Zane makes it rain

The past was part of the Christmas present for the Hawaii men’s basketball team.

Historically, the Rainbow Warriors’ 75-68 win over Clemson in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic consolation championship on Sunday was significant. It was UH’s first victory over a team with active Atlantic Coast Conference membership.

But the true gift for UH coach Gib Arnold was watching his team close out the nationally televised tournament with a 2-1 mark by playing as one. Zane Johnson put to rest an extended shooting slump with 27 points; Miah Ostrowski was at his play-making best with eight assists, and the rest of the Rainbow Warriors (7-5) executed their roles to near perfection in outplaying the Tigers (7-6) in the second half.

"I think this group is starting to trust each other. I think more so, too, they’re starting to trust their roles," Arnold said. "We talked about this week, play to your strengths. Shooters shoot, rebounders rebound, defensive guys play defense … whatever you’re asked to do, do it, and these guys are buying in."

An enthusiastic Christmas crowd of about 3,000 saw UH win for the fifth time in six games, building on a thrilling overtime win over No. 14 Xavier in the consolation semifinals on Friday.

UH goes into Thursday’s home game against South Carolina State playing its best ball of the nonconference season. UH seized the lead with a 9-0 run to open the second half and allowed the Tigers to get no closer than four from there.

Johnson struggled mightily with his shot heading into the tournament — all season, really — but the sharpshooter recalibrated his scope and went 6-for-12 from long range. He worked his bigger teammates’ screens relentlessly to earn enough daylight for a 19-point second half, and put away the game with four free throws in the final 10.7 seconds once the Tigers pressed and cut into an 11-point UH lead.

"(My teammates) were really setting great screens tonight; they were down and low and had a wide base," said Johnson, who was part of the all-tournament team.

"It’s been a while (since I felt that good). Hopefully I can stay like this and I don’t have to go through that slump again. Coach always tells me shooters shoot themselves out of a slump, and I think I did."

He went 8-for-14 overall. His only negative was a missed free throw in six attempts, ending his school-record streak at the line at 29.

"When a guy like Zane Johnson’s hitting those 3s, all of a sudden I’m a really good coach," Arnold said. "Everything starts to work."

UH junior center Vander Joaquim recovered from getting his shot blocked twice in the early going to post a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double. And Hauns Brereton, one of several heroes against Xavier, added to his late-game resume with an offensive rebound and three-point play to make it 67-55 with 1:21 left. He fouled out with 10 points and four rebounds.

Ostrowski ran the show efficiently much of the game — tying his season high in helpers — then yielded to freshman Shaquille Stokes in the final minute when UH had trouble breaking Clemson’s desperation press. Stokes hit two 1-and-1 free throws to stem a 6-0 Tigers run that made it 69-64 with 22.2 seconds left.

"That was scrambling at the end; we needed to play better the middle of the second half," Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. "We let Johnson get going, and when he plays like that they’re hard to beat."

Clemson was held to 36.4 percent shooting in the second half, compared to 60 percent for UH. The ‘Bows converted 10 of 11 at the free-throw line in the second half (and 16 of 19 for the game) to seal it.

UH celebrated its flourish of a tournament finish with an impromptu dance at midcourt, with Arnold at the center.

UH’s last win over a team now part of the ACC came almost exactly 30 years ago against Florida State — but the Seminoles didn’t join the ACC until 1991. Wins over Georgia Tech and Miami (Fla.) also came while those schools were members of other conferences.

The Rainbows entered the day 5-17 against teams currently in the ACC.

"We know how big-time they are, so it’s good to get a win like that," Ostrowski said.

Clemson returned three starters from its squad that made the NCAA Tournament round of 32 last year, led by point guard Andre Young (14 points, four assists, three steals).

But the Tigers were missing junior forward Milton Jennings, their fourth-leading scorer, who was serving a one-game suspension for team reasons. Forward Devin Booker had 11 first-half points, but was held to two after the break.

The Tigers settled for jump shots at the outset of both halves, going 1-for-8 to start the game.

Clemson rallied to tie the game at 9, then surpassed UH with a 10-0 run to go up 24-19.

Joaquim got the crowd into it with a huge stuff at the rim on K.J. McDaniels, who tried to throw down a tomahawk dunk over the UH big man with 6:54 left in the half.

UH scored three of the last four baskets of the period, but Johnson was rejected on a 3 at the buzzer and Clemson carried a 34-31 lead into the break.