Hawai’i survives Oakland in OT to take third in Diamond Head Classic

HONOLULU – Christmas time is the giving time – so why not an extra five minutes of hoops for fans? 

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team outlasted the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies in overtime on Wednesday afternoon, seeing leading scorer Gytis Nemeikša bounce back from a season-low scoring output on Monday to set a new career-high with 25 points and 11 rebounds in the third-place game to lift the Rainbow Warriors to a 73-70 win. 

Malcom Christie led the way for Oakland (4-9) with a game-high 27 points, hitting on seven of a tournament single-game record 22 three-point attempts in the loss for the Golden Grizzlies. The 6-foot-5 senior had an open look from three with five seconds left in overtime that would have tied it, but it clanked off the side iron before Nemeikša blocked Isaiah Jones’ last-second desperation heave to seal Oakland’s fate. 

It was the third game of the 2024 Diamond Head Classic to go to overtime, marking a new high for a single DHC tournament.

Nemeikša, who was held without a made field goal in Hawai’i’s semifinal loss to Nebraska, started the scoring with a calm jumper from the midrange. The Lithuanian forward scored the first 11 points of the night for the Rainbow Warriors (8-4) before heading to the bench with 12:23 left in the half for a breather and UH ahead, 11-9. 

After DQ Cole gave Oakland the lead, Jerome Palm became the first player not named Nemeikša to score for Hawai’i and set up a 6-2 run with Harry Rouhliadeff knocking in back-to-back short jumpers for a 17-14 lead with just over eight minutes before the break. Christie drilled a three out of the under-eight media timeout to knot the game at 17 before Nemeikša returned from the bench, immediately picking back up with another four points to return the advantage to UH. 

Helped by the defensive focus shifted to Nemeikša, Ryan Rapp and Tanner Christensen each closed the half with a flurry while Marcus Greene hit on a three-pointer for the sixth consecutive game to help the Rainbow Warriors go into the locker room leading by seven, 32-25. 

Hawai’i stumbled out of the break, turning it over twice while seeing Oakland rattle off the first nine points of the second half to push ahead, 34-32. The slow start to the half prompted a switch to freshman Aaron Hunkin-Claytor in the backcourt, helping the Rainbow Warriors pull back in front with under 13 minutes to play, 40-34. 

Oakland again had the response as Christie drilled back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 40, getting fouled on the second and hitting the free throw after to put the Golden Grizzlies up one. Despite a monstrous reverse jam by UH’s Christensen right after Christie’s four-point play, Oakland retained the momentum as the visitors out of the Horizon League rattled off a 13-4 run to take an eight-point lead with 7:46 left in regulation.

Hawai’i punched back with 13 of the next 16 points before Christie’s sixth three of the game gave the Golden Grizzlies a 60-59 lead with 1:37 left to play. Nemeikša split a pair of free throws to knot the game at 60 before Tuburu Naivalurua got a pair of tough finishes to go on consecutive possessions to give Oakland a 64-62 lead with 27 seconds remaining. 

Hunkin-Claytor, who played the final 21 minutes of the game, attacked the rim as the seconds ticked down, seeing his game-tying try bounce off the rim but into the hands of Christensen, who was fouled on his putback attempt with four seconds left on the game clock. The 6-foot-10 center calmly cashed in both free throws, punching a ticket to an extra period to decide a winner. 

Hawai’i held a three-point lead twice in the overtime period on a pair of makes from distance by Rapp and Nemeikša, just the fourth and fifth hits from behind the arc since the opening tip for the Rainbow Warriors, only to see the lead disappear again as Christie knotted the game at 70 with his seventh and final three-pointer of the night. The Rainbow Warriors inched in front with a tip-in by Harry Rouhliadeff with 46 seconds left in the overtime, sending the Oakland bench into a frenzy wanting an offensive basket interference call. 

A stop on the other end and a Marcus Greene free throw gave a three-point cushion to UH with 18 seconds left, leaving one final chance for Oakland to tie and force an overtime themselves. An open look for Christie from the right corner clanked off the rim and Nemeikša blocked Isaiah Jones after the forward grabbed the miss to clinch the win for Hawai’i, 73-70. 

Tuburu Naivalurua added 13 points and eight rebounds in the loss for Oakland, hitting back-to-back baskets down the stretch of regulation to give the lead to the visitors but also committing three turnovers. Isaiah Jones chipped in eight points and five rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. 

Harry Rouhliadeff set a new career-high with 15 points off the bench, delivering timely bucket after timely bucket to help the Rainbow Warriors finish on the podium of teams for the final holiday season Diamond Head Classic. Aaron Hunkin-Claytor saw the most action of his young collegiate career with 28 minutes of action off the bench, including playing the final 16 minutes of regulation and the entirety of overtime, as he scored a point, grabbed four rebounds and dished out a team-high four assists.  

“It was really nice to play in front of the home crowd, especially on Christmas and in front of my family,” Hunkin-Claytor said of finally getting an opportunity at extended playing time. “I’ve been just waiting in practice; I’ve been playing hard. The teammates have always lifted me up, regardless of minutes or no minutes, and we all just lift each other up no matter what. They were ready for me to come in and take whatever [role] is needed.” 

Nebraska went on to win the 2024 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, taking down Oregon State in the championship game, 78-66. Brice Williams was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, joined by teammate Berke Büyüktencel on the All-Tournament team. Oregon State guard Demarco Minor also made the All-Tournament squad, which was filled out by College of Charleston guard Deywilk Tavarez and Hawai’i forward Gytis Nemeikša. 

Hawai’i returns to action in just over a week, hosting UC Santa Barbara on January 2 as Big West play kicks into full gear. The Rainbow Warriors lost their “Bold Week” game on December 7, the conference opener at Long Beach State, 76-68.