HONOLULU, Hawai`i—Sometimes little brother can be annoying.
The University of Hawaii Hilo pestered big brother Hawai`i all night, but long-range bombing from Eddie Stansberry in the second half was just enough to help keep the Vulcans at arms length as the Rainbow Warriors held on for a 82-75 win on Saturday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The game was officially an exhibition for the Vulcans, so their record remains the same at 3-3 overall. The Rainbow Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 5-4 on the year.
Kupaa Harrison had a complete game back on his home island with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
Larry Bush added 20 points and
Jalen Thompson had 16, hitting four-of-six from three-point range.
Stansberry had 19 to lead the Rainbow Warriors, hitting five treys—all them in the second half.
"Offensively, we played really well," said Vulcan head coach
GE Coleman after the game. "Our pressure on defense gave them some problems, but they adjusted well in the second half with shooters on the corners that didn't miss much. Coming into the game, we struggled on the boards, but we really made good progress with that tonight."
The Vulcans gave the Rainbow Warriors all that they could handle from the opening tip. Pressure defense and six three-pointers kept UH Hilo within distance the first 20 minutes. The Vulcans led at 6-2 after a Harrison three-pointer and again at 11-9 when Bush scored from long range.
Shortly thereafter, UHH leading scorer
James Griffin went down with an ankle injury and wouldn't return. Still, little brother (UHH) was within one point following another Bush basket (16-15) with 10:35 left, and a Thompson bucket kept it at one digit with 7:25 before intermission (20-19).
Hawai`i answered with a 9-1 run to take a 29-20 lead with 4:30 remaining, but Thompson buried a pair of three's before the half to help bring the Division II team to within six points at the half (37-31). Thompson, a freshman lefty, had 11 points at the break and Bush had 10.
The Rainbow Warriors took a nine-point lead early after the break, and
Jordan Graves left the game as well with an ankle injury (he would return later in the game). But the Vulcans battled back with a pair of Thompson baskets, and then a
Denhym Brooke steal and basket cut the margin to two points (43-41) and brought the Vulcan bench to its feet with 16:40 left.
A Harrison trey with 13:05 kept it a two-point game again (52-50), but Hawai`i countered, this time with an 8-0 run which included a pair of three-bombs from Stansberry. Hawai`i would never trail from there, pushing their lead up to 13. UH Hilo would make one more late run, cutting the deficit to six on a Bush basket, but Drew Buggs sealed it on a three-point play, just beating the shot clock with two minutes remaining. A Brocke Stepteau trey sealed the game moments later.
Hawaii had five players in double figures. Jack Purchase just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine boards. The Division I Rainbow Warriors rained in 11 treys (11-of-27), and had a narrow 31-27 rebound edge on their visitors.
The Vulcans shot 52 percent from the field, but shot only 61 percent from the free throw line (11-of-18).
The Vulcans will now return home to host powerhouse Western Oregon on Friday (Dec. 14). The Wolves, who finished 31-2 last year, will bring a three-game win streak to Hilo and a 6-1 record. Start time at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium will be noon.
