If there’s one guy you want administering shots for Hawaii, it’s Sai Tummala.

Tummala, the most prominent newcomer on the Rainbow Warriors’ roster, has been just what the doctor ordered in providing a boost from 3-point range.

In between filling out applications for medical schools around the country, the UH grad student has been among the nation’s best from long distance through three games. Tummala shot a blistering 9-for-13 on 3s (69.2 percent) and averaged 11 points off the bench in the season-opening Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic, helping new coach Eran Ganot attain a 3-0 start.

According to those who’ve seen Tummala operate — figuratively, as the future doctor is still awaiting med school acceptance — his success is no accident. Like all other aspects of his life, the lefty from Phoenix got to where he is through sheer hard work. Shooting is merely an extension of his consummate attention to detail.

"From a really early age, it’s something I’ve been focused on. I pride myself on it," Tummala said. "I’m very meticulous in the way that I prepare for it. From a young age, you could find me in the rain practicing form shots."

Through Friday, he was tied for 44th nationally in 3s made and 15th in percentage. UH will try to keep it going at the Stan Sheriff Center at 7:30 p.m. Sunday against Nicholls State (1-1).

In Ganot’s new four-out offense, threats from the outside like the 6-foot-6 Tummala are essential to open up space and create driving lanes. Co-captain Mike Thomas has started at power forward, with Tummala one of the team’s first reserves off the bench. They’ve split minutes at power forward about evenly so far.

Tummala said he’s just fine coming in as a reserve. Or as he put it diplomatically, "I like it. My role is wherever I can help the team. Coming off the bench, me and Mike have a good combination."

Ganot was looking for someone like that when he set about assembling his first recruiting class. Someone who could make a difference on the court, in the classroom and with team chemistry. As for Tummala — who had one year of eligibility left — he just wanted a chance to play a meaningful role on a team one last time.

"He’s a great story," Ganot said. "One, for being able to fight through some things in his collegiate career to get to this point. … The other thing, something that’s understated with him, he’s an ambassador. He gives back."

Tummala played all manner of sports at a young age but was a standout in the Phoenix prep hoops circuit. His father, a psychiatrist, gave him the freedom to pursue his own passions, but made sure that whatever Sai did, he would do all out.

"In most Indian families they don’t really emphasize that, in terms of a cultural thing. Like, it’s not big to do sports," Tummala said. "But my dad … the second I told him I wanted to play, he said, ‘You know, if you want to play, we’re going to make sure you play the right way.’ "

Tummala began his college career at Michigan, where he redshirted and began to learn that gratification isn’t always instant. The next time Tummala really got a chance to play, the 2012-13 season, he was a third-team NJCAA All-American at Salt Lake Community College. From there, he went to Arizona State for two years, but chances to see the court were few.

"It’s hard," Tummala said with a pause. "There’s no easy way to put that. You spend a lot of time, you sacrifice your summers. Pretty much your whole life revolves around basketball. You sacrifice everything (and) to not get an opportunity to play is tough. But at the same time, I learned a lot. Especially about myself and what it takes to be successful."

After struggling in a preseason exhibition vs. Chaminade this season, Tummala realized he’d tried to do too much. He took a less-is-more approach in the Rainbow Classic and let things come to him. He hit five of six from deep in his official debut against Montana State, and showed some athleticism and defensive ability en route to all-tournament team honors.

He was particularly effective in 3-point pick-and-pop situations with point guard Roderick Bobbitt. In one sequence in the opener, he hit three in a row that way.

His surgical debut — a 17-point night — resonated from coast to coast.

The Tummala family’s other shooter-slash-future doctor, watching from the East Coast, could barely contain herself watching Sai break out. Sai’s younger sister, Shilpa, is a senior guard at Harvard, and also plans to go into medicine. Like Sai, she scored a career-best 17 in her season opener. They shared a laugh later; it was one more tight competition built off a childhood full of them.

"I mean, it makes me so happy. Like, I couldn’t be a happier sibling if I tried," Shilpa said. "He’s worked so hard and gone through so much, and I couldn’t think of someone who’s more deserving of it."