Like any good craftsman, UH-Hilo’s men’s basketball team got what figures to be its hardest work out of the way early.
Denhym Brooke made a go-ahead three-point play with 27.6 seconds remaining Friday night, and the Vulcans forced 26 more turnovers to earn their first upper-echelon Pacific West Conference victory of the season, 64-60 against Azusa Pacific at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
“We just ran the play like we were supposed to, and it opened right up,” Brooke said of his layup.
After Brooke put UHH in front, Jordan Graves came up with the Vuls’ 12th steal and Larry Bush made a free throw to make it a two-possession game.
“We just locked down and did what we had to do,” Brooke said.
UHH (9-8, 7-6 Pacific West Conference) moved back above .500 with its second consecutive win and has three more games on the homestand from which to work with.
None of the remaining teams — beginning with Biola on Monday — bring the resume of the Cougars (14-9, 11-5), who saw their five-game winning streak snapped.
“We talked about getting over the hump against the best teams in this conference,” coach GE Coleman said in a school release. “I thought we played Point Loma and Concordia tough, but this was satisfying to finally get the win tonight against a very good team.”
The Vulcans, who remained a full game ahead of sixth-place Academy of Art for the final spot in the conference tournament nine games to play, received balanced scoring. Larry Bush led the way with 14 points, and Brooke and Cleo Cain each added 11 as the Vuls used their pressure defense to overcome 36.4 percent shooting and a disparity in free throw shooting.
Selom Mawugbe, a 6-foot-9 forward, was a handful for Azusa, scoring 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting with nine rebounds and four blocks.
The Cougars were 16 of 23 from the free throw line, and the Vuls were 8 of 11, but Azusa was just 4 of 19 from 3-point range. The Cougars average 10 3s a contest.
“Before the game, I told our guys that we could let them score all that they wanted inside, but we weren’t going to let them beat us from the 3-point line,” Coleman said. “We had one small lapse early in the second half, but otherwise we defended them very well and made them uncomfortable all night.”
The Vuls led by eight at the half, but they watched the Cougars open the second half on a 16-4 run.
The final three-plus minutes were back and forth.
Bush’s 3-pointer with 3:18 remaining, brought the Vuls to within 56-55. Noah Bundrant drove the lane for layup for Azusa, but Brooke answered with two free throws.
After UHH forced a traveling call, the Vuls were caught napping and turned the ball over themselves after a held ball gave the ball Azusa, which promptly fouled on its inbounds play.
James Griffin’s 3-pointer put UHH in front, but after the Vuls forced a stop, Ben Taufahema’s steal and layup tied it 60-60 with 43.5 remaining.
“We hadn’t faced a zone (defense) all year,” Coleman said. “They gave us some trouble for about 15 minutes, but we kind of grinded it out and found a way and started getting the ball in the middle of the zone.”
Kupaa Harrison chipped in with nine points and seven rebounds and Griffin had nine points and eight assists.
The Vuls were at their havoc-forcing best in the first half, forcing 16 turnovers to lead 34-26 at the break.
UHH shot in 37.8 percent in the first half – 5 of 12 from – 3-point range and was outrebounded 23-14, but its pressure defense allowed the Vuls to get 0ff 15 more shots.
With the clock under 30 seconds, Coleman called for the Vuls to hold the ball for a final shot, but Cleo Cain had better a ideas, sinking a quick 3-pointer.
That allowed Coleman a chance to smile.
Everyone, including the crowd of 503, was smiling at the end.
• Women, Azusa Pacific 77, UHH 62The No. 25 Cougars put up 30 points in the first quarter and rebounded from their first conference loss to win for the 15th time in 16 games.
Allie Navarette led the Vulcans (5-12, 2-11) with 16 points and Patience Taylor had 13. Maddie Beck was also in double figures with 10, and Malia Lee nearly had the first double-double of her career with nine points and a collegiate-high 11 rebounds.