Coach Eran Ganot hopes Rainbow Warriors 'stay hungry' after win

Jan. 15—From playgrounds to gyms across the nation, the postgame mantra is : Run it back.

It was the same for the University of Hawaii basketball coaches following Thursday's 72-56 victory over UC Irvine. After interviews and a quick meal, head coach Eran Ganot and his staff were in the conference room reviewing video of a game that ended 45 minutes earlier.

After charting what the'Bows did well and not so well, they analyzed video of tonight's Big West opponent, UC San Diego. "Our job is to stay up late and get (the players ) prepared, " Ganot said. "Their job is to get off their feet and recover, do their treatment, then get rest, get to bed."

The coaches shared the self-critique, went over the game plan for UCSD, then the team practiced for two hours on Friday. "There's a routine about it, " Ganot said. "You can't skip steps. You can't forget how important it is that it starts with us first. 'Here's what we did well. Here's what we need to do better. Now let's talk about our upcoming opponent.'"

While 7-foot center Mate Colina is returning to full strength after being released from safety-health protocols, the'Bows appear to be nearing the multi-dimensional attack they envisioned entering the season. In his second appearance after recovering from a hand injury, 6-9 post Bernardo da Silva was dominant against UCI, amassing 16 points and 12 rebounds. Jerome Desrosiers has emerged as a gritty two-way player ; Noel Coleman, the Big West's top scorer, is a confident sharpshooter, and point guard JoVon McClanahan provides a boost off the bench.

"It was a good step, " Ganot said, adding, "we have to stay hungry."

Ganot was pleased the'Bows were able to contain UCI forward Collin Welp and guard Dawson Baker. UH shared the ball (18 assists on 26 baskets ), maintained possession (eight turnovers ), and secured a 39-36 rebounding advantage.

"A lot of people are talking about our ability to shoot, and rightfully so, " Ganot said of the'Bows' 37.9 % accuracy on 3s. "And we feel good about our shooting. Teams are going to try to take us off the 3. The heart of it has always been our foundation—defending and rebounding, It's good to see that back in some regard. But it doesn't become a habit until you do it consistently."

The Tritons pose problems with their inside-outside attack. Toni Ricak, a 6-9 forward, averages 14.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. The Tritons' three-guard offense is a divide-and-conquer scheme, spreading for drives or opening the way for deep shots. The Tritons led the NCAA with a per-game average of 11.1 3-pointers last season. "That's been a hallmark of their teams, " Ganot said. "They can have five guys on the floor who can all shoot, can all make plays, can all pass, can all dribble. They can play bigger and smaller. They're experienced in their system."

UCSD is in the second year of a four-year transition from Division II to Division I. The 2024-25 academic year is the first the Tritons will be eligible to compete for a Big West title. The Tritons (8-7 overall ) would be tied for third place if their 2-2 record against league opponents counted in the Big West standings. The Tritons opened Big West competition with victories against UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge. Cach Eric Olen (174-73 at UCSD ) said the Tritons have remained motivated during the transition period, evidenced in recruiting and financial support.