This Friday at 6 p.m. HT will mark the debut of “Countdown to Tipoff,” a one-hour pregame show that will air before University of Hawaii men’s basketball home games and broadcast live just outside the Stan Sheriff Center.
Presented by the Rainbow Warrior Basketball Club, “Countdown to Tipoff” will be hosted by ESPN Honolulu’s Josh Pacheco and local basketball legend Derrick Low. The program will include game previews and analysis, college basketball score updates, and interviews with past UH players and coaches.
“With the success of our ‘Countdown to Kickoff’ show for UH football and ‘Rainbow Wahine Countdown’ for UH women’s volleyball, ‘Countdown to Tipoff’ is a natural extension of our commitment to UH Athletics and our local sports community,” said Matt Apana, General Manager of ESPN Honolulu. “We hope to enhance the fan experience by providing additional insights and gameday content centered around UH basketball. Also, we think it’s a fitting way to help commemorate the University’s 100th season of Rainbow Warrior Basketball.”
“I’m excited to join the ESPN Honolulu team as a co-host for this pregame show,” said Low, a three-time State Player of the Year who helped lead Iolani to three state championships. “I look forward to working with Josh and giving my insights on the team throughout the season.”
After graduating from Iolani, Low attended Washington State University, where he was twice named to the Pac-10 All-Conference Team. He later played professionally in Australia, France, Lithuania, Israel, Ukraine, Turkey and Romania. Low is currently the Owner and President of PROformance Hawaii, a Honolulu-based basketball academy.
The 2019-20 campaign will mark the 100th season in University of Hawai’i men’s basketball history and the program will celebrate the milestone with a number of events, promotions, and social media polls throughout the year. Former UH greats will serve as honorary captains and UH’s rich basketball history will be recognized at each home game. Three home dates in particular will help commemorate UH’s centennial season.
Fabulous 5 Night: Friday, November 29 vs USF
- UH will pay homage to one of the most beloved eras in UH sports.
- The 1971 & ’72 teams won 47 games and lost only eight during a two-year period that resulted in the program’s first berths in the NIT and NCAA postseason tournaments. Powering those teams was the “Fabulous Five” of Al Davis, Jerome Freeman, Dwight Holiday, Bob Nash, and John Penebacker.
- Numerous members of those teams will be on hand and fans will have a chance to meet and greet them with an autograph session following the game.
100th Season Game: Saturday, January 25 vs. UC Davis
- UH will honor its past with its largest gathering of alumni of the season.
- Special halftime recognition of UH’s postseason teams.
- Rainbow retro jerseys will be worn by the 2019-20 squad during the game.
- All UH alumni will receive 50 percent off tickets.
Jersey Retirement: Saturday, Feb. 15 vs. UC Irvine
- Bob Nash will be UH’s first-ever men’s basketball player to have his jersey retired.
- Nash dedicated 31 years of his life to the Hawai’i men’s basketball program, including two as a member of the famed “Fabulous Five” of the 1970s, 26 years as an assistant coach and three years as a head coach at UH.
- After setting numerous records at UH including single-game, single-season and career rebounding records that still stand, Nash was selected ninth overall in the 1972 NBA Draft, the highest UH draft pick in program history at the time.