HONOLULU — This week’s Sixth Annual Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, like its predecessor Rainbow Classic did for the previous 45 years, promises high-quality men’s basketball action from several potential NCAA Tournament teams.
HONOLULU — This week’s Sixth Annual Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, like its predecessor Rainbow Classic did for the previous 45 years, promises high-quality men’s basketball action from several potential NCAA Tournament teams.
And also as usual, it should go a long way toward defining this particular University of Hawaii squad.
We already have a good idea about what these Rainbow Warriors (8-3) offer – an excellent all-around point guard in Roderick Bobbitt, a fabulous open-court scorer/rebounder in Aaron Valdes, above-average overall team speed. But some questions remain unanswered: Will senior guard Garrett Nevels find game-to-game consistency with his outside shot? Can forwards Mike Thomas and Negus Webster-Chan make a full adjustment to playing near the basket and guarding bigger opponents? What kind of (and how much) contributions can we expect from newly eligible forward Stefan Jankovic?
And which UH team is closer to the real thing – the one that pulled off a stunning 74-70 upset of Pittsburgh a month ago? Or the one that got blown out in the final 11 minutes against Brigham Young in a 90-70 loss at Salt Lake City two weeks later?
With first-round opponent Nebraska (7-3) coming off a double-overtime home victory over Cincinnati, and a second-round matchup against either No. 11-ranked Wichita State (8-1) or Loyola Marymount (3-6), the Rainbow Warriors will be tested early. On Christmas Day, Hawaii will face either George Washington (7-3), Colorado (7-3), DePaul (6-5) or Ohio (3-5). After three games in three days against three quality Division I opponents, UH and its fans should have a much better idea about how to answer the questions listed above.
But in the meantime, here is why those questions arise in the first place:
l With Nevels, one theory is that he misses the inside presence the Rainbow Warriors enjoyed last year with top two scorers and All-Big West Conference forwards Christian Standhardinger and Isaac Fotu. Opposing defenses were often forced to pack the defense in and pay more attention to Fotu and Standhardinger, leaving Nevels wide open to hit from the perimeter.
Nevels has shown flashes of being that threat, averaging 12.6 points per game including 19 of 58 (32.8 percent) shooting from beyond the arc, but it has not been consistent: He’s had good-shooting nights (8 for 14 vs. Marist, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range; 5 for 8 vs. Delaware State, including 2 for 2 from beyond the arc), and bad shooting nights (3 for 12, including 0 for 4 from 3-point range; 8 for 20, including 1 for 8 from beyond the arc vs. East Carolina). Much seems to depend on what kind of open looks he gets, and how many.
l In fairness to Thomas and Webster-Chan, each has been playing out of his natural position, and probably will be the remainder of the season. At 6 feet 7, Thomas really should be a power forward or even a small forward, but with Fotu being ruled ineligible and ultimately turning pro, he has been forced to take over in the low post. To his credit, Thomas has been a good finisher when he is open near the basket, and he is averaging a respectable 8.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
The challenge will be when he is matched up against bigger, stronger post players.
Webster-Chan (6-7) is in a similar situation. His natural position really should be small forward or even shooting guard, but he has filled the role of power forward with Thomas moving into the low post. Webster-Chan has produced 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, including a 16-point, eight-rebound, three-assist, one steal effort in the season opener vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
He also does little things well that may not be noticed, like making quick outlet passes.
l Jankovic, who was expected to be cleared for Monday night’s game vs. Nebraska, brings the added dimension of a 6-11 perimeter shooter, which could cause major matchup problems for opponents. Of course, the reverse could be true on defense – will Jankovic, who is not regarded as a true post player, be an effective defender?
l As for which team is closer to reality, UH and its fans can only hope it is the one that beat Pittsburgh. Webster-Chan (sprained ankle) did not play against BYU, and that game was played at high altitude. The Rainbow Warriors have otherwise been mostly consistent – much of the loss to San Francisco could be attributed to fatigue (a 5,000-mile trip to Florida on short rest). The only other loss, to High Point, came on a very poor shooting night (16 of 51, including 3 of 17 from 3-point range).
That defeat also happened on Nov. 17, less than three full weeks after head coach Gib Arnold and assistant Brandyn Akana were relieved of their duties and Fotu’s decision to turn pro after being ruled ineligible.
It is a credit to head coach Benjy Taylor, his quickly assembled staff and the players that the Rainbow Warriors are 8-3 at this point and even have somewhat of an identity already. They look to be much further along than many could have expected less than two months after the program appeared to be turned upside-down.
But with the Big West Conference season quickly approaching, now is the time UH must come together and truly find itself, to better prepare for the league’s weekly battles.
If that identity is close to the one we saw vs. Pittsburgh, this could turn out to be a good run through the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic and Big West Conference.