’Bows hit the road without Bobbitt

Hawaii basketball point guard Roderick Bobbitt did not accompany the team on its flight to the mainland Tuesday, raising questions whether he will play in this week’s road games at UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton.

Sources inside the athletic department said the issue at hand is academic eligibility for the spring semester. If Bobbitt, a senior, is successful at making up coursework, it’s possible he could rejoin the team in California in time for one or both of the games on Thursday and Saturday.

Coach Eran Ganot declined comment as the team prepared to fly out to Los Angeles.

The uncertainty with Bobbitt comes at an inopportune time for the Rainbow Warriors (13-2, 2-0 Big West), as leading scorer Aaron Valdes is questionable to play in this week’s games as he recovers from a turf toe.

Valdes traveled with the team Tuesday while wearing a protective boot on his right foot. He was described as doubtful to play against Riverside (9-9, 0-2), but Valdes is optimistic he will recover in time to play at Fullerton (8-7, 1-1).

“I really want to be there for the team too, even if I don’t play,” said Valdes, who was averaging 15.9 points per game before his injury against UC Santa Barbara last Saturday. “Hopefully looking for Saturday for sure is what I’m hoping for.”

If Valdes and/or Bobbitt are unavailable against Riverside, UH’s depth will be tested. The Rainbows turned to reserves Isaac Fleming and Sheriff Drammeh for a spark against the Gauchos once Valdes went out, and could do so again.

“As a whole, when we all step up and come ready to play, we’ll come out victorious,” Fleming said before boarding the team bus behind the Stan Sheriff Center.

Bobbitt, a co-captain, is third on the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game. He is first in the Big West Conference in steals per game at 2.1 and second in assists at 5.3.

Bobbitt recorded back-to-back 30-point games in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, becoming just the third player in program history to do so in consecutive contests. He has three 30-point games this season.

In 2014-15, Bobbitt was the Big West Defensive Player of the Year and made the all-conference second team.