Happy New Year? The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team surely expects one, after ending 2024 on a very positive note.
The Warriors, who lost their top six scorers from last season due to graduation and the transfer portal, have started this 2024-25 campaign with an impressive 8-4 record heading into a full slate of Big West Conference games the rest of the way.
The mix of seven newcomers with several young returnees has worked out as well as could be expected, and that has given the team high hopes for league play.
“We had been immune from the new faces over the years that other people had been going through, so in a lot of ways I wish we were further along (at this point), but in a lot of ways I’m proud of our new guys for sticking together and going through the adversity and getting better,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “I think we’re still a work in progress. Our team has done a really nice job on the glass, but we’ve been inconsistent taking care of the ball. We’ve defended the 3 well, but when teams have gotten 3-point attempts up, they’ve shot it well.
“Our guys are still getting comfortable, we are further along. We’ve had some ups and downs already, we’ve had guys in and out, foul trouble, different lineups. Traditionally we’ve had more rhythm to our rotations, and this year it’s been more inconsistent. But credit to our guys for stepping up when their number is called.”
One of the newcomers who has stepped up — whether in a starting role, or coming off the bench — is senior forward Gytis Nemeiksa, a 6-foot-8 transfer from Xavier. Nemeiksa leads the team in scoring (14.7 points per game) and rebounding (6.8 rpg), and was named to the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team after pouring in a career-high 25 points and grabbing 11 boards on Christmas Day to help the Warriors squeeze past Oakland, 73-70, in overtime for third place.
And along with the statistics, Nemeiksa has brought grit and toughness and an active game that often seems to put him near the ball.
“Gytis didn’t have one of his better days (against Nebraska), and then comes back (against Oakland) and right off the bat, sets the tone,” Ganot said. “They start to focus in on him a little bit more, then Tanner (Christensen) has a better second half.
“As the (new) guys get comfortable, their instincts will shine. They’re learning a new system, and they’re learning each other. Both takes some time. But they’ve got such great attitudes.”
Nemeiksa said his reaction to an off night against Nebraska (1 point, four rebounds, 1 block) was to play harder against Oakland.
“I just came ready to fire, ready to give all of myself,” Nemeiksa said. “I had a tough game (the night before), so I just wanted to get back on track and play as hard as I can. I’m trying to play how they are allowing me to play. If they are fouling me, I will get to the line and try to make my free throws. If they are allowing me to shoot 3’s, I’m gonna shoot 3’s. If they are allowing me to get rebounds, I will get rebounds. Whatever it takes to get a win, I will do that.”
Ganot said while the players have worked hard so far and are beginning to jell, there is still more work to be done as the Big West Conference resumes league play this week. UH, which lost its Big West opener at Long Beach State on Dec. 7, plays host to UC Santa Barbara (8-5, 0-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
“The guys deserved to enjoy and spend time with their families and loved ones, they’ve been sacrificing a lot,” Ganot said. “We finished Finals week, (and went) right into (the Diamond Head Classic). There was a lot going on. We had a couple days to recharge the batteries, and then get back to work. We need to keep getting better.
“I’m just really proud of our guys for continuing to stay in it, and continuing to evolve. They need to continue to have that, because we need to keep getting better.”