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Hawaii basketball team beats UC Davis on Eddie Stansberry’s last-second 3

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Hawaii guard Eddie Stansberry made the game-winning 3-pointer.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Hawaii guard Eddie Stansberry made the game-winning 3-pointer.

The Hawaii men’s basketball team remembered its past and earned a memorable finish to the present.

Eddie Stansberry’s corner 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds left capped a back-and-forth finish, giving the Rainbow Warriors a thrilling 76-75 win over UC Davis on UH’s 100th season celebration game tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

After Joe Mooney made one of two free throws for a 75-73 Davis lead with 15 seconds left, UH’s Justin Webster missed a shot but UH got the offensive rebound out of bounds with 5.2 seconds left. Stansberry came around a screen and caught the inbounds pass, stopped and lofted a high-arching shot, touching off an eruption from the crowd.

Davis (8-13, 2-3 Big West) called timeout, and Mooney got off a running shot from about 35 feet but was off the mark as UH (13-6, 4-1) celebrated its third straight home win at midcourt.

Stansberry scored a game-high 23 points, sinking five of 12 3-pointers. Point guard Drew Buggs dealt 11 assists, including on the deciding shot.

A season-high crowd of 4,669 was on hand as UH celebrated its former players and staff, and the program’s top moments as part of its 100th season commemoration. Riley Wallace, the winningest coach in program history, was on hand as the honorary game captain. Among the few dozen past players on hand were members of the Fabulous Five of the 1970s; Jarinn Akana from the 1994 WAC championship team; and a few from the 2015-16 squad that won the program’s first NCAA Tournament game. They were introduced and received an ovation at halftime.

>> Click here for photos from the game

UH played without starters Samuta Avea and Bernardo da Silva due to injury. Justin Webster and Dawson Carper stepped into the first five in their stead.

Stansberry had his 10th 20-point game of the season, forward Justin Hemlsey gave the team a big lift off the bench with a career-high 14 points and seven rebounds. Forward Zigmars Raimo added 14 points and seven boards.

Davis guard Stefan Gonzalez hit a career-high six of seven 3-point attempts in the first half for 18 points, keeping Davis within 42-38 at intermission.

Gonzalez cashed in on his seventh 3 during a 9-0 run to give Davis a 55-54 lead with 12 minutes left.

UH recaptured the lead on Stansberry’s fourth 3-pointer with 9:42 remaining.

Ezra Manjon (22 points) went up-and-under on a defender to make it a 13-1 run for Davis, which led 71-62.

Buggs finally ended the run with a 3, UH’s first field goal in a span of 5:02, and 3:58 on the clock.

Webster was fouled on a 3 with three minutes left. He sank all three to bring UH within 72-70.

Buggs found Stansberry on a backdoor cut for an open layup and UH reclaimed the lead, 73-72, with an 8-0 run.

Manjon connected on two free throws with 1:38 left to put Davis back up a point. Buggs got to the line with 1:14 left but missed both free throws, setting up the tight finish.

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