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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, December 24, 2007

In time, losses to benefit 'Bows

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team received commemorative watches for participating in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic last week.

With no victories in the four-day tournament, the only other thing the Rainbow Warriors walked away with were lessons learned.

Hawai'i went 0-3 in the Rainbow Classic to drop to 3-7 overall. It was the first time since 1995 that the 'Bows finished last in the tournament.

"We as players can take that there's a light at the end of the tunnel," senior forward Bobby Nash said. "If we play like we did in the second half (against Georgia), and we keep growing from there, and we commit to each other that we're not going to take any steps back, there's a lot we can accomplish as a team."

The 'Bows lost to Louisiana-Lafayette by two points, to St. John's by six, and then to Georgia by eight. Hawai'i had a chance to either go ahead or narrow the margin in the closing minutes of each game.

"We played well in spots, but there's been times when we have not played very well," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said.

The 'Bows averaged just 60.0 points per game in the Classic, and shot 38.7 percent from the field in the three losses.

In any case, the 'Bows need to get over their winter depression soon.

Hawai'i will spend the next three days — yes, even on Christmas — practicing for a non-conference home game Thursday against New Mexico. The 'Bows will then host Centenary Sunday.

"We have two teams that we have a chance to play to get everybody again back on the same page before we go away for conference," Bob Nash said. "A chance to get us some momentum going into conference play."

Hawai'i starting point guard Matt Gibson was suspended for the first half of the Georgia game for disciplinary reasons. He played the entire second half, and helped the 'Bows cut a 21-point deficit to five in the closing minutes.

"If we can play every game from this point forward the way we played the last part of the game (against Georgia) — with that kind of pressure defense, with that kind of intensity, with that kind of organization ... we have a very good chance to be successful in our conference," Bob Nash said.

Nash said Gibson served his punishment, and should be back in the starting lineup this week.

Gibson scored 48 points in the Classic, despite sitting out the first half of the Georgia game.

"We have to stop beating ourselves up over the mistakes," Gibson said. "Mistakes are going to happen. That's part of life, part of the game. We just have to take the good points and build on those. Realize what we're doing right and try to build on those more."

FRESHMAN SENSATION

Patrick Mills of Saint Mary's became the first freshman since Oklahoma's Wayman Tisdale in 1982 to be named the Most Outstanding Player of the Rainbow Classic.

The Gaels won the Classic championship Saturday night with a 70-63 victory over Ohio.

Mills, a 6-foot point guard from Australia, averaged 19.0 points and 2.3 assists in the Classic. He scored 23 in the championship game.

Saint Mary's came to Hawai'i following a 71-56 road loss at Southern Illinois. It remains the Gaels' only loss of the season, and they are now 10-1.

"We came here knowing we're better than that, and we can learn a lot from that (Southern Illinois) game and bring it to the tournament," Mills said.

BENNETT SET WITH GAELS

Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett was reported to be a candidate for the then-vacant job at Hawai'i in April.

After Saturday's championship victory, he said: "It never got to that level ... (Hawai'i) is a great place, but I coach at a great place, so it wasn't ever an issue."

CLASSIC LEFTOVERS

  • Ohio center Leon Williams led the Rainbow Classic in scoring with 67 points. The 6-8, 245-pound senior also tied for the tournament lead in rebounding with 33.

  • For the first time since 1992, Hawai'i did not have any players selected to the all-tournament team.

  • Bobby Nash reached double-figure points in all three Classic games, and now has a streak of 15 straight games with at least 10 points. He leads the 'Bows this season with 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

    Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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