Smith and Thomas win new awards at banquet

Along the way to making history during the 2015-16 season, the University of Hawai’i basketball team also had to understand the history of the program it was taking to new heights.

First-year head coach Eran Ganot emphasized it during the season, and did it again during the team’s Awards Banquet on Thursday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.

In addition to the traditional annual awards, two new awards were presented this year, in honor of two historical names from the program’s past.

Senior guard Quincy Smith won the inaugural Riley Wallace Leadership Award – created in honor of the winningest coach in UH program history. Junior forward Mike Thomas won the Bob Nash Hustle…