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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii guard Eddie Stansberry (3) watches his three-point basket sink through the net against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs during the first half.
Shooting guard Eddie Stansberry set career highs of 26 points and six 3-pointers to rally the Hawaii basketball team to a 71-63 victory over Alabama A&M tonight.
A Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 2,790 saw the teams trade stretches of hot long-range shooting. The Bulldogs (1-12) of the SWAC had the first salvo, hitting several open 3s in the early going and claiming a surprising eight-point lead.
UH (9-5) tied its season high of 11 3s made in finishing nonconference play on a three-game winning streak. AAMU hit 10 from long range, including eight in the first half.
Forward Zigmars Raimo added 12 points and seven rebounds for UH.
Bulldogs guard Tre Todd (team-high 18 points) banked in one 3 and made it 8-for-11 from downtown for the guests, who led 34-26.
Stansberry got the ’Bows back in it.
He responded with a three-point play, giving him 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the first 17 minutes, kicking off an 8-0 run going into halftime.
Stansberry’s fourth 3 of the half tied it at 34 with 15 seconds left as AAMU went nearly the final four minutes of the period without scoring.
When AAMU took the lead to begin the second half, Stansberry snapped UH out of its funk again with his fifth triple and a 37-36 lead. At that point, he had a new career high 20 while no Rainbows teammate had more than six.
He hit a step-back 3 from the right corner to keep it going. By the midpoint of the half, Drew Buggs’ triple gave UH its largest lead to that point, 53-46.
Sheriff Drammeh came off the bench for his first action in three games and hit back-to-back triples to extend it to double digits.
The Bulldogs rallied to within 63-61 with a 9-0 run. UH called timeout with 1:39 left.
Stansberry missed a 3, but Jack Purchase got the rebound and found Stansberry cutting to the cup for a three-point play.
Two free throws by the Bulldogs made it a three-point game with 1:04 left and Stansberry threw the ball away in the halfcourt.
Todd missed on a drive and AAMU took a foul on Purchase with 21 seconds left. He was good on the first and missed the second, but he rebounded the miss and Brocke Stepteau made good on two, making it 69-63.
The Bulldogs missed a 3 and Drew Buggs completed the scoring with two more foul shots.
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