(Photo: Hawai’i Athletics)
December 17, 2019
Some things never seem to change. For the UH Rainbow Warriors basketball team, it was another Sunday game, another Sunday win, making the ‘Bows 3-1 on Sunday afternoons this year, if you’re keeping score. It was also another impressive performance from Steady Eddie, who scored 23 points in a 94-73 win over Samford. Stansberry was named Big West Player of the Week, and I’m confident he will get a few more by March. How about this for Steady, as in Stansberry – this was the 7th game out of 10 that Eddie has scored over 20 points, pretty amazing, pretty consistent. UH fans have been waiting for a dominant, consistent scoring threat from the outside. I believe we are witnessing that right now, and he wears number 3 in green and white.
I mentioned last week that i feel UH has potentially the best back-court in the Big West. The only problem with that is that there’s a drop off whenever Steady Eddie and Drew Buggs leaves the game. So far, both are averaging over 30 minutes a game, and Stansberry has played all 40 minutes three times this season. On Sundays we saw Drew get in early foul travel, he played a little over 29 minutes, and freshman guard Justin Webster filled in.
I will say that was Webster’s best offensive game of the year, with 15 points, including four 3 pointers. And he was adequate as a backup point guard. But collectively, the team didn’t execute as well without their leader Buggs in the game. Webster will continue to improve, he already has since October, but I think if UH is in a close game down the stretch, the difference between Buggs being in or out the game, could be the difference between winning or losing.
I do want to point out the great all around game Zigmars Raimo had vs Samford. Zigs only took 5 shots, but he had 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals. Did you catch that? 8 assists for the starting power forward! His passing skills are great and he’s making the right decisions with perfect placement on these passes. I liked the nastiness at times as well.
Can’t wait for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic this Sunday. I think UH will play Washington in one semifinal.
See you at the games!
By Gary Dickman
#GoBows