“Men’s Basketball Clips: Hilo is late to the exhibition launch”

HILO, Hawaii – In a thrilling game, the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warrior basketball team defeated UH Hilo, 64-61, on Friday night at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. Tanner Christensen's three-point play with four seconds left broke a deadlock and led UH to victory in its first exhibition contest of the year.

UH and UHH played a close game throughout, with neither team leading by more than seven points. But the new-look Bows scored the final five points of the game to secure a victory in their first contest on the Big Island in more than a dozen years.

Xavier transfer Gytis Nemeikša led UH with 14 points off the bench, while Christensen finished with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Tom Beattie added 12 points and six assists for the Bows.

UH shot 53 percent in the game, but struggled with 24 turnovers and foul trouble that sent the Vulcan to the line 22 times. But UHH converted just 12 of those attempts, including two key misses down the stretch.

The Vulcans got off to a fast start, scoring seven of the first eight points of the game. UHH maintained the lead for most of the first half as UH wasn't able to take its first lead until six minutes in when Beattie hit a layup to give the Bows a 24-23 lead.

Hilo responded with six straight points to take a 29-24 lead with five minutes left. However, UH went on a 10-2 run in the final 3:31 of the half to take a 34-31 lead at halftime. Nemeiska scored six of his eight points in the first half during this run and spurred the Bows on.

The second half remained tight. The Bows had a 42-37 lead at the 16:50 mark, but the Vulcans scored seven unanswered points to take the lead. For the rest of the way the gap was no more than three on either side.

UHH was poised for a win with a two-point lead (61-59) and went to the free throw line with less than a minute left. But Nadjrick Peat, who led the Vulcans with 12 points, failed to capitalize on two attempts. UH tied the game with two free throws from Beattie with 46 seconds left and then got a defensive stop to set up the final offensive possession, where Christensen converted a layup and a subsequent free throw. Hilo's desperate halfcourt heave went wide as the buzzer rang.

The Rainbow Warriors will travel to the Neighbor Islands once again when they face Chaminade in a women's exhibition doubleheader on Saturday, November 2nd at the Kamehameha-Maui campus in Pukalani. The doubleheader with free entry begins at 2:00 p.m. for the women and at 5:00 p.m. for the men. There will also be a Keiki Clinic the day before, Friday, November 1st at Lahainaluna High School. Further information can be found here Here.

 

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