Warriors continue their road trip in frigid E. Washington

SPOKANE, WASH. >> Sunny Southern California was no sweat for Hawaii. As a consequence, the Rainbow Warriors get to chill out in frigid Eastern Washington.

Not that the Big West’s representatives to the NCAA Tournament are complaining.

“I’m good. I’m ready to roll,” UH coach Eran Ganot said Tuesday afternoon, before the team boarded the NCAA’s charter plane from Los Angeles to Spokane. “I’m from New Jersey, so it’s not going to be as cold as that.”

Well, the blast of air that greeted travelers outside of the Spokane International Airport that night was pretty cold — 35 degrees, or just above freezing.

UH’s adaptation game gets put to the test for the next few days, as temperatures could plummet even lower, with highs in the mid 40s. The ’Bows have been on the road for two weeks and counting but until this, entirely in the familiar (and warm) territory of the Big West.

Some members of UH’s travel party were left scrambling to find extra layers of clothes once UH’s seeding, opponent and site were announced on Selection Sunday. It was hard to fault them; the team departed from the islands back on March 1.

But most of the players were like their head coach: unconcerned.

“We got jackets,” co-captain Mike Thomas said with a laugh. “We play indoors, so it won’t be too bad.”

UH (27-5), a 13 seed in the NCAA South Region, takes on fourth-seeded California (23-10) in an 8 a.m. first-round game Friday at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

The two local boys on the roster, reserves Dyrbe Enos and Zach Buscher, see it as an experience to cherish, however frosty.

“A couple years ago we went to Northern Arizona and played them. That was the coldest it’s ever been for me,” Enos said. “Texas Tech (this season) was pretty cold, they had a little snow coming down. But, I mean, this is probably colder.”

Said Buscher, “I looked at the weather report yesterday. It said 33 degrees, so (I was) expecting it to be pretty cold. Just got our travel sweats. It’ll be all right.”

The Rainbows got in one last practice at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Gym on Tuesday, across CSUF’s campus from the team hotel. The team wished point guard Roderick Bobbitt a happy 23rd birthday. Then it was time to head north.

By a slim margin, this will be the closest of UH’s NCAA Tournament sites to Hawaii in its five all-time appearances. UH is 0-4 in the event to date, having played at Pocatello, Idaho, in 1972; Ogden, Utah, in 1994; Dayton, Ohio, in 2001; and Dallas in 2002.

However, UH’s steady routine has carried it through a highly successful mainland campaign at 10-2, including three wins in three days in the Big West tournament in Anaheim, Calif., last week.

Friendly faces abounded there. Four-fifths of UH’s starting five hails from the Golden State.

“I think the coaches have done a good job of keeping us consistent in what we do every day,” said Thomas, of Woodland Hills. “I think getting to spend time with family’s helped, and everything like that. But also just being focused. We’ve got a task at hand.”

Scout work for the talented Golden Bears has begun in earnest, with assistant coach John Montgomery — a former Cal staffer who coached or helped recruit several players still on its roster — taking point Tuesday.

Also helping UH is the fact it doesn’t have to transition to another time zone.

“We’ve actually gotten fairly accustomed to (staying up here) now,” Ganot said. “What’s good is we’re adjusted to the Pacific time zone, and we’ve tried to keep a routine and not just sitting in the hotels. We’ve gotten into practices, we’ve done some team activities, we’ve gotten … at times on our feet, at times off our feet, depending on the game situation. I think we’ve done a pretty good job of making sure we at least feel like we’re still on a normal routine.”

Part of that involves maintaining the academic component to the student-athlete equation, even as the days away from their classes have stretched into weeks.

“I think Kari Ambrozich, who’s our (academic) adviser, has done a great job of making sure we’re on task when we are in study halls,” Thomas said. “Keeping us up to date on all our assignments with the syllabuses and all that stuff. It’s been good, she’s been doing a good job.”

UH has played at seemingly all hours this season, but Friday’s game will be UH’s first morning tipoff.

Enos and Buscher were cheery road Warriors as they hauled their gear onto the idling team bus in Fullerton.

“We’re just trying to enjoy the road trip,” said Enos, of Aiea. “This is my last road trip. Busch got a couple few more to do. But I mean, it’s a fun experience. Just trying to enjoy the ride.”

Added Kailua’s Buscher: “Yeah, we’re just stoked to be here, stoked to be part of this team. Hopefully we can get a win on Friday.”