in September, has served as acting head coach. The Rainbow Warriors are 7-3 entering the tournament opener against UTEP.
“It’s good to have him back coaching a little bit and being around the team,” Gerlufsen said of Ganot. “He obviously is super experienced. … So to just hear his comments and opinions on stuff is great.”
The ’Bows are coming off last Sunday’s 94-73 rout of Samford. UTEP (8-2) has played three games this week. Including the tournament, the Miners will have played six games in 10 days.
“Prep is going good,” Gerlufsen said. “Obviously, we’ve had a little more time than they’ve had in terms of prep. They just played a game (on Thursday). They’re a really quality team. They have a lot of transfers. They have, by far, the best big man we’ve played against this year in Bryson Williams.”
Williams, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound post, is averaging 19.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He is hitting 60.7% of his shots.
The ’Bows have rotated Dawson Carper, Mate Colina and Bernardo da Silva at the five. Zigmars Raimo also can slide from power forward to center. Owen Hulland, a 7-foot center, has not played this season while recovering from an injury. Hulland began light workouts, but his return date has been pushed, at the earliest, to the Dec. 29 game against Maine.
Junior Madut, a 6-foot-5 guard, is set to join the ’Bows today. Madut, who played at a junior college the past two years, had hoped to train with the ’Bows during the fall semester. But after a delay in receiving eligibility approval from the NCAA, it was decided he would grayshirt and join the ’Bows after the semester concluded. Friday was the last day of UH’s fall semester, enabling Madut to begin practicing as early as today. Madut has three years to play two seasons, leaving him the option of redshirting this season.
