We had this as a rumor last night – it has been made official this afternoon…
Eran Ganot has been named the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman announced during a press conference Thursday.
“We are pleased to welcome Eran Ganot as he returns to the University of Hawai’i,” Bley-Vroman said. “Eran is known for his work ethic, integrity and dedication to the game. He understands the importance of our team to the people of Hawai’i. I am confident in his experience in coaching winning teams, recruiting and helping student-athletes to grow and succeed.”
Ganot is the 21st head coach of the men’s basketball program. At 33 years old, he is the second youngest to lead the Rainbow Warriors, Bruce O’Neil was 28 years old when he hired and began his four year head coaching career at UH (1973-76).
A former UH assistant coach, Ganot returns to Manoa from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif., where he served most recently as the associate head coach; earning runner-up in the West Coast Conference (WCC) standings; making an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT); and ending the season with a 21-10 record.
“This is a dream job and a dream destination of mine,” Ganot said. “From the very first time I arrived, I knew this state and the University was a special place which I’m very fond of and consider this place home. I’m excited to return to the islands and help direct the program through some very challenging times. I’m thankful for all my mentors, including coaches Randy Bennett, Riley Wallace, and Bob Nash, for helping me get to this point. I will do my very best to represent this program the right way on and off the court and in the classroom.”
At St. Mary’s, Ganot coordinated all recruiting and scouting efforts and was responsible for game scheduling. In 2013-14, he served as acting head coach for five games and tallied a 3-2 record.
Since his return to SMC in 2010-11, the Gaels have earned a record of 124-44 (73.8 winning percentage), and have been among the nation’s most consistently successful teams. During the five-year span at SMC, the Gaels made two NCAA appearances, three NIT appearances and won at least 21 games each season—including a three-year stretch in which they notched 25 wins each year.
Also during his tenure, the Gaels captured two regular-season WCC titles; appeared in the WCC Tournament championship game each year prior to this season; and claimed two conference Players of the Year—both players were coached in Ganot’s position group.
In the last five years, Ganot has coached the guards and coordinating an offense that ranked in the top 10 in points per possession and top 15 in rebound margin. He has shown a true gift for developing players while at SMC. Under his tutelage, guard Matthew Dellavedova became SMC’s all-time leader in scoring, assists, games played, free throw percentage and three-point shots; was named first team all-WCC three times; and was the 2012 WCC Player of the Year. Dellavedova was also a finalist for the 2012 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award and continued his basketball career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Under Ganot’s guidance, point guard Mickey McConnell also earned first team all-WCC honors and was named the 2011 WCC Player of the Year. He is currently playing in Germany after appearing for the NBA D-League’s Texas Legends last season. McConnell was named Most Valuable Player of the 2010 WCC Tournament.
Most recently, Ganot guided Kerry Carter (2015) and Steve Holt (2014) to all-WCC first team honors, with Carter also earning a spot on the WCC All-Academic Team.
Ganot arrived at Saint Mary’s after spending four seasons (2006-10) at UH, starting out as director of basketball operations and then earning promotion to full-time assistant coach by then-coach Bob Nash after just one season. Seen as a rising star in the coaching ranks, Ganot stood out for his tireless work ethic, basketball insight and devotion to the UH program. During his first stint with the Rainbow Warriors, Ganot was responsible for recruiting, scheduling, opponent scouting and player development.
With a coaching emphasis on the UH guards, Ganot guided the development of 2008-09 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) second team all-District 6 and second team all-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) player Roderick Flemings.
As UH’s director of basketball operations, Ganot coordinated team travel, prepared the scout team and assisted with recruiting, scheduling and film exchange, while also handling the day-to-day operation of the basketball office.
Prior to UH, Ganot spent his first three years (2003-06) as a volunteer assistant at Saint Mary’s under head coach Randy Bennett. Ganot was responsible for overseeing academics and assisted with scheduling and recruiting. He also coordinated film exchange and video breakdown. The Gaels went 61-33, at the time, the best three-year record in school history and twice appeared in the WCC Championship game during his stay. The 2004-05 squad finished 25-9 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for just the fourth time in school history.
http://www.hawaiiathletics.com/news/2015/4/9/MBB_0409152735.aspx?path=mbball
Photo Courtesy Hawaii Athletics
