One day after the announced signings of three big men for the future, three of the current big men for the University of Hawai’i proved their worth in a season-opening 82-70 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday night.
The inside trio of Gibson Johnson, Jack Purchase and Mike Thomas combined for 56 points on 17-for-30 shooting, 18 rebounds and 14 of the team’s 20 assists in the victory, which was part of the opening night of the three-day Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic.
“They set the tone,” head coach Eran Ganot said. “That’s 14 assists and two turnovers between those three returning frontcourt players.