Hawaii men’s basketball: Paul George carries memories of Sheriff Center
When Paul George played at Fresno State in the late 2000s, both the Bulldogs and Hawaii struggled to contend in the Western Athletic Conference.
UH and FSU, longtime conference rivals, actually made pretty good opponents for each other. Bob Nash’s ‘Bows had an explosive talent in Roderick Flemings and Fresno State had one of its own in a youngster named Paul George. But both squads struggled to make that translate into team success.
>> VIDEO, PHOTOS OF CLIPPERS CAMP AT UH
The only time George, now an NBA superstar, ever played at the Stan Sheriff Center, UH got the best of that battle, 69-43, on Feb. 5, 2009. George shot 3-for-13 and finished with 13 points.
The Rainbows beat the Bulldogs on the road that year too, but fell to them in the play-in round of the conference tournament. Fresno swept UH home-and-home the next year, George’s sophomore season, although he missed the game at the Sheriff in 2010 with a sprained ankle.
He went on to be drafted No. 10 overall by the Indiana Pacers and has six all-star selections since. He’s coming off an All-NBA first-team season in which he averaged a career-high 28.0 points for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Unfortunately, George, now of the Los Angeles Clippers, won’t be playing in this week’s two exhibitions at the Sheriff while he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. His superstar teammate Kawhi Leonard is expected to join him on the sidelines.
After Tuesday’s opening practice of training camp in Honolulu, Paul was gracious enough to offer his memories of his time playing here as a visitor a decade ago, though.
The @LAClippers Paul George won’t play in this week’s two exhibitions in Honolulu, but he shared his recollections of his college days playing against #HawaiiMBB in the Stan Sheriff Center with Fresno State a decade ago. pic.twitter.com/VuuGwDfgl6
— Brian McInnis (@Brian_McInnis) October 2, 2019
For his two-year career, George averaged 14.5 points against UH in four meetings. His closing effort, a 21-point, nine-rebound, six-assist performance in a 78-64 FSU win at the Save Mart Center was his finest of the bunch.
UH coach Eran Ganot said in a text message he recalled preparing for George in the team’s scouting report of the Bulldogs when he was an assistant on Nash’s teams those years.
“Great to go against guys like that,” Ganot messaged. “Special.”
Ganot said he plans to take his Rainbow Warriors to see Thursday’s sold-out 7 p.m. contest against the Houston Rockets at the Sheriff.
For more on George, check out Wednesday’s print edition of the Star-Advertiser.
Hawaii basketball should be playing in the mountain west I miss those old rivals now in the mountain west
I think it’s just a matter of time before Ganot’s program starts to achieve some success and can start something similar to Football’s “Phase” incremental process. The “blueprint” seems to have been designed by June Jones (embracing the Hawaii “culture”) and enhanced further by Coach Rolovich. But Riley Wallace had a definite structure to his method that permeated toward his staff, players, recruits, and ultimately fans. Wasn’t always successful but was always competitive, and at times, on the cusp of something special.
Looks like Ganot seems to have figured out some of the characteristics that will define his University of Hawaii Men’s Basketball Program. “Multi Cultural”, unselfish, academic and respectful. Able to play physical, smart, with pretty good pace and savvy. I feel like this team has “chemistry” (with skillsets that complement each other’s) and appealing (personality wise and multi-culturally) likeability. Now just have to put things together and start winning. Starting to come together. Matter of time.