RAINBOW CLASSIC
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Stephen Verwers got tangled up with Georgia's Dave Bliss during the seventh-place game of the Rainbow Classic. Georgia won, 67-59.
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Hawaii finishes last in Classic
In the short view, Hawaii coach Bob Nash's decision to bench a starter for the first half of yesterday's game with Georgia may have contributed to the Rainbow Warriors' third straight loss.
It was a call, though, Nash said was made with an eye on the bigger picture.
Nash said an incident prior to the game led to a decision to hold senior Matt Gibson out for the first half of yesterday's seventh-place game in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.
With Gibson serving his sanction, the Rainbows struggled through the first half and trailed by 18 at the break. He started the second half and scored a game-high 16 points as UH was able to cut a 21-point deficit to five before eventually falling 67-59 to the Bulldogs at the Stan Sheriff Center.
"In our meeting before the game, there was some activity that was unbecoming to the team, so I made that decision," Nash said of the suspension.
"We have to have standards, and when those standards are broken the morale of the team can go with it. I had to set the example that I'm not going to tolerate certain things. ... It's over, it's done, now we go forward."
With the loss, the Rainbows (3-7) went winless in the Rainbow Classic for the first time since 1995, while Georgia (7-3) was able to salvage a victory on its trip to Hawaii.
Neither Nash nor Gibson elaborated on the nature of the incident after the game. After serving his punishment, Gibson started the second half with UH trailing 37-19. He made three of seven shots, including two 3-pointers, and came up with three steals.
"I guess it threw everything off with such a quick game-time decision, and that's my fault," Gibson said. "I feel bad about it and hopefully we can just move on."
"You can be mad about it, or you can accept it. There's two ways you can go any time something like that happens and all I could do was accept it and come out ... and do our best to win."
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Bill Amis of UH looked for room against Jeremy Price of Georgia while Bulldogs coach Dennis Felton yelled from the sideline.
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Both teams entered the game wounded emotionally following two disappointing losses. While Hawaii saw opportunities to win its first two tournament games slip away in the final moments, Georgia was stunned by a late 3-pointer in its loss to Tulane on Friday.
The Bulldogs set the tone early with defensive pressure that harried the Rainbows into 14 turnovers and a 29 percent shooting performance in the first half, and they were able to weather the UH comeback.
Guard Sundiata Gaines led four Bulldogs in double figures with 15 points. Center Jeremy Price finished with 12 points and guard Zac Swansey came off the bench to contribute 12.
"That loss yesterday was about as devastating a loss as I've experienced at Georgia," Bulldogs coach Dennis Felton said. "That's another reason why I was proud of the way we bounced back for an 11 a.m. game, quick turnaround, after being so emotionally drained to play with the fire that we played with."
Despite a disappointing showing in the tournament, Nash saw reason for hope in the Rainbows' second-half performance, particularly on defense, as UH held Georgia to 9-for-27 shooting and made six steals after the break.
"The defensive effort, I think, was the best we've had to date in terms of guys getting down and guarding, disrupting their offense, turning the ball over," Nash said.
Hawaii's shooting woes continued, as the Rainbows went 4-for-16 from 3-point range, finishing the tournament 8-for-48.
UH made six of 21 shots in the first half and trailed 43-22 less than 2 minutes into the second half.
Stephen Verwers' drive and dunk then sparked the Rainbows to a 12-2 run. After the lead swelled back to 16 with 8:17 left, UH outscored Georgia 15-4 and drew to 60-55 when Bobby Nash hit a 3-pointer with 46.5 seconds left. But Hawaii would get no closer.
"We showed our mettle, we showed we're resilient to the end and that we're going to compete and we're going to fight," said Bobby Nash, who finished with 14 points. "In the second half we came out a totally different ballclub."
Hawaii returns to the Sheriff Center on Thursday to face New Mexico.
FIFTH PLACE
Tulane 79, St. John's 71
Robinson Louisme and Kevin Sims scored 21 points each as the Green Wave claimed the consolation championship.
Trailing by six at halftime, Tulane (8-4) held St. John's to 9-for-35 shooting in the second half while hitting 59 percent of its shots.
Anthony Mason Jr. led the Red Storm (5-4) with 18 points.
Georgia 67, Hawaii 59
Rainbow Warriors (3-7)
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|
fg |
fga |
ft |
fta |
min |
reb |
a |
tp
|
Luettgerodt |
1 |
7 |
5 |
6 |
34 |
6 |
1 |
7
|
Amis |
2 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
15 |
3 |
0 |
5
|
Verwers |
2 |
7 |
2 |
7 |
29 |
5 |
2 |
6
|
Dillinger |
2 |
9 |
1 |
2 |
25 |
5 |
2 |
5
|
Nash |
6 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
37 |
3 |
3 |
14
|
Nitoto |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Gibson |
3 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
20 |
4 |
2 |
16
|
Campbell |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Mayen |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4
|
Owsley |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
27 |
5 |
1 |
4
|
Veit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Team |
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Totals |
18 |
52 |
19 |
29 |
200 |
34 |
11 |
59 |
Bulldogs (7-3)
|
|
fg |
fga |
ft |
fta |
min |
reb |
a |
tp
|
Woodbury |
2 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
18 |
4 |
1 |
11
|
Bliss |
3 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
26 |
8 |
1 |
8
|
Price |
5 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
21 |
3 |
0 |
12
|
Gaines |
4 |
11 |
5 |
5 |
33 |
1 |
2 |
15
|
Humphrey |
4 |
12 |
0 |
1 |
30 |
7 |
0 |
9
|
Barnes |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
0 |
0
|
Swansey |
5 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
12
|
Brewer |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
0
|
Butler |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
2 |
1 |
0
|
Jackson |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
20 |
4 |
1 |
0
|
Singelton |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Team |
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Totals |
23 |
51 |
17 |
22 |
200 |
34 |
7 |
67 |
Key -- fg: field goals made; fga: field goals attempted; ft: free throws made; fta: free throws attempted; min: minutes played; reb: rebounds; a: assists; tp: total points.
Halftime -- Georgia 37, Hawaii 19
3-point goals -- Georgia 4-18 (Gaines 2-4, Humphrey 1-7, Swansey 1-3, Brewer 0-2, Woodbury 0-2), Hawaii 4-16 (Nash 2-7, Gibson 2-5, Dillinger 0-3, Luettgerodt 0-1). Personal fouls -- Georgia 24, Hawaii 19.
Steals -- Georgia 13 (Gaines 4, Swansey 4, Humphrey 3, Butler, Price). Hawaii 8 (Gibson 3, Amis, Dillinger, Luettegrodt, Nash, Owsley). Blocked shots -- Hawaii 3 (Verwers 3), Georgia 1 (Jackson). Turnovers -- Hawaii 20 (Amis 6, Gibson 3, Luettegrodt 3, Dillinger 2, Owsley 2, Verwers 2, Campbell, Nitoto), Georgia 20 (Humphrey 4, Jackson 4, Butler 3, Bliss 2, Gaines 2, Swansey 2, Barnes, Price, Woodbury).
Officials -- Mike Giamatano, Bryan Barr, Brian Yamasaki. A--.