Saturday started with so much promise but ended in dejection. The drought continues, as the University of Hawaii women haven’t been to The Dance since 1998 and the men since 2002.
It was disheartening, especially considering the lack of success in recent years for most UH sports. Either basketball team getting to the NCAAs would’ve been the biggest thing for the athletic department since 2010, when the softball team made it to the College World Series and the baseball team won the WAC.
Two wins Saturday would’ve been phenomenal, the first time since 1994 that both teams made it to the NCAAs.
The women’s loss was the more surprising; they were the conference regular-season champs. But at least they will get a WNIT bid.
As for the men, does it really have to be over?
The NIT is out of the question because most of the Rainbow Warriors’ 22 wins came against low-level competition. And the UH administration has stated that it has lost its taste for the pay-for-play tournaments.
I would normally agree with that. But if a home game or preferably two can be secured in the CIT or the CBI, this team and these fans deserve it. Also, the Rainbow Warriors are a young squad that will benefit from the experience of playing together in a postseason environment, as contrived as it might be.
Home attendance has been good, and some of those who watched UH fall to UC Irvine in the championship game at Murphy’s Bar & Grill promised they would buy tickets and show up for any home postseason game.
“For sure,” Brad Erber of Makiki said. “I love this team and the way this coach is doing things.”
Big Island resident Peter Boylan agreed. “The fans would aloha this team one more time and show up for them,” he said.
Many fans connected emotionally with this team because of what it experienced before the season even started, losing its head coach three days before the first game amid the uncertainty of an NCAA investigation.
Its aggressive, ball-hawking style of play translated into upset victories in the preseason. And crisp ball movement and hot shooting in the first half Saturday gave UH the lead until the Anteaters took over in the second half to finally earn their first ticket to the NCAAs.
Even after losses — like when they chanted his name following the last regular-season home game — Gib Arnold’s replacement Benjy Taylor gets new fans.
“He did a great job. He brings something different. He brought the light,” said Erber, who is a school teacher. “He even made me work harder at my job. He inspired me.”
Scott Murakawa of Nuuanu said Taylor deserves a multi-year contract.
“The energy and intensity make it fun,” Murakawa said. “Give him a chance. Why not?”
That’s one the new athletic director is going to have to wrestle with. For now, I ask the same question when it comes to investing in a pay-for-play spot for this team — especially if it is true that boosters are willing to put up the money.
Why not?
Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.
