Hawaii Warrior World

Formerly about Rainbow Warriors basketball, but now covering all University of Hawaii sports.

About the blog host

Brian McInnis has covered sports on Oahu full time since 2007, when he joined the Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff as a general reporter. He was the UH basketball beat writer from the 2008-09 season through 2017-18. Follow him on twitter @Brian_McInnis

Latest news

Hawaii men’s volleyball: Player interviews after reverse sweep of No. 2 BYU

By Brian McInnis on March 7, 2020

Thursday night’s meeting between No. 1 Hawaii and No. 2 BYU was stunning. Who expected the Rainbow Warriors to be dispatched with such ease by the visiting Cougars? Friday night’s rematch was jaw-dropping in its own right, as UH rallied from a two-set hole, minus one of its leading attackers in Colton Cowell, to stun the last remaining unbeaten team in the country with a 20-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 19-17 reverse sweep in front of a sellout crowd at the […]

Hawaii basketball: Saturday seeding scenarios for Rainbow Warriors, Wahine

By Brian McInnis on March 6, 2020

Both the Hawaii men’s and women’s basketball teams have multiple scenarios heading into the final day of their regular seasons on Saturday. Up-and-down play by UH and some jumbled standings have made for uncertain seedings and matchups in the Big West tournament in Anaheim (and also at Long Beach State in the case of the women). Here’s how the standings look heading into Saturday’s games — at Cal State Northridge for the men (17-12, 8-7 Big West) and at home, senior […]

Hawaii men’s volleyball: Rainbow Warriors look to mitigate Gabi Garcia Fernandez in BYU rematch

By Brian McInnis on March 6, 2020

There were a multitude of reasons why No. 1 Hawaii got swept out of its own building by No. 2 BYU on Thursday night. Swagger — or lack thereof. A predictable attack by Rado Parapunov and Colton Cowell. A sluggish defense. And difficulties in serve-receive. A big factor in that last part was BYU junior opposite Gabi Garcia Fernandez, whose blistering serves yielded a eight aces and set the tone for the Cougars (17-0) in setting the UH opponent record for […]

Hawaii women’s basketball: Rainbow Wahine have another adjustment to make

By Brian McInnis on March 5, 2020

Ninety-four points in one game. Eighteen 3-pointers in another. The Hawaii women’s basketball team turned heads by unleashing a fun-and-gun offense in January, yielding some gaudy numbers. The Rainbow Wahine followed that up with a six-game win streak that lasted through mid-February. It turns it out may have been a little too much attention. Teams have game-planned to emphasize limiting quality 3-point looks for the Wahine — the latest case being Wednesday night’s 57-56 tough loss at the buzzer to […]

Hawaii men’s volleyball: Tickets going steadily for matchups with No. 2 BYU

By Brian McInnis on March 3, 2020

This week’s marquee matchups between the top two men’s volleyball teams in the nation have become hot tickets. A UH spokesperson said as of Tuesday afternoon there were roughly 6,500 tickets issued for Thursday’s 7 p.m. match and about 8,800 issued for Friday’s 7 p.m. rematch. That would leave about 3,800 left for Thursday and 1,500 left for Friday. They are the biggest men’s volleyball matches at the Sheriff since UH conquered rival Long Beach State in front of a […]

Hawaii men’s basketball: Somber senior night celebration for Eddie Stansberry, Zigmars Raimo after loss to UC Riverside

By Brian McInnis on February 29, 2020

Senior nights have not gone the way of the Hawaii men’s basketball team of late. Saturday night’s 49-43 loss to UC Riverside was the Rainbow Warriors’ third straight downer of a result in home finales. UH had its chances, as the teams swapped the lead down the stretch until the Highlanders (16-15, 6-9 Big West) came away with the better late-game execution and points down the stretch. >> PHOTO GALLERY: HAWAII VS. UC RIVERSIDE With the loss, UH (16-12, 7-7) […]

Hawaii men’s basketball: Tournament MVPs Carl English, Aaron Valdes reacquaint themselves with islands

By Brian McInnis on February 28, 2020

Carl English never got a senior season with the Hawaii basketball team. Saturday night will be the next-best thing for the recently retired Canadian great, as he will be the honorary game captain when the Rainbow Warriors take on UC Riverside on senior night at the Stan Sheriff Center. English, like Thursday’s game captain Aaron Valdes, is a former conference tournament most valuable player who made a notable return to the islands this week. While Valdes has made periodic trips […]

Hawaii men’s basketball: Rainbow Warriors turn over new leaf against Cal State Fullerton

By Brian McInnis on February 27, 2020

Hawaii’s first attempt at a small-ball lineup didn’t go so well on Thursday night. The quicker lineup — UH started three guards, and two quicker post players — quickly fell behind Cal State Fullerton. UH reverted to its larger lineup after a few minutes, but that, too, was at first only marginally effective. Some honest-to-goodness fullcourt pressure, though? That did the trick in igniting the Rainbow Warriors back in the game, and ultimately to a 70-59 win over the Titans […]

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