Hawaii men’s basketball’s Cotton thrilled to be able to let if fly

For eight uninterrupted minutes, Hawaii basketball wing Matt Cotton took shot after shot after shot during a post-practice session in SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.

From the top of the key, from the wings, from the corner, and back to top of the key, Cotton fired away — all with a flowing left-handed motion, all launched from behind the arc.

It was a drill Cotton could not perform 18 months ago.

“Not at all,” said Cotton, who suffered a torn rotator cuff in his left (shooting) shoulder during the middle of Yale’s 2021-22 season. “I ended up getting surgery.”

His hope of being able to perform shooting drills in the summer of 2022 never materialized. “I thought I would be able to shoot by June (2022),” he said. “I couldn’t shoot at all. I couldn’t shoot until September or October (2022).”

It then was decided he would suit up for games and travel with Yale, but not play in 2022-23, his senior year. Because the Ivy League limits players to four years, Cotton could not claim a medical hardship that would allow him an extra year. He entered the transfer portal, accepted UH’s scholarship offer, and then earned a degree in economics from Yale this past May.

At UH, where last season’s medical hardship was approved by the NCAA, Cotton has emerged as a starting wing in what essentially is a three-guard lineup. At 6-5, Cotton can hit shots deep (five 3s against UT Rio Grande Valley) and on drives (54.5%), and can defend three positions.

“I love being able to play with the other four starters,” said Cotton, who will make his seventh start today when the 5-1 ’Bows play host to Central Arkansas. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.

The ’Bows’ five-game winning streak to open the season ended with Thursday’s loss to Utah at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

“I’m excited for this game,” Cotton said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to bounce back after a tough loss at Utah. We’re going to come out aggressive and ready to play. I’m excited to take the court at home after being away for 10 days. It’ll be nice to be at home. It’s another great opportunity to play basketball.”

This will be the sixth road game for 1-8 Central Arkansas, which played at Loyola Marymount on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

“We do have to play a lot of road games,” UCA coach Anthony Boone said. “It gets a little wearisome. But it’s what we have to do, and the guys get accustomed to it. I think they handle it pretty good.”

The Bears have been without star point guard Camren Hunter, who suffered a season-ending foot injury days ahead of the opener. Johannes Kirsipuu, a 6-2 sophomore from Estonia, has started at the point in the first nine games. Javion Guy-King, a 6-6 freshman, also has run the read-and-react motion offense.

“These guys have been able to gain some valuable experience that we think will suit us well once we get down the stretch into our conference play,” Boone said.

Last year, the Bears ran the nation’s 10th-fastest offense, averaging 15.7 seconds per possession. Without Hunter, the tempo has slowed slightly to 16.4 seconds this season.

The Bears rely mostly on man-to-man schemes to defend opponents.

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NCAA men’s basketball

At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center

>> Who: Central Arkansas (1-8) vs. Hawaii (5-1)

>> When: Today, 5 p.m.

>> TV: Spectrum Sports

>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM