CLAP. Clap. Clap. Rainbows have the
heart of championsThey stood solemnly in two rows, young and old, most of them shivering in the chilled night air of the Las Vegas desert.
The 100 or so University of Hawaii fans who lined up behind the Thomas and Mack Center to salute the Rainbows after they lost to New Mexico last week in the WAC tournament somehow mirrored this team and its spirit.
The tribute echoed in cadence throughout the darkened parking lot as the players and coaches walked through the human tunnel, obviously moved.
UH guard Alika Smith was in tears as he stood next to his dad, Pete, the longtime coach at Kalaheo High School, watching his teammates walk through.
Emotion and sports go together. Sometimes the connection is exaggerated, but not this season, not with this team.
Wednesday night, it looked like the season was definitely over.
The Rainbows had lost three of their last four games -- two against nationally ranked New Mexico and one to a fired-up Fresno State team.
Losing Seth Sundberg to injury and three others to suspension had taken its toll. You can only go so many minutes, especially near the end of a year that was filled with so much adversity.
WHEN Oregon led by 10 at halftime, I thought it was over.
Anthony Carter was gassed and so was Smith. Eric Ambrozich continued to struggle and Danny Furlong was getting muscled inside. Micah Kroeger threw away passes that would have connected in January and the ball just wouldn't stick to Mike Robinson's hands.
But there were more than seven players in the game Wednesday night. Add 9,184 screaming fans at the Special Events Arena to the starting lineup.
And give head coach Riley Wallace credit for never waving the white flag, either. Yes, even coaches sense when the end is near and subtly, sometimes subconsciously, can give in to physical and mental fatigue as well.
Two scenes: Wallace physically showing Ambrozich how to box out during a first-half timeout. Suddenly, fire showed in the forward's eyes.
The second snapshot involved Smith, this time in the second half when the Rainbows were somehow storming back to take the lead.
After being viciously knocked to the floor, he got up holding his ribs. Obviously his wind had been knocked out.
If you have ever heard someone say "he only had the wind knocked out of him" you know this: The person who said "only" never had the wind knocked out. It hurts so much that you want to pass out.
Wallace yelled to Smith "Do you want to come out?"
Alika Smith, still holding his rib cage, shook his head. He played the entire 40 minutes and Hawaii went on to incredibly outscore the Ducks by 20 points in the second half.
And their season is still alive.
AS a coach, reporter or fan, there are always teams that you don't like.
This Hawaii team, if you have any feel at all for the game of basketball, you have to love.
It is an overachiever in every sense of the overused term.
Fortunately, Hawaii fans caught on before it was too late and they should take a big bow for helping the team win Wednesday night.
Inspiration comes in many forms, but nothing beats a full house on its feet, making the place feel like it is ready to blast off its foundation.
I have covered many college basketball teams, mainly UNLV and Missouri, over the years.
Most were very good. A few were great. Some were mediocre.
One went to the Final Four and another won the NIT.
This University of Hawaii team has the most heart.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Indeed.