Basketball coach Eran Ganot and the University of Hawaii have agreed in principle on a contract extension, the parties acknowledged this week. ADVERTISING Basketball coach Eran Ganot and the University of Hawaii have agreed in principle on a contract extension,
Basketball coach Eran Ganot and the University of Hawaii have agreed in principle on a contract extension, the parties acknowledged this week.
Athletic director David Matlin confirmed the agreement but declined to discuss specifics pending execution of the contract.
“It is not done yet. We’re having discussions, I’ll leave it at that for now,” Matlin said.
“I think we’re waiting on (final) execution,” Ganot said.
When completed, the new deal is expected to take Ganot through at least the 2020-21 season.
Ganot was due a raise under terms of his original deal, which was also extended through 2020 following his 2015-16 inaugural season. He was set to make approximately $240,000 plus bonuses.
UH won the Big West championship and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament that year, going a program-record 28-6. However, almost all players on the title team departed in the ensuing offseason.
The program played under the cloud of NCAA sanctions — a remnant of the tenure of fired former coach Gib Arnold — for most of the 2016-17 season and did not get relief on an appeal of its postseason ban until days prior to the Big West tournament. UH went one-and-done with a loss to Long Beach State, concluding the season at 14-16.
Ganot is 42-22 in two seasons at UH.
“My heart — and my family’s heart — is here,” Ganot said. “I think we have a lot of unfinished business. It is a partnership (and) I look forward to being here a long time.”
Matlin said, “I think if you have good coaches you are always talking and thinking about what you can do.”
UH, with its scholarship allotment restored to the full 13 by the NCAA, recently concluded its recruiting for the 2017-18 season.
On Sunday the Star-Advertiser reported the ‘Bows secured a verbal commitment from Australian center Mate Colina, bringing the number of newcomers to five. Colina will join the team at the semester break.
