HONOLULU — The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team produced a furious rally but the Rainbow Warriors were ultimately turned back in a 73-68 loss to Georgia Tech in the semifinals of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic on Friday night at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
 
UH erased a 21-point second-half deficit to send the crowd at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center into a frenzy. But the Yellow Jackets (8-3) held on to deny UH an opportunity to claim a second straight Diamond Head Classic title. 
 
Georgia Tech defeated the Rainbow Warriors (8-3) for the second time in the tournament. Georgia Tech also defeated UH, 70-53, in the third-place game of the 2019 edition.
 
The Yellow Jackets, winners of four straight games, advance to the title game where they will face Nevada at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 24. UH will take on TCU at 1:30 p.m. in a battle for third place.  
 
UH guard JoVon McClanahan posted season highs of 19 points and eight assists with one turnover. As a team, the ‘Bows committed a season-low four turnovers. 
 
Forward Bernardo da Silva posted 17 points and forward Justin McKoy contributed 11 points and seven rebounds. 
 
Georgia Tech forward Baye Ndongo led the Yellow Jackets with a game-high 22 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out. Guards Naithan George and Miles Kelly finished with 14 points each.
 
The Yellow Jackets built a 46-28 rebounding advantage and 15 offensive rebounds contributed to a 19-10 edge in second-chance points. 
 
After the first five minutes of action, Georgia Tech clung to a 12-11 lead. But the Yellow Jackets then went on an 11-1 run to take their first double-digit lead of the game. UH cut the deficit back down to single digits, but Georgia Tech reeled off eight answered points to end the half and take a 43-27 lead at the break. 
 
McClanahan was the UH offense in the first half having his hand in nine of UH’s first 10 field goals, generating 11 points and five assists. But UH shot just 35 percent in the first half and were out-rebounded 23-9.
 
UH faced its largest deficit of the season when Georgia Tech opened up a 47-29 lead early in the second half and the Yellow Jackets extended the lead to 52-31 on George’s 3-pointer at the 16:24 mark of the second half. Georgia Tech went the next 10 minutes without a field goal, going 0 for 12 in that span, and Hawaii charged back with a 20-1 run. Harry Rouhliadeff converted a three-point play then drained a 3-pointer in the UH surge and UH closed to 54-53 on Juan Munoz’s driving layup. 
 
UH took its first lead of the game at 59-58 when da Silva hit both ends of a one-and-one with 4:35 left. The lead lasted 16 seconds before Ndongo pushed Georgia Tech ahead again with back-to-back layups. UH got to within two on two McClanahan free throws with 2:17 left, but the Yellow Jackets held on to advance to the title game and UH fell to 1-5 in the DHC semifinal round.
 

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