Eran Ganot will return to the University of Hawaii this week as the new men’s basketball coach.

UH has scheduled a press conference at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Stan Sheriff Center to introduce the new coach.

Ganot, 33, who is the associate head coach at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif., spent four years at UH (2007-10), the last three as an assistant basketball coach. He has served eight years over two tours (2003-06 and 2010-15) with the Gaels.

A New Jersey native, Ganot was a four-year basketball letterman and two-time captain at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania.

Ganot did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Benjy Taylor, who had served as interim head coach since the Oct. 28 dismissal of Gib Arnold, is said to have begun notifying UH players that he will no longer be associated with the team.

Taylor also interviewed for the position.

“I’m sad, I’m sad,” said Taylor, who coached the team to a 22-13 record and the Big West tournament championship game. “I could tell as the season played out, there was always a hidden agenda. So part of me always felt that this could happen. I didn’t think that it would after the season we had, but I felt like it was a possibility it could happen. I don’t think there was anything we could have done differently to change the outcome of this, on or off the floor.

“I wish Eran well. I wish the team well. I’m going to handle this like I handled all the adversity throughout the year. All the personal attacks. I’m going to handle it with class and take the high road.”

Several Rainbow Warriors players with eligibility remaining in their careers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

But freshman guard Isaac Fleming, who was recruited to UH by Taylor, indicated on Twitter he may elect to leave the program.

Fleming tweeted, “I have to do what’s best for me at the end of the day” and “It was a fun year I will always love Hawaii” after the news about Ganot broke.

Ganot came to UH as director of operations under Riley Wallace and served as an assistant under Bob Nash.

Ganot is the first hire by incoming athletic director David Matlin, who officially assumes the AD post April 27.

Matlin and Ganot are well acquainted through Matlin’s years of running the Diamond Head Classic.