Joaquim wins UH’s Woolaway award

Junior center Vander Joaquim was the big winner at the Hawaii men’s basketball team’s postseason banquet on Wednesday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom.

The 6-foot-10 Angolan took home the Art Woolaway Most Outstanding Player award, as well as the best defensive player award after averaging team bests of 14.3 points and 9.5 rebounds with 56 percent shooting to go with 58 blocks for the 16-16 Rainbow Warriors.

Senior point guard Miah Ostrowski received the Ah Chew Goo Most Inspirational Award for the second straight year. The two-sport player — he is a receiver on the UH football team — joined the hoops team in midseason and was instrumental yet again. This season, he ranked sixth nationally in assists per game at 7.0.

Sophomore center Davis Rozitis earned the academic award the same week he received All-WAC academic honors.

Joaquim heads into his senior season sixth on the program’s all-time blocks list. His rebound average this season was the highest by a UH player since Tony Maroney (9.6) in 1994-95.

The team eschewed some of the awards of past years, including best playmaker, best free-throw shooter and most improved player.

UH lost six of its last seven games this season, but also picked up its first win in the WAC tournament since 2005 and advanced to the semifinals to end its stay in the league.