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Tonight’s opposing head coaches — Hawaii’s Eran Ganot and UC Riverside’s David Patrick — have had close encounters in their basketball orbits.
When Ganot left Saint Mary’s in 2016 to join UH’s coaching staff, Patrick joined the Gaels. In 2010, Ganot returned to Saint Mary’s and Patrick headed to the NBA.
“We’ve known each other for a long time,” Ganot said. “We’ve had similar backgrounds with (Gaels’ head coach) Randy Bennett and Saint Mary’s, similar core values on what our programs should be about. … We have a lot of different in what we do, a lot of different personalities, but at the core, there are the same fundamentals of defending and rebounding and sharing the ball.”
Now both coaches are on the same path heading into tonight’s showdown in the UCR Student Rec Center on the Riverside, Calif., campus.
Each has the same number of overall victories — 14-10 for UH, 14-12 for UCR. Each enters with season-long, four-game losing streaks.
“They’ve had some really tough losses,” Ganot said of the Highlanders, who dropped their past three games by an average of margin of 2.7 points.
Three of the Rainbow Warriors’ recent losses were by an average of 4.0 points.
Both teams are rooted in a plus-sized post. Callum McRae is a 7-foot-1, 275-pound center from New Zealand who is hitting 55.3% of his field-goal attempts. Arinze Chidom, at 6-9 and 240 pounds, has connected on 48.6% of his shots. Chidom, who averages 10.8 points, is the Highlanders’ only double-digit scorer. Twelve Highlanders log at least 10 minutes per game.
The ’Bows have had to alter their scheme this season. In recent years, they had a power forward who extended his shooting range behind the 3-point arc. This season, center Dawson Carper and power forward Zigmars Raimo shoot mostly in the low post, going outside mostly to set screens before rolling toward the base. Justin Hemsley is a four who can hit 3s but is better suited to slashing into the lane.
“We have to know what our role is and then master it,” said Raimo, who was at center last season. “This year, we have a different team from last year. This year, I have a different role on the court and off the court. I’m trying to do as much as I can to help my team win.”
After missing five games apiece, 6-9 freshman post Bernardo da Silva and 6-6 junior wing Samuta Avea returned to action last week.
“It’s been good,” da Silva said. “I’m trying to find my way back. … It’s hard to come back, and find the same chemistry. I’ve been working hard and doing the right things.”
Avea’s return provides lineup flexibility. Avea is most comfortable at the wing, but he also can slide to the four when UH wants to play a quicker lineup. With Avea back, freshman Justin Webster becomes the top backup at point guard, off guard and wing. Avea was 2-for-8, including 0-for-5, in his return in Saturday’s loss to UC Irvine.
“It felt great to be out there with the guys again,” Avea said. “I’ve been in the gym heavy, trying to rep out game reps, game speed, so I cannot shoot the way I did the other night, for sure. … I’m excited to be healthy.”
Ganot said it has been an adjustment to work da Silva and Avea back into the rotation.
“But that’s a good (adjustment) to have,” Ganot said. “Those two coming back in the fold, and then working them back into the fold with the other guys, it’s a great thing. Eventually things will click again. We’ve had at least a game under our belt with all of them.”
BIG WEST BASKETBALL
>> Who: Hawaii (14-10, 5-5 BWC) at UC Riverside (14-13, 4-7)
>> When: 6 p.m.
>> Where: UCR Student Rec Center in Riverside, Calif.
>> TV: ESPNU
>> Radio: KKEA 1420-AM
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