In a guard-dominant league, Hawaii’s JoVon McClanahan stood tall.
McClanahan, who is optimistically listed at 5 feet 10, was named to the All-Big West second team.
UH guard Noel Coleman and forward Kamaka Hepa received honorable mention.
McClanahan, a third year ’Bow, assumed a leadership role when point guard Juan Munoz suffered a season- ending injury during an exhibition game in November.
McClanahan’s breakout moment came when he hit the winning 3-point shot in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic.
In league games, McClanahan averaged a team-high 13.5 points with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.1. His fearless drives into the post led to 102 free throws, of which he converted 85 (83.3%). Free throws accounted for 31.6% of his points. At times yielding nearly a foot, McClanahan defended tall and quick point guards.
“His overall improvement, game slowing down for him, head of the snake on both ends, competitive spirit and then making big plays in big games,” UH coach Eran Ganot said of McClanahan. “And then adding the context of having a point guard (Munoz) go out, and rise to the challenge, he’s done that. I’m proud of him. I’m looking forward to seeing his next steps.”
McClanahan’s progression began last summer when he joined teammates Hepa, Samuta Avea, Bernardo da Silva and Mor Seck in a mini training camp in Los Angeles. “Something just clicked for me,” McClanahan said.
He said his improved play is a natural ascent of being in the program for three years. “You grow and you get better and you learn things,” McClanahan said.
He also acknowledged his position came with responsibility, even on a team with several experienced players.
“Just being the point guard, it’s only right for me to step up and lead,” said McClanahan, whose ’Bows play Cal State Fullerton in Thursday’s quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament in Henderson, Nev. “That’s what every team needs from their point guard. They need somebody they can rely on and trust in crunch time and practices and film sessions and things like that in the heat of the battle. I just knew I was going to be the point guard of this team, and it was my job to step up and lead, because I knew my team needed that from me.”
1. UC IRVINE ANTEATERS
> Records: 22-10, 15-5 BWC
> Thursday’s opponent: Cal State Bakersfield-CSUN winner
> Head coach: Russell Turner
> Story line: After Collin Welp finally exhausted his eligibility and three other posts exited through the portal at the end of last season, Turner redesigned the offense. Seven-footers Bent Leuchten and Dean Keeler are post masters, but point guard Pierre Crockrell II, a Pacific transfer, is delivering quickness to the lineup. His assist-turnover ratio is 2.47. The Anteaters’ average possession is 16.9 seconds, down from 19.0 last year. Guards Dawson Baker and DJ Davis have extended the attack to 7.0 made 3s per game.
> Player to watch: Davis has spiced the offense with Curry-like deep shots. His 3-point accuracy is 38.9%; his degree of difficulty rating is much higher.
2. UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS
> Records: 24-7, 15-5 BWC
> Thursday’s opponent: Long Beach State-Cal Poly winner
> Head coach: Joe Pasternack
> Story line: In their first season without four-year starter Amadou Sow, the Gauchos set a team high for victories and winning percentage. Andre Kelly, who averaged 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds for Cal last season, has replicated Sow’s interior play. Point guard Ajay Mitchell, a sophomore from Belgium, has seized a leadership role. Mitchell’s ambidextrous drives — he’s a natural left-hander — and long strides get him to the rim in three Euro steps. In the home finale against Hawaii, Mitchell had 11 assists against zero turnovers.
> Player to watch: Contrary to his frame (6-10) and anti-gravity skill (40-inch vertical), Miles Norris prefers to launch shots from outside. But he has expanded his game this season to attack the lane. He is averaging 6.4 rebounds and 10 times grabbed at least nine boards.
3. UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS
> Records: 21-11, 14-6 BWC
> Thursday’s opponent: UC Davis
> Head coach: Mike Magpayo
> Story line: The previous two seasons, the Highlanders’ defensive plan was to funnel ball-handlers toward 7-foot-1 Jock Perry and Callum McCrae. With both graduated, the funnel vision was altered, with freshman Lachlan Olbrich as a step-out defender. Olbrich has upped his game because of forward Kyle Owens’ prolonged injury. When Zyon Pullin missed five games, Flynn Cameron ran the offense. Pullin, who is the Highlanders’ most prolific scorer, and Cameron provide a double-point attack.
> Player to watch: Wil Tattersall, a 6-7 Australian, is a multi-position defender who can provide needed scoring.
4. CAL STATE FULLERTON TITANS
> Records: 18-12, 12-6 BWC
> Thursday’s opponent: Hawaii
> Head coach: Dedrick Taylor
> Story line: Two of the final three games of the regular season were canceled because UC Davis did not have enough available players and UC San Diego was observing health/safety protocols. The Titans prefer to match forward Vincent Lee with four perimeter players. Their usual method is multiple passes eventually ending up in an open shooter’s hands or spreading the offense to clear the driving lanes. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is a three-level scorer who averages 16.3 points.
> Player to watch: Last year’s top sixth man — guard Jalen Harris — has started all 30 games. Harris is a downhill ball-handler off screens or sprint dribbles.
5. HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS
> Records: 22-10, 13-7 BWC
> Head coach: Eran Ganot
>Thursday’s opponent: Cal State Fullerton
> Story line: Although the five starters are averaging at least 9.7 points on 42.3% shooting in league play, the ‘’Bows are constructed to rebound (35.0 per game, including 29.7% of their misses) and defend (opponents are hitting 29.5% of 3s). Kenpom.com ranks UH 19th in defensive efficiency. Off guard Noel Coleman and wing Samuta Avea are quick on-ball defenders, and 6-10 Kamaka Hepa and 6-9 Bernardo da Silva (7-2 wing span) are lengthy obstacles. Since hitting the winning 3 in the Diamond Head Classic final, point guard JoVon McClanahan has forced the action on drives for layups or pitchouts, as well as perfecting a step-back jumper. He is UH’s leading scorer (13.5 ppg) against Big West opponents.
> Player to watch: In three starts, 7-1 Mor Seck has two double-doubles and fell just shy of a third. With a 7-3 wing span, Seck averages a half-block every five minutes and 1.2 rebounds per four minutes.
6. UC DAVIS AGGIES
> Records: 18-13, 11-8 BWC
> Thursday’s opponent: UC Riverside
> Head coach: Jim Les
> Story line: Guard Elijah Pepper is an ironman (36.8 minutes per league game) with a steely determination (24.1 scoring in Big West). Pepper, who has launched 135 3-point shots in 19 BW games, also leads the Aggies in rebounding (5.9 per game), assists (69) and steals (33). In the Aggies’ offense, all four guards/wings can bring up the ball. “We don’t pigeon-hole any of them into, ‘Hey, so-and-so is a point guard and so-and-so is a shooting guard,” Les said. Christian Anigwe is a post with range (40% on 3s).
> Player to watch: Ty (pronounced Tee-why) Johnson was used as a defensive specialist, if he was used at all, as a Loyola Chicago freshman last season. At UCD, he has emerged as a wo-way player to complement Pepper.
7. LONG BEACH STATE BEACH
> Records: 17-15, 11-9 BWC
> Today’s opponent: Cal Poly
> Head coach: Dan Monson
> Story line: The loss of their best player — point guard Joel Murray, who suffered a season-ending injury in January — has not slowed the Beach, who run the nation’s second-fastest offense (15 seconds per possession). LBSU also tops the league in scoring (76.8). Lassina Traore, who grew up in Cote d’Ivoire and began his collegiate career at Saint Louis, is averaging 10.6 rebounds in league games. Last week, he had 22 points and 20 rebounds against UC Davis.
> Player to watch: Aboubacar Traore is not related to Lassina Traore but shares the same appetite for rebounding, averaging 8.9 boards, with 36.4% coming off the offensive glass.
8. CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS
> Records: 10-121, 6-14 BWC
> Today’s opponent: Cal State Northridge
> Head coach: Rod Barnes
> Story line: The Roadrunners built their offense around point guard Kaleb Higgins, then had to pivot when he suffered a season-ending injury. Ivan Reynolds, who is most comfortable at off guard, joined the rotation at the point. Guards Dalph Panopio and Naseem Gaskin have provided backcourt minutes after recovering from injuries. Anavion Collum is a post presence in the absence of injured forwards Ugnius Jarusevicius and Modestas Kancleris.
> Player to watch: Nicknamed “Dude,” Collum uses his 6-8, 240-pound build to power his way for layups and baby hooks. He is averaging 16.0 points in league play.
9. CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE MATADORS
> Records: 7-24, 4-16 BWC
> Today’s opponent: Cal State Bakersfield
> Head coach: Trent Johnson
> Story line: Johnson, who has won coach of the year awards in three conferences, came out of retirement last year to rebuild the Matadors. Because of injuries and inexperience, Johnson has slowed the pace — 18.7 seconds per possession, 65.8 possessions per 40 minutes — to set up a final push. There were 13 games when the Matadors were close with three minutes to go. Atin Wright, a sophomore shooting guard, is one of the few Matadors at his natural position. Wright nailed seven 3s and finished with 42 points against UC Davis.
> Player to watch: Dionte Bostick has not played since suffering an injury on Jan. 26. But if he gets the OK, he’s a dynamic ball-handler and innovative scorer. A year after Ja Morant departed for the NBA, Murray State signed Bostick to compete at the point. He transferred to CSUN in August.
10. CAL POLY MUSTANGS
> Records: 7-24, 1-18
> Today’s opponent: Long Beach State
> Head coach: John Smith
> Story line: Trailing 73-70 to UC Riverside with five seconds left in overtime, Brantley Stevenson drove and hit a buzzer beater … only to have the Mustangs lose by a point. It was a lapse that was a metaphor for a season on the blink. After winning the league opener, the Mustangs lost the next 18. There is talent — Alimamhy Koroma (7-2 wing span) in the post, Stevenson on drives and Kobe Sanders at the point — but the rebuild emerging from the pandemic has been slow.
> Player to watch: Smith first noticed Sanders as a 6-1 junior in high school. Two years later, he was 6-6. Now at 6-8, Sanders still has the ball-handling skills while adding post-up moves.
