HONOLULU — The new-look Hawaii men’s basketball team brought back an old tradition: an Outrigger Rainbow Classic championship.
The Rainbow Warriors, comprised of a rotation of imported players and promoted returnees, cobbled together three wins in four days to open the 2024-25 season, capped with Monday night’s 76-66 victory over Pacific of the West Coast Conference.
[Note: See below for more photos of Hawaii-Pacific basketball.]
UH attained its 16th all-time Rainbow Classic title, and first since 2017, in the 58th edition of the tournament in front of a Veterans Day crowd of 2,390 (4,313 tickets issued).
Marcus Greene, a transfer from Houston Christian, came off the bench and scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half to key a rally from six points down. The 6-foot-2 guard grabbed seven hard-fought rebounds.
"It feels great to be able to play my first three games at home and be able to bring our fans a championship," said Greene, who came from a team that was 6-23 last year. "So, that’s amazing. It’s one of the reasons I was excited to come out here. We got a lot of traditions, a lot of camaraderie."
UH showed progression from its two preseason exhibitions against local Division II teams Hawaii Hilo and Chaminade, in which the Rainbow Warriors could barely keep a handle on the ball and had to sweat out victories in the final minutes.
"We’re growing. Sometimes there’s no simulator better than live reps," UH coach Eran Ganot said. "Some you gotta win when it’s clean, and when it’s a little uglier. Today was more of a hard-hat, blue-collar day, and guys stepped up when we needed them to."
Tournament MVP Tanner Christensen, a center from Utah Tech, followed up Sunday’s 20-point game against San Jose State with 14 points, seven rebounds and a rejection of Elias Ralph’s baseline driving dunk attempt in the final minutes. Xavier transfer Gytis Nemeiksa supplied 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
Between Greene and Nemeiksa, UH won the bench points statistic 44-6 — an huge factor in the outcome as starters from both teams experienced foul trouble.
"We had incredible bench support the last two games," Ganot said. "All three games showed the impact of the team, the depth of the team, whether it’s guys out (with a hand injury) like a Ryan Rapp, or guys in foul trouble. Or maybe some guys having a day where they miss some shots.
"Sacrifice is part of this whole deal. They don’t complain, they’re just ready to go."
Christensen, Greene and guard Tom Beattie (10 points) made the all-tournament team for UH while guard Elijah Fisher (game-high 21 points, 13-for-17 free throws) and forward Ralph (17 points, eight rebounds) were representatives for Pacific. Donovan Yap Jr. was named for San Jose State, which routed NAIA Life Pacific 93-56 in the first game Monday.
Pacific had its chances to stay with UH in the nightcap, but missed several chip shots and free throws and UH steadily built its lead down the stretch.
Neither team could connect from 3-point range. The Tigers were only 2-for-13 and UH 3-for-17 from deep.
Greene played nearly 36 minutes off the bench as starting guards Beattie and Kody Williams encountered early foul trouble. He, too, couldn't buy a basket from deep (0-for-5) — instead, he did his best work on pull-ups and leaners. He was 6-for-7 inside the arc, and made all six of his free-throw attempts.
"They were really getting up into pressure, being in deny spots. Fanning out to the guys," Greene said. "So, it just opened up the court for lanes to attack. Instead of last game a lot of the times, they converged on me, so it was kick-off dunks to Tanner. Today my shot just opened up and I was able to hit ‘em."
Said Nemeiksa, "He’s that player. When he gets the ball, he can score every possession if he wants to. That was his night."
Nemeiksa, meanwhile, put in 11 points in the first half on 4-for-6 shooting. While starting power forward Harry Rouhliadeff had it going against SJSU on Sunday, Nemeiksa earned starter's minutes (31) playing behind him Monday.
"I’m good with whatever role I need to play," said the Lithuanian, who hails from the same city, Kaunas, as former Rainbow Warrior Mindaugas Burneika, a notable sixth man on the 2001-02 NCAA Tournament team. "If that night I need to cheer up for my teammates, I’m going to cheer as loud as I can. That night I’m feeling I can score, I will score. If I feel I can rebound, I will rebound. I’ll do whatever I feel can make my team win. That’s all that matters."
UH trailed 37-35 at intermission and fell behind by six early in the second half but Greene ignited UH with consecutive baskets to tie it and then take the lead with 14:33 remaining. Fisher tied it up for the last time at 44-all, and when Pacific eked within 56-55, Nemeiksa had a big putback, Christensen hit four straight 1-and-1 free throws and Greene made a pull-up 2 to run the lead to nine.
It got no closer than seven from there.
Pacific shot just 37.7% to UH's 48.1%.
Behind Green and Nemeiksa, Hawaii won the bench points statistic 44-6.
Former UH assistant coach Senque Carey is in his first year at Pacific (3-1) under first-year coach Dave Smart. Smart, one of the greatest college coaches in Canadian history who inherited a Pacific program that went 6-26 last year, spoke to his team at length in the visitors locker room after the game and was not interviewed by Spectrum News.
UH resumes action at 5 p.m. Sunday against Weber State of the Big Sky Conference.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.