Hawai’i fights off Utah Tech, protects Rainbow Classic crown

HONOLULU – For the first time in more than two decades, the Rainbow Classic trophy will remain in the islands for consecutive seasons.

Playing for the third time in four days, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team wrapped up the 2025 OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic on Saturday night with a hard-fought 68-62 victory over Utah Tech (3-4), claiming the crown of the 59th edition of the country’s longest-running tournament.

Dre Bullock provided the lift for the Rainbow Warriors (4-1) as he dropped a season-high 23 points and electrified Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center with some jaw-dropping dunks on his way to All-Tournament team honors. The 6-foot-6 guard added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block while knocking down 7-of-12 from the field and going perfect at the free throw line.

“When the game got a little dull, he got the crowd going again with his explosiveness and his aggressiveness and his confidence,” head coach Eran Ganot said of Bullock after the game. “Biggest thing I’m proud of for him was the free throws, 8-for-8 late, really impressive.”

Isaac Johnson was selected as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after posting his second consecutive double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, including a key offensive board late that allowed the Rainbow Warriors to salt away the victory and claim the program’s 17th all-time Rainbow Classic title.

Hawai’i started quickly once again, knocking down five of the team’s first six shots to jump out to an 11-2 lead just over four minutes into the action.

“I thought it was really beautiful the first couple minutes,” Ganot said of UH’s start. “Then it was really kind of nasty for a while.”

After the hot open, the Rainbow Warriors went cold for the next five minutes as Utah Tech pulled back within four points, 13-9. UH responded in turn with an 8-2 run, going up by double figures for the first time all night with 7:40 left before halftime.

Each side traded stops and a few scores to close out the opening stanza, allowing UH to keep the Trailblazers at arm’s length going into the locker room behind a nice showing from Gytis Nemeikša. The Lithuanian forward started his first game of the year on Saturday night in place of the banged-up Harry Rouhliadeff and led Hawai’i with eight points and five rebounds at the break.

Bullock motored the hosts out of a mundane stretch that started the second half, driving the baseline and elevating for another tomahawk slam that delighted the growing Stan Sheriff Center crowd.

When asked what goes through his mind when he’s in the air for his stylish slams, Bullock simply chuckled in agreement as “Big Fish” jumped in to answer.

“Murder,” responded Johnson to the question. “That’s what’s going through [Dre’s] mind, whether it’s the rim or somebody underneath it.”

After returning the energy to the building, the crowd of more than 3,300 helped the hosts hold off Utah Tech’s second half surge. Despite getting as close as one with 3:08 to play, the Trailblazers never took the lead as Nemeikša worked free for a layup and Bullock came flying in for a tip-in as he was fouled to give UH a six-point cushion with 2 minutes left.

“Especially in a close game, the crowd is one of the deciding factors,” Johnson said of the impact of the home fans down the stretch. “When we have the fans behind us, as well as the 13 guys and the coaching staff, it’s hard to win [at the Stan Sheriff Center].”

“I thought the fanbase, they do an amazing job and it’s getting bigger so hopefully here in the next couple games, as the season progresses, we’ll make it into one of the hardest places to win in the country,” the senior center continued.

Bullock salted away the Rainbow Warriors’ fourth straight win at the free throw line, knocking down all six of his attempts at the charity stripe in the final minute.

Nemeikša finished as the third player in double figures for UH, posting 12 points and seven rebounds in place of Rouhliadeff in the starting lineup. The forward finished as a game-high plus-11 in 33 minutes of work despite dealing with foul trouble.

Ethan Potter paced the Trailblazers with 15 points and five rebounds in the loss, earning a spot on the All-Tournament team. Chance Trujillo, who played with current Rainbow Warrior Ike Finlinson last season at Snow College, also was selected to the All-Tournament team but was held to nine points on 3-of-7 shooting against UH.

Hawai’i returns to action next Thursday, November 20 for the fifth of 11 straight home games as Arizona State visits Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center before the Sun Devils head over to the Valley Isle for the 2025 Southwest Maui Invitational.