Hawai’i secures JUCO National Player of the Year Ike Finlinson

HONOLULU – Loading up on snipers. 

Former Snow College forward Isaac “Ike” Finlinson announced his commitment to the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball program on Friday, becoming the fifth transfer member of the Rainbow Warriors’ 2025 recruiting class. The 6-foot-8 redshirt sophomore led the Badgers in scoring last season with a team-high 18.7 points per game and shot 38.5% from 3-point range as he knocked down 65 triples. 

“I’m super excited to get out there and get to work,” Finlinson said in a phone interview with HSRN. “I’ve been visiting the islands since I was a kid on vacation, and I can’t wait to take my game to the next level while I’m out there.” 

Finlinson was named the 2025 NJCAA (D1), NABC and JUCO Jam National Player of the Year after helping the Badgers to the winningest season in program history, securing a 32-2 record and the nation’s top ranking for multiple weeks. The forward became the first player in Snow program history to earn all three honors and immediately injects an elite shooting touch to next year’s UH rotation. 

Hawai’i struggled from long range last season, ranking among the bottom three in the conference in both 3-point percentage (32%) and total 3-pointers made (203). Kody Williams led UH with 36 makes from behind the arc and Gytis Nemeikša fired away the most from deep with 100 tries. Finlinson’s 65 made 3-pointers and 169 attempts from last year would have each led Hawai’i’s entire team by a wide margin. 

Finlinson chose the Rainbow Warriors over multiple other options, including UC San Diego, Oakland and Southern Illinois. The nation’s top JUCO player visited the Golden Grizzlies and SIU before dropping into the islands earlier this week to check out the UH facilities and meet with the coaching staff face-to-face. 

“I kept saying to myself how [becoming a Rainbow Warrior] was right, how it felt like picking Hawai’i was the right decision,” Finlinson said when asked about the days immediately after the visit. “My relationship with the staff was big and so was the fact that I think we can compete for a Big West championship next year.” 

The Dixie High School (UT) alum began his college career at Utah Tech in 2022, crossing paths with current UH assistant coach Gibson Johnson before being forced to redshirt due to a back injury that limited him to two games. Finlinson ended up transferring to Snow College after the lone year with the Trailblazers and appeared in 64 games (46 starts) across two seasons as his development took off. 

“Going to Snow was one of the best decisions I ever made,” the forward said of his former program. “A fresh start while going somewhere totally new, I tried to get better every day and competed as hard as I could [at Snow], and the coaches helped me every time I asked what I needed to improve. We were able to do some special things together and I’m thankful for my time there.” 

Finlinson joins Hunter Erickson, Tanner Cuff, Isaac Johnson and Dre Bullock as additions to the Rainbow Warrior roster via transfer. Three-star prep guard Hunter Carter is the sixth member of UH’s recruiting class, leaving four spots open still open after Tom Beattie and Kody Williams announced their intentions to transfer. 

The forward will have two years of eligibility remaining and see the program’s transition from the Big West to the Mountain West. Finlinson said that going to the higher profile conference during his time with UH was an added bonus to his commitment but did not play a major factor in his decision-making process. 

You can stay up to date on the latest in Hawai’i men’s basketball recruiting news with HSRN’s “UH Men’s Basketball 2025 Recruiting Tracker” or by following Paul Brecht on X/Twitter, @12brecht.