University of Hawai’i men’s basketball head coach Eran Ganot announced the promotion of three staff members for the upcoming season. John Montgomery has been elevated to associate head coach, while Dominic Drury becomes the director of basketball operations and Gibson Johnson the director of player development.
Montgomery enters his seventh season with the Rainbow Warriors and is the longest-tenured assistant with the program, having joined Ganot’s inaugural staff in 2015-16. In that inaugural season, Montgomery helped guide the team to a school-best 28-6 record, both the Big West regular-season and tournament titles, and the program’s first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament. In the season’s that have followed – excluding last year’s COVID-shortened season – he has helped the team to an average of nearly 19 wins per season.
“We’re so grateful for all that John does for our program, on and off the court,” Ganot said. “He’s been incredibly impactful and has worn many hats throughout the years. He pours everything into our student-athletes to make sure their experience is top-notch. John has immense knowledge of the game and our program and does his business in a low-key and professional manner. We couldn’t be happier to see him rewarded for his efforts. A future head coach, no question.”
During his time at UH, Montgomery has overseen both the wings and post players, directed the team’s rebounding and defensive schemes and has served as the program’s recruiting coordinator. He has mentored multiple all-conference players at UH, including Aaron Valdez, Noah Allen and Zigmars Raimo and has helped recruit numerous others, highlighted by Eddie Stansberry and most recently, Casdon Jardine. Montgomery will continue to work with the post players and serve as the defensive coordinator, while taking on a broader leadership role as associate head coach.
Meanwhile, Drury will take on the role of director of operations after serving as an assistant to that position the last two years. This will mark Drury’s fourth season with the program. The Saint Mary’s graduate initially joined UH in 2018 as a graduate manager. Drury will oversee an array of areas, including scheduling, academics, compliance, fundraising, community service and the day-to-day operations of the program.
“Dominic has been the consummate team player for us,” Ganot said. “He performs a lot of the tasks that go unnoticed, yet are critical to the success of our program. He has always gone above and beyond to make sure that we are operating in a professional and efficient manner and that our student-athletes are well taken care of and on task. It’s been great to see his continued growth over the years.”
Johnson, a former standout player for the Rainbow Warriors, will fill the newly created director of player development position. The Utah native served as a graduate manager the last two seasons. In his new role, Johnson will help foster the growth of UH’s student-athletes both on and off the court. He will also work in a number of other areas, including alumni relations, marketing, team nutrition, strength and conditioning, scouting and recruiting.
“Gibson is the ultimate competitor,” Ganot said, “and we were so happy to bring him back on staff several years ago. Not surprisingly, he has performed at a high level since then. Simply put, he has made us better and has a very bright future. His passion for Hawai’i and UH are evident everyday.”
Hawaii Men’s Basketball Staff Update
