The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team began six weeks of fall practice on Monday ahead of the 2026-27 season opener on November 2.
"We've had some time with them in the summer, and then we added some pieces towards the end of the summer. We had some time with them, a four week fall session to prepare for first practice. But today, I say it every year. Today's a celebration. That the season's getting closer, but also, that you get more time to work with them, and that's what it's all about. The guys have done a good job," head coach
Eran Ganot said.
The Rainbow Warriors will look to build on an outstanding 2025-26 season that saw them go 24-9 and reach their sixth ever NCAA Tournament appearance and first appearance since 2016.
The reigning Big West champions won't have a chance to defend their crown, as Hawaii joined the Mountain West Conference as a full-time member this past offseason. Instead the 'Bows will look to conquer a new crown in the Mountain West.
"The Big West had a little bit of everything; played big, played with a lot of tempo. We saw different styles," Ganot said. "We have some familiarity with the Mountain West. We played some of their teams in non-conference. I always say it's unique to go into a new league where you're rekindling old rivalries. You'll see big teams in the Mountain West. You'll see small teams, slow down teams, up-tempo teams, like anything else, you have to be prepared for all. You want to have a team that can play multiple styles. But the blueprint for us will always be the same. Team above all."
UH will have to do it without some key pieces from last year's tournament run. The 'Bows lost their top six scorers from a season ago in
Isaac Johnson,
Dre Bullock,
Harry Rouhliadeff, Gytis Nemeikša,
Isaac Finlinson and
Hunter Erickson. Those players alone accounted for 81% of the UH's offensive production.
Ganot and the coaching staff will instead be tasked with getting an entirely new group of players up to speed. The Rainbow Warriors added nine players through the transfer portal in Jaden Mantingou,
Chance Trujillo,
Kellen Hampton,
Houran Dan,
Marcus Adams Jr.,
Manie Joses,
Zack Davidson and
Bol Dengdit. UH also added three players with overseas professional experience in
Lueth Awan,
Maidy Douglas and Aloïs Leyrolles. The 'Bows rounded out the roster with a pair of freshmen in
Scotty Belnap and
Tiger Cuff, both of whom returned from two-year church missions overseas.
"You got, really, 14 new players," Ganot said. "(Tanner) Cuff didn't play on the floor with us last year, but he is back. So your mission is to get this group of so many new faces together, as quick as you can, without losing kind of who you are, and finding a balance there. This summer, I think one of the things was one, continue to bring in good people, which we feel like we've done. Number two, simplify our stuff. And number three, throw them into the fire. So you can see where their talents are. You can see how quickly they can pick things up."
Tanner Cuff and
Isaiah Kerr, the lone returnees from last year, will be leaned on to guide the new players.
"We've worked hard to build a really good culture. We also are humble enough to know that that can go away quick. And when you have so many new faces, you have to kind of reestablish that. You lean on (Isaiah) and Cuff, who've been here. We have a staff who's been here. The guys who were here this summer to study that and understand it, and then the guys we've added since, to learn from them. The best part of culture really is, the older guys show the younger guys the way, the younger guys become the older guys and pay it forward, and that's harder today. So it's on us to reestablish that," Ganot said.
The Rainbow Warriors will make their Mountain West debut on Jan 2 as they travel to San Jose State to kick off the conference slate.
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