Standhardinger, Fotu both named All-Big West first team

Hawaii men’s basketball players Christian Standhardinger and Isaac Fotu were named to the All-Big West Conference first team on Monday morning.

It was the first time UH received two all-conference first-team players in the same season, including the Rainbow Warriors’ tenure in the WAC.

For Standhardinger, a senior, it was a repeat award from last season. He became just the second Rainbow to take first-team honors in consecutive seasons, joining Predrag Savovic (2000-01, 2001-02). The 6-foot-8 forward was fourth in the Big West in both scoring (17.7) and rebounding (8.4).

For the sophomore Fotu, last season’s Big West Co-Freshman of the Year, it was his first career first- or second-team honor. He averaged 15.2 points and 6.1 rebounds while ranking among the national leaders in field-goal percentage at .597.

“You have two totally different players there, but they work well together,” UH coach Gib Arnold said on the Big West’s coaches conference call Monday in advance of this week’s Big West tournament. “Both were first-team all-conference, and I think they both deserved it. They really play well off each other. I think when we understand that and go through those two guys, it makes us much tougher to beat.”

UC Santa Barbara center Alan Williams was named the Big West Player of the Year and UC Irvine’s Russell Turner was named the Big West Coach of the Year.

Besides Williams, Standhardinger and Fotu, the other first-teamers were Cal State Northridge’s Stephen Maxwell, Long Beach State’s Mike Caffey and UC Irvine’s Chris McNealy.

No UH players were named to the second team or honorable mention, nor any of the Big West’s specialty awards.

Fourth-seeded UH (20-10, 9-7) opens up the Big West tournament on Thursday against No. 5 Cal State Northridge (15-17, 7-9) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.