Jaden Matingou scored 12 of his game-high 19 points in the second half as the University of Hawaii beat Hawaii Pacific 89-60 in an exhibition game Sunday at Bankoh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center that unveiled an entirely new team of Rainbow Warrior basketball players.
Four other Rainbows also scored in double figures.
“We were just focused on our process,” said Matingou, a 6-foot-3 transfer from Point Loma University in San Diego. “My teammates were finding me in great spots.”
Hawaii coach Eran Ganot described Matingou as “one of the two or three fastest guys I’ve coached.”
The ’Bows have just two returnees from the team that won last season’s Big West Tournament and appeared in the NCAA Tournament. Senior guard Isaiah Kerr averaged 6.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 31 games off the bench. Graduate transfer point guard Tanner Cuff missed all of last year with a preseason injury.
Kerr did not play, but Cuff scored five points and his brother, Tiger Cuff, scored 12.
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“This was a unique game for us,” Ganot said. “Every single player was new. They did a good job of sharing.”
Tanner Cuff led UH with four assists, and all 10 Rainbows who played had at least one.
Nemanja Sarenac led the Division II Sharks with 18 points — all on 3-point shots.
The Rainbows never trailed after Tanner Cuff hit a 3-pointer to put UH ahead, 11-10, at less than five minutes into the game. That started a 17-3 run, featuring eight low-post points from 6-foot-11 Bol Dengdit, who finished with 14 points.
Zack Davidson scored 11 of his 15 points and Chance Trujillo had 10 of his 16 as UH led 46-34 at halftime. The first half ended with a frantic exchange of successful bombs — two by Sarenac and two by Trujillo.
“We definitely want to push the pace, but knew we couldn’t hang with them giving up 46 in the first half,” HPU coach Jesse Nakanishi said. “Too many mistakes, too many turnovers (10 in each half). But it’s a good barometer to see where we are. … They’ve got a lot of talent, even though they were shorthanded a little bit. Lot of respect and I’m excited to see how they do.”
UH shot 60.4% from the floor, including 58.3% on 3-pointers.
HPU matched UH in rebounding, with 25 for each team. The Sharks’ Will Woodward was game-high with eight and Davidson led the ‘Bows with six.
“Give them credit,” Ganot said. “We have a lot of respect for the all of the coaches and student-athletes in Hawaii.”
In addition to Kerr, the Rainbows played without 6-foot-10 center Dan Houran and 6-foot-7 forward Manie Joses.
The Rainbows erased any doubt of the outcome with a 20-0 run midway through the second half that featured three Tiger Cuff 3-pointers and was completed with a dunk by Dengdit that made the score 76-45.
Although happy with his team’s offense, Ganot said the ‘Bows “can’t play like we did next Monday” and expect to beat visiting Seattle in the season-opener.
He was asked if defense or rebounding needs the most work.
“Both,” Ganot said.
Marino Dubravcic added 12 points for the Sharks, while Avi Halpert and Woodward each scored 10.
Five points from Woodward helped HPU to a 10-5 start.
Hawaii was picked to finish sixth in its first season in the Mountain West in a poll announced Oct. 7 at the conference’s media day.
HPU resumes play at the Hoops in Hawaii Tip-off Classic, opening play Friday against St. Edward’s University (Texas) at Chaminade’s McCabe Gymnasium.