When the transactions had finally stopped, the Hawaii basketball team’s inbox was filled with signed commitments from seven recruits who checked all the boxes.
“I know this is a (recruiting) class that has great potential that we’re really excited about,” head coach Eran Ganot said. “It’s a good blend. It’s a good balance. It attacks certain areas we wanted to attack. It complements the group we have coming back and the way we wanted to play moving forward. We want to have depth to play fast, to play up-tempo, to pressure more defensively, and at the same time be more athletic.”
Forward James Jean-Marie’s written commitment on Wednesday completed a recruiting plan that was amended several times. The ’Bows initially sought replacements for seniors Eddie Stansberry, Zigmars Raimo and Ahmed Ali. Ali withdrew from school in October because of medical reasons, but his scholarship remained on the books through the recently completed spring semester.
While recruiting was placed under restrictions prohibiting in-person contact, co-captain Drew Buggs, centers Dawson Carper and Owen Hulland, and guard Jessiya Villa entered the NCAA transfer portal.
“I’ve always said, ‘number one, have a plan, and number two, be flexible,’ ” Ganot said. “In our profession, it seems the target keeps moving. It takes an ability to move on to your next play, just like the (players) do, and complement the pieces.”
Before the lockdown, the Warriors signed 6-6, 230-pound combo guard Beon Riley and received verbal commitments from point guard Biwali Bayles and forward Manel Ayol.
Jean-Marie, forward Casdon Jardine, and point guards JoVon McClanahan and Noel Coleman signed without taking recruiting trips. “I thought we did a good job on the front end,” Ganot said. “A lot of these relationships , even though we weren’t able to see a lot of these guys in the spring, we were on them early. And there are some prior relationships.”
Jean-Marie and Coleman are transferring from San Diego, where UH assistant Chris Gerlufsen had previously coached. UH assistant John Montgomery had long ties with McClanahan’s high school coach in Oakland. Former UH staff members coached at two of Jardine’s previous schools.
Ganot said each of the newcomers can play more than one position. The addition of four players who can play the point gives the ’Bows the option of a double-point lineup that has been successful in the past.
“We’ve always been able to play two point guards together,” Ganot said. “Last year, that was the first time that took a hit (with Ali’s departure). When you have other guys at positions who can make plays, in addition to two point guards, it makes it difficult (for an opponent) to cover over the course of a game. That’s the direction we’d like to move.”
Ganot said Jean-Marie, Jardine and Ayol have the ability to roam the post and to slide to the perimeter.
“It’s harder to guard where there are several guys who can create matchup issues or can shoot, dribble and pass,” Ganot said. “We feel we can play inside-out, and we can play different guys.”