This was no way to win a basketball game, but somehow UH-Hilo did just that Saturday afternoon at Hilo Civic when it came from a deep deficit to wear down Chaminade in the second half and come away with a
This was no way to win a basketball game, but somehow UH-Hilo did just that Saturday afternoon at Hilo Civic when it came from a deep deficit to wear down Chaminade in the second half and come away with a 101-99 victory.
The Vulcans (6-10 in the Pacific West Conference), trailed the entire first half, most of it by double digits, and then shot 60 percent in the second half while committing only three turnovers and turned it into a wild win that was most needed.
“It doesn’t happen that way too often” said UHH coach GE Coleman, “but it was a heck of team win. Everyone we had on the floor was a part of it.”
The Vulcans were down 14-2 almost before they got started against the taller Silverswords who lead the conference in scoring and had no restrictions, as it seemed on launching 3-point shots. Chaminade was 7-for-21 from beyond the arc in the first half while UHH was 4-14 and had coughed up 10 turnovers.
All of that changed in the second half when Coleman instructed the team to start getting the ball inside in the last 10 minutes of the game. As a result, Salim Gloyd finished with a game high 28 points to go with 11 rebounds, Nate Walker had 25 before fouling out, but the biggest stat might have been turnovers.
“We had 13?” said Gloyd, “that’s awesome. Coach has a rule that every turnover more than 14 we have to run, so we saved our legs in the second half.”
The Vulcans trailed 78-65 with 9:47 left, but then went on an 18-4 run to take the lead 83-82 on a layup by Ryan Reyes who was a major factor off the bench. Six players contributed to the run that put them ahead and after two free throws gave the Silverswords the lead again, Reyes had one of the most consequential plays of the game with a 15-footer from the baseline for an 85-84 lead that was followed by an inside hoop from Walker that made it 87-84 and UH Hilo never trailed after that.
Chaminade (8-9, 10-14), was able to close it to 100-99 in the final seconds before a free throw by Van Lockett fixed the final score.
“No matter who leads us in scoring, no matter who gets the accolades for points or what er, this is a team game,” said Gloyd. “My teammates got me the ball in great spots all throughout the second half or I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to make anything.”
The Vulcans were just 18-for-29 from the foul line, just 62 percent, down from an average of 74 percent most of the season.
“That started in the Bay Area on the last trip,” said Coleman. “I don’t mind talking about it — they need to start making them again. They’ve done it all their lives, go make them.”
That’s what they did from the floor, finishing with 54 percent for the game on 37-of-68.
