By Kenneth Cross
Hawaii guard Jovon McClanahan hit a three-pointer from about 30 feet with 0.9 seconds remaining to lift the Rainbow Warriors to the first Diamondhead Classic championship in team history in a 58-57 win over talented SMU.
McClanahan, who was the Diamond Head Classic MVP, dribbled the ball up the right side of the floor off an inbounds pass after a timeout. He crossed into the middle and launched over SMU guard Jalen Williams and forward Samuell Williamson, who had preceded the timeout by missing a front end of a one-and-one with five seconds remaining.
SMU’s Zhuric Phelps had also missed the front end of a first one-and-one just three seconds earlier. Then after a turnover by Hawaii’s Samuta Avea, the foul on the inbounds pass set up Williams at the line.
The Mustangs outscored Hawaii 17-6 over the last 5:29 of the first half when Phelps added nine of his game-high 20 points. SMU led for the entire second half until McClanahan’s heave provided the win.
Phelps led SMU with a game high of 20 points while Nutall followed with 15. Hawaii was led by 13 points from Bernardo da Silva. Beon RIley while Mor Seck came off the bench to join Noel Coleman with nine points each.
“This is a guy who is as good of a competitor as I’ve been around,” explained Hawaii head coach Eran Ganot in the postgame.
Utah State Downs Washington State For Third Place
Taylor Funk and Trevin Dorius scored 12 points each while Sean Bairstow and Max Shulga netted 11 to lead Utah State to an 82-73 win over Washington State.
The Aggies made 11-of-17 triples as Bairstow led the team in going 3-for-3 behind the three-point line.
Utah State took control of the game midway through the second half and held Washington State to 2-of-17 from the three-point line while scoring 20 points off of 13 Cougars’ turnovers.
Mouhamed Gueye led WSU with 22 points while TJ Bamba netted 19.
Joseph, Clayton Push Iona past Pepperdine
Nelly Joseph scored 20 points and Walter Clayton added 18 as the Iona Gaels won their second game of the Diamond Head Classic to finish fifth in a 76-66 win over Pepperdine.
Iona held the Waves to 39 percent while Joseph was 9-of-13 from the field and he led a Gaels offensive attack that shot 49.2 percent. Iona also made a miraculous 16-of-29 field goals (55.2%) in the second half.
Iona led 35-25 at halftime and Clayton scored nine points in the first 6:27 of the second half as the Gaels built their biggest lead at 55-36.
Pepperdine forward Maxwell Lewis led all scorers with 23 points and eight rebounds. He led the Waves in the paint as he made 10-of-12 free throws.
Seattle U 85, George Washington 67
Cameron Tyson led five Seattle U Redhawks in double figures with 20 points as the ‘Hawks defeated GW, 85-67, in the seventh place encounter in the Diamond Head Classic.
Seattle U took control of the game with a 15-0 run over 5:26 in the first half. The outburst allowed the Redhawks to take the lead at 41-19 when Viktor Rajković scored on a layup with 1:23 remaining in the first half.
The Redhawks outrebounded the Colonials, 48-27, and they also had a 17-4 advantage on the offensive glass where Seattle U outscored GW, 14-0, on the second chance opportunities.
Brendan Tyson lead George Washington with 19 points while freshman Maximus Edwards popped in 16.