HONOLULU — It would be too simple to distill JoVon McClanahan’s 2022-23 season down to one shot, a single moment in time.

Counterpoint: The Hawaii point guard’s game-winner against Southern Methodist in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic championship game.

What You Need To Know

  • Three Hawaii players received individual recognition in the Big West Conference's postseason men's basketball awards announced Monday

  • Junior point guard JoVon McClanahan was named an All-BWC second-teamer after emerging as a team leader and floor general in his third season at UH

  • Guard Noel Coleman and forward Kamaka Hepa were tabbed as BWC honorable mentions

  • Fifth-seeded UH faces No. 4 Cal State Fullerton in a quarterfinal matchup at 12:30 p.m. Hawaii time on Thursday at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev.

The indelible image of McClanahan screaming in triumph while gripping the tournament’s MVP paddle could be flashed at any time to represent the fourth-year junior’s breakout season, in which he grew from game manager to floor leader for UH.

McClanahan’s efforts were rewarded with an All-Big West second-team selection by the league’s coaches on Monday, one of three individual honors given to Rainbow Warriors players.

“Just being the point guard, it was only right for me to step up and lead,” McClanahan told Hawaii media members in a Zoom call from Las Vegas. “I knew my team needed that from me.”

He averaged 11.3 points — including a team-best 13.5 in Big West games — and 3.5 assists per game while doubling as the team’s emotional pulse.

Even after guard Juan Munoz went down with a season-ending injury in the preseason, McClanahan’s role was far from secured in his third Division I season coming out of Sheridan College in Wyoming. He got off to a slow start in the season-opening Outrigger Rainbow Classic.

“I think he’s always been a believer. He has confidence and conviction,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “But … you have to go through the ups and downs. What took it up a notch was having some breakthroughs and making big plays. Doing it at the biggest stages. It started to come right before the Diamond Head, and then having a play like (the game-winner) in the Diamond Head. I think he really built off that experience.”

McClanahan agreed, saying, “I had some breakthrough games. … Knowing I can do these types of things and I just have to be consistent. That’s how you earn trust.”

The 5-foot-10 Bay Area native played one of his biggest games in the home finale against UC Irvine with a career-high 27 points and seven assists.

UH (22-10, 13-7 Big West) was in contention for the BWC regular-season title all the way to the final weekend but dropped to the No. 5 seed with a loss to UC Santa Barbara in the regular-season finale on Saturday. It faces No. 4 Cal State Fullerton (18-12, 12-6), which swept the ‘Bows home and home, at 12:30 p.m. Hawaii time on Thursday at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev.

“I’m actually happy we get Fullerton so we can get our give-back. That sets us up well,” McClanahan said. “It’s going to give us even more motivation knowing that they got the better of us in the regular season. The marbles is on the line now. I think we’re ready.”

Guard Noel Coleman and forward Kamaka Hepa were named All-BWC honorable mentions.

Coleman, in his third year with the program, led UH in scoring average for the second straight year at 12.2 per game. While the Belgian was a quieter scorer down the stretch of the season, he was still a minutes workhorse (34.3 per game) who drew some of the toughest defensive assignments.

Hepa emerged as a more confident player in his second season at UH coming off three as a role player at Texas. The Alaska native had UH’s two highest point outputs this year, 30 against St. Francis and 29 at Cal Poly, and was its deadliest 3-point shooter with 66 makes from long range at a 39.3% clip. He was second on the team in scoring (11.7), rebounding (6.4) and blocks (26).

UCSB guard Ajay Mitchell, who had a game-winning basket against UH at the Stan Sheriff Center on Jan. 26, was named Big West Player of the Year. He was joined on the first team by UC Irvine guard DJ Davis, UC Davis guard Elijah Pepper, UC Riverside guard Zyon Pullin, Fullerton guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr., and Long Beach State forward Lassina Traore.

Riverside's Mike Magpayo was named Coach of the Year after leading the Highlanders to the program's first 20-win season in Division I.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.