Aloha, seniors: ‘Bows play final home game tonight

Hawaii is determined to prevent one difficult night from bleeding into another.

UH attempted to staunch the wound of Thursday’s 77-71 home loss to UC Riverside — and subsequent reprimand of point guard Roderick Bobbitt by the Big West on Friday — for today’s sold-out, “White-out,” senior night game against Cal State Northridge.

The still-first-place Rainbow Warriors (22-4, 11-2 BWC) have not suffered back-to-back losses this season. In fact, they’ve responded with a minimum four-game winning streak after the three previous defeats.

It is the first season of multiple sellouts at the Stan Sheriff Center since 1997-98.

“It’s a great thing, especially coming off the game the other night, knowing the fans have stuck with this group and a senior class that’s been through a lot of things together,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “One of the things this group has been really good at is bouncing back.”

But this time they might have to do it with Bobbitt watching the start from the bench, on a night meant to honor him and fellow outgoing players Quincy Smith, Sai Tummala and Dyrbe Enos.

Bobbitt was assessed a technical foul in the final seconds of the loss to the Highlanders, one of three on UH and five total for the hotly contested game. He followed UCR coach Dennis Cutts in the postgame handshake line, jawing at the coach.

Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell said in part that “Mr. Bobbitt’s actions were contrary to the standards expected of our student-athletes.”

UH responded with a joint statement from athletic director David Matlin and Ganot:

“We accept the reprimand handed down by the Big West Conference. Roderick takes full responsibility for his actions during Thursday’s game and he understands those actions do not live up to the standards we expect of our student-athletes. Rod let his emotions get the best of him and he will learn from this and be a better leader of this basketball team. We apologize to UC Riverside and the Big West Conference.”

Bobbitt, a BWC Player of the Year candidate closing in on the UH career steals record, practiced with the UH second five Friday during scout preparation for the Matadors (10-18, 5-9). Isaac Fleming operated with the first group, indicating Bobbitt could come off the bench. He was not available for comment. Ganot declined to address Bobbitt’s playing status.

Despite Thursday’s setback, UH is prepared to celebrate a share of the Big West title should the Rainbows prevail and if UC Irvine falls at UC Davis in a simultaneous game. Absent that, it will be settled on the road next week.

It might not be just the UH seniors saying goodbye today. There’s also the matter of uncertainty with the junior class, which could transfer out free of the penalty of sitting out games for a year because of the impending NCAA postseason ban. Aaron Valdes, Stefan Jankovic, Stefan Jovanovic and Mike Thomas comprise the juniors.

“Regardless, I’m never (again) going to play with Rod Bobbitt or Quincy or Sai on that court, or Dyrbe, so I’m going to treat it like my senior night or anyone’s senior night, because it is that group of guys that is so special,” Jankovic said. “It’s our last time together on that court. … But now we gotta play (CSUN) and give our hearts out.”

UH won at CSUN’s Matadome 69-63 last week.

Smith, a Bay Area native who transferred to Manoa from City College of San Francisco for the 2013-14 season, has been a co-captain for two seasons, and saw a drastic uptick in on-court responsibility this year when Ganot named him a starter in the preseason. He’s continually improved as a shooter after some early-season struggles and self-doubt.

“Remembering it’s a game, have fun, smile,” Smith said recently. “I’ve been smiling a lot more now.”

He’s slated to graduate this spring in business management. He expects about 20 friends and family here — not to mention his brother, Kendall, CSUN’s leading scorer at 15.3 ppg. Quincy (7.6 ppg) got the last word last week with a putback slam to cap the six-point win at the Matadome.

Tummala came in as a graduate transfer from Arizona State. The future doctor was productive; the forward is UH’s most efficient 3-point shooter at 43.2 percent, fourth in the Big West, while averaging 6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds.

The Phoenix native found out Monday that he was accepted to Creighton’s med school and is still waiting to hear back from UH. His mom is coming out to watch senior night here, while his dad is going to Harvard to watch his sister Shilpa’s senior night for the Crimson.

“It feels great, because it’s not easy to get into medical school, play basketball and do all these things. It’s a blessing,” Tummala said. “I’ll remember this year more than any other year of my entire college career.”

Enos, the Star-Advertiser Co-Player of the Year out of Kamehameha in 2012, walked on and has provided depth and scout team support for the past four seasons. The 5-foot-10 guard used his shooting stroke to crack the playing rotation two years ago, when he made 10 of his 15 career 3-pointers.

Ganot rewarded him for his hard work with a scholarship for the spring semester.

Though technically a fourth-year junior, Enos wants to try his hand in the sports broadcast realm once he graduates this spring in communications. He’ll have about 15 family members and countless other friends in the building.

“It was a fun experience being able to play for my hometown at a D-I level,” Enos said. “It was hard to do, but I was just thankful to have this opportunity.”