By Lance Tominaga, ESPN Honolulu Web Editor.
University of Hawaii men’s basketball has the spotlight on our latest edition of “Call the Coach.” Join head coach Eran Ganot and host Bobby Curran at Ruby Tuesday at the Moanalua Shopping Center this evening at 6:30 p.m. for a full hour of Rainbow Warriors hoops. Enjoy great food and drinks, win prizes and get the inside scoops on the UH program from Coach Ganot himself!
Of course, a big part of “Call the Coach” is calling in or texting your questions for the Coach (808-296-1420). Here are a few questions about this year’s team that I hope are brought up tonight:
- What is the status of center Bernardo Da Silva? The sophomore post player was impressive in the first three games of the season, averaging 15.3 points and eight rebounds per contest. A hand injury has kept him from playing since then. A healthy Da Silva would solidify Hawaii’s frontcourt both in the upcoming Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic and (more importantly) Big West Conference schedule.
- Is Noel Coleman emerging as the team’s go-to scorer? Coleman himself missed two games (and most of a third) with a hip injury, but his return to action last week against HPU was certainly eye-opening. Coleman scored a career-high 23 points (shooting 6-7 from beyond the arc). He is currently averaging 14.6 points per game. Clearly, the sophomore guard out of Belgium is stronger and more confident this season. Every successful team needs a go-to guy that can come up with points at crunch time. Could Coleman fit this role?
- Has JoVon McClanahan developed into the team’s top point guard? Coleman’s injury provided more extensive minutes for McClanahan, and the 5’10 sophomore has responded in a big way. Seeing limited action, McClanahan scored only seven points and recorded three assists and five turnovers in the first three contests. Pressed into the starting role, he’s since responded with 37 points, 28 assists and eight turnovers in four games. If he can continue to grow into his role, McClanahan won’t just be a contributor; he could be a weapon.
- Is this team too reliant on three-point shooting? As spectacular as Hawaii was against HPU – shooting 18 for 31 from three-point range (.581), that kind of marksmanship is likely one of those “once in a blue moon” things. The Rainbow Warriors have also had games where they shot 5-for-19, 7-for-24 and 6-for-24 from long distance. So far this season, 42.5% of Hawaii’s field goal attempts have been from beyond the arc. This is a good shooting team, but there is danger in relying on the three so much, especially when the team has effective post scorers like Mate Colina, Da Silva and Kamaka Hepa.