Healthy ’Bows are primed to continue firing fresh

It’s about 30 minutes after a 21⁄2-hour practice ended, the day before the University of Hawaii basketball team’s conference-opening game tonight.

Two starters, Stefan Jankovic and Aaron Valdes, are still on the court working hard, as is reserve guard Niko Filipovich.

In this situation a coach might worry about fresh legs for the next day’s game. But Eran Ganot is pleased they are putting in the extra effort; he’s made sure the Rainbow Warriors were not overworked, individually or as a team, as 10 weeks into their schedule the “real games” get underway.

College basketball season runs from October to March — late March if you’re fortunate and early April if you’re really good.

One of Ganot’s biggest jobs is managing the team so that the players and the team peak at the right times during the long schedule.

“We can get absorbed in our opponents, but the most important thing is always our players and where they are physically and mentally, individually and collectively,” Ganot said.

The Rainbows are in a good place by most measures as they head into the Big West opener at home against Cal Poly tonight. They are 11-2 and at practice they look confident, but not overly so. Intense, but loose enough.

If, as expected, the school today appeals some of the NCAA sanctions that include banning UH from postseason play after next season, it will give the team an emotional lift.

And they are virtually injury-free.

“Knock on wood,” said veteran trainer Jay Goo.

The Rainbows have been remarkably healthy the first two-plus months of the season, with just a few minor ailments spread out among various players.

Since some of UH’s opponents have been less than stellar, Ganot was able to rest starters, ensuring wear-and-tear issues didn’t turn into full-blown injuries.

Returnees from last year’s team say the tank was running a little low at this point in 2015. UH also hosted Cal Poly in the Big West opener last year, and lost in overtime. An OT defeat at home is often the mark of a weary team.

“We had some guys play 40 minutes a lot (last season),” forward Mike Thomas said. “Instead of peaking in March we peaked in December.”

Thomas has battled various injuries the last season-and-a-half. In 2014, his hands were hurt due to “a moped incident,” he said. Then during conference play last winter he had an ankle problem.

This season, the junior was limited in preseason practice by back issues, and most recently suffered from migraine headaches.

Still, Thomas has played in all 13 games. His 17.3 minutes per outing is low, but that’s due to getting in early foul trouble as much as being banged up.

“He’s battled through some things,” Ganot said.

In the only two games missed by regular starters, post Stefan Jankovic and point guard Roderick Bobbitt could have played if needed. But UH won both games easily, and the rest was probably better for them and the team in the long run.

The Rainbows aren’t even halfway done yet, and they hope to keep playing for quite awhile after the 16-contest Big West regular season ends.

“Our goal was to continue to get better and be healthy working to this point,” Ganot said. “Every group is different. This group has been good at firing fresh. It’s a long season.”

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.