Somebody lit a fire under the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team Wednesday night and it was senior guard Sheriff Drammeh, of all people, that held the match.

When he cast off his sweats to come off the Rainbow Warriors’ bench 3 minutes and 31 seconds into the game it looked for all the world like Drammeh’s most important role for the night would be as a defensive replacement.

But Drammeh, who did draw one of his trademark charges in the game, took on a much-needed offensive presence scoring 23 points to match his four-year career high in the ’Bows’ 79-68 victory over Cal State Fullerton.

In a Big West Conference opener that the ’Bows badly needed, it was Drammeh who sparked it, taking on a new role for the season in helping to deliver a fourth consecutive victory for the suddenly 10-5 ’Bows.

The ’Bows were just 4-4 on their home court in the Big West last year, a big reason they managed only an 8-8 record and disappointing sixth-place finish in the conference. Turning that around this year to become a genuine contender requires a strong opening start since UH plays five of its first seven games at home — and finishes on the road.

And Fullerton, the conference’s defending champion that belied its 4-10 record, arrived as a major opening night test.

Drammeh, who hadn’t scored in double figures since Thanksgiving and been more an accessory than a key player, didn’t seem a likely offensive factor going in. But instead of holding down the Titans’ high-scoring backcourt, Drammeh set about keeping pace with them, and, when it came to 3-point marksmanship, even surpassing them. Drammeh made good on four of seven 3-point attempts, overshadowning CSUF’s Khalil Ahmad and Kyle Allman, the conference’s number two and three scorers, who combined for three of 10 accuracy on 3-pointers.

Allman, who scored 40 points in his last Stan Sheriff Center appearance, was held to 14, and Ahmad scored 24.

Drammeh, who had seen a total of just 15 minutes of playing time since Dec. 9 and sat out a one-game suspension for a violation of team rules, had his biggest impact in a second half, putting up 18 of his points in helping the ’Bows outscore the Titans 48-34.

Emboldened and energized, he took it up several notches and back from even deeper range to the delight of a gathering of 3,378. In a 4-minute, 21-second span that helped propel the Rainbow Warriors to a 10-point (58-48) lead, Drammeh scored nine points, including a left arm push off of Allman that roiled the Titans.

When Fullerton closed to 63-60, Sheriff drained a 3-pointer as the clock went inside 3 minutes and later added some insurance free throws, further showing that the rust of his December inactivity was fading.

And not a moment too soon for a Rainbow Warriors team that will need his talents — offensive and defensively — if they are to make a run.

When the final seconds counted down for UH, fittingly, perhaps, it was Drammeh that was given the ball to hold. Much as you got the feeling he wanted to jack up one last 3-pointer for the heck of it — and some in the crowd implored him to do so — Sheriff smiled and played under control.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.