{"id":40571,"date":"2025-11-15T14:41:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T14:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/40571\/"},"modified":"2025-11-15T14:41:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T14:41:29","slug":"big-fish-johnson-hawaii-basketball-chomp-manhattan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/40571\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Big Fish’ Johnson, Hawaii basketball chomp Manhattan"},"content":{"rendered":"

HONOLULU \u2014 With each pantomimed bite, the Big Fish consumed more of the oxygen in the building.<\/p>\n

Isaac Johnson chomped his way into the hearts of the 2,349 people in the Stan Sheriff Center as the Hawaii men\u2019s basketball team swallowed up Manhattan, 86-56, on Day 2 of the Outrigger Rainbow Classic.<\/p>\n

The sublime 21-point second half by the 7-foot senior center from American Fork, Utah, included a pair of dunks and four 3-pointers. Each was accompanied by the same vertical biting motion with his lengthy outstretched arms.<\/p>\n

[Note: See below for more photos of Hawaii-Manhattan basketball.]<\/p>\n

A smattering of attendees returned the gesture after his first couple baskets of the period. By the end of the night, many in the arena\u2019s lower bowl had caught on.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the Big Fish chomp,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cIt\u2019s a little bit of a rebrand of the Gator chomp.\u201d<\/p>\n

After his 25-point, 11-rebound, two-block performance was complete, the Utah State transfer reflected on the origins of his nickname \u2014 an old moniker at American Fork High where he and a teammate both went by Fish. He was easily the taller of the two, so the size modifier was added.<\/p>\n

As for his signature celebration, he said: \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a staple from where I was at with Utah State with the (student section). It just kind of helps bring energy, gets the body (moving), some noise going. I think it\u2019s something fun that the kids and the rest of the crowd like, so hopefully we can make it a thing and I have more opportunities to do good so we can keep it going.\u201d<\/p>\n

UH (3-1) has registered three straight 30-point home blowouts and will go for the outright Rainbow Classic title against Utah Tech (2-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday. Should they win, it would be the Rainbow Warriors\u2019 17th title in the 59th edition of the longest-running early-season college hoops tournament in the country. Five have come since the formerly signature holiday tournament shifted to a four-team round-robin format in 2009, now marking the launch of a season or close to it.<\/p>\n

Johnson has been on successful teams; he was part of an NIT team his freshman season at Oregon and reached the NCAA Tournament in both his seasons at USU.<\/p>\n

He had the occasional big game as an Aggie \u2014 including a 19-point outing in a win against TCU in the first round of the 2024 Big Dance \u2014 but he went into the portal feeling \u201cdisrespected\u201d and like he had plenty to prove. He came to the Rainbow Warriors as one of six Division I transfers for 2025-26, and one of four newcomers from the Beehive State<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have one year left and I\u2019m not wasting it,\u201d he said. \u201cI know a lot of the (UH) guys feel the exact same way.\u201d<\/p>\n

He still salutes the raucous student section in Logan, with whom he enjoyed something of cult status, as the best in the country \u2014 something he hopes to replicate here. A milkshake flavor was named after him at the Utah-based burger and shake chain Arctic Circle.<\/p>\n

Johnson married his wife, Audrah, a USU women\u2019s volleyball player, back in Utah in June. She transferred to the Chaminade volleyball team this fall.<\/p>\n

He debuted the chomp during his starting lineup introduction for UH\u2019s preseason exhibitions, but Friday was really the first time it\u2019d been seen midgame at the Sheriff.<\/p>\n

Eran Ganot was struck early in the recruiting process by Johnson\u2019s goofy, flamboyant style. It was part of the package as \u201cBig Fish\u201d started doing the chomp after made 3-pointers in practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s calling me saying, \u2018Fish! You got Big Fish!\u2019\u201d the UH coach said. \u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018what\u2019s going on here?\u2019 \u2026 Over the years we\u2019ve called \u2018fishes\u2019 guys who don\u2019t defend. And so I said to him early, \u2018I\u2019m not calling you Fish.\u2019 But then, with the 700 Isaacs we have, and the fact that is your identity, I said, \u2018screw it, you\u2019re Fish,\u2019 and everybody knows the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hit a banked 3-pointer as part of a 13-point, eight-rebound debut in UH\u2019s one-point loss in the season opener at Oregon but had not converted another from long range until he pick-and-popped 5 minutes, 20 seconds into the second half Friday.<\/p>\n

From there, he kept popping, and kept converting.<\/p>\n

In between he threw down a tip dunk and an alley-oop from Aaron Hunkin-Claytor.<\/p>\n

\u201cFish has sacrificed in the post and rolling more,\u201d Ganot said. \u201cNow because they\u2019re playing for that, now the pops start to get open.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson contributed to a domination of the glass against the smaller Jaspers (2-2), whose shifty guards were run off the 3-point line and into trouble at the rim. UH went plus-20 on the backboards, including 15-6 at offensive end, leading to an 18-1 advantage in second-chance points.<\/p>\n

“Their length, I felt, bothered us. They\u2019re a great team. They showed it against Oregon,” Manhattan coach John Gallagher said. “They just make you attack the rim with their defensive concepts. We needed to stay poised around the rim and we rushed a lot of shots.”<\/p>\n

No member of Manhattan’s starting five scored more than six; forward Anthony Isaac was the only Jasper to gain traction off the bench with 17 points.<\/p>\n

Team captain and starting power forward Harry Rouhliadeff was knocked out of the game in the first half with an inadvertent hit to the upper body after he made a putback basket. He left the floor woozily with seven points and four boards and did not return to action, though he made it back to the team bench for the second half.<\/p>\n

\u201cTough break,\u201d Ganot said. \u201cHe\u2019s had too many of those where he gets hit in the head or near the head. We said, \u2018Hey, step up for (Tanner) Cuff<\/a>, step up for Harry right now.\u2019 And they\u2019ll do their part to get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isaac Finlinson suppled 14 points and seven boards in under 20 minutes off the bench and backup big man Yacine Toumi fouled out with 10 points and five boards in 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

Finlinson, staid by comparison, was glad the crowd got to see Johnson the way his teammates have in practice for months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone\u2019s playing well, showing emotion and getting the crowd into it, it\u2019s great,\u201d Finlinson said. \u201cThat was awesome for our momentum tonight. I think that\u2019s his new trademark here; I think everyone\u2019s catching along. He\u2019s been doing that for a while but I think everyone here knows that\u2019s his thing now. That was cool to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

UH will hold its Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser<\/a> in the Wong Hospitality Suite at the Stan Sheriff Center prior to its game.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hawaii center Isaac Johnson blocked a shot by Manhattan forward Anthony Isaac in the second half Friday. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Isaac Johnson flashed “3” after a 3-point basket. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Isaac Johnson stuck out his tongue after a bucket. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Manhattan guard Quron Elliott drove against UH. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Isaac Johnson, right, performed “the chomp” to fans at the Stan Sheriff Center. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii forward Jalen Myers put up a left-handed shot against Manhattan’s Erik Oliver-Bush. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Manhattan guard Devin Dinkins was met in the post by UH’s Aaron Hunkin-Claytor. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii’s Aaron Hunkin-Claytor (30) and Isaac Finlinson (6) collaborated on a basket. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Isaac Johnson chomped his arms as he made his way upcourt. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Manhattan guard Jaden Winston tried to drive past UH’s Hunter Erickson. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii forward Gytis Nemeiksa passed out of traffic in the paint. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii big men Isaac Johnson (20) and Harry Rouhliadeff (14) mixed it up with Manhattan in the paint. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii guard Hunter Erickson drove in for a layup. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii coach Eran Ganot, middle, and athletic trainer Frank Pena, left, attended to forward Harry Rouhliadeff after he was shaken up on a collision in the first half. He left the game and did not return. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii guard Isaiah Kerr went in for a layup. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Manhattan’s Erik Oliver-Bush dunked the ball over UH’s Gytis Nemeiksa. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii wing Dre Bullock drove for a shot against Manhattan’s Fraser Roxburgh (3). (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii point guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor threw a chest pass. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii center Isaac Johnson, right, looked for a shot against Manhattan’s Marko Ljubicic. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii coach Eran Ganot, left, and the UH coaching staff. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii wing Dre Bullocked flashed “3” after sinking a long-range shot. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Manhattan coach John Gallagher yelled instructions to his team. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii forward Harry Rouhliadeff put the ball on the floor on a drive. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii guard Isaiah Kerr went for a floater against Manhattan’s Anthony Isaac. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

Brian McInnis<\/a>\u00a0covers the state\u2019s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.\u00a0He can be reached at\u00a0brian.mcinnis@<\/a>charter.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HONOLULU \u2014 With each pantomimed bite, the Big Fish consumed more of the oxygen in the building. Isaac…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":40572,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[23513,11101,25,23514,12595,15745,75,84,83,9,24,63,319,27],"class_list":["post-40571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-manhattan","tag-app-college-sports","tag-app-sports","tag-app-top-stories","tag-brian-mcinnis","tag-college","tag-hawaii","tag-manhattan","tag-manhattan-headlines","tag-manhattan-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-sports","tag-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}