It began in the rafters of the Stan Sheriff Center and soon spread to the lower bowl, becoming an audible tsunami by the time it reached the courtside VIP seats:

"Gheeeee! Gheeeee!"

With some statement-making blocks and, get this, even a notion to take the occasional outside jumper, University of Hawai'i forward Ahmet Gueye (pronounced: ghee) became a household name in his new home yesterday.

Such status was conferred as Gueye blocked four shots and snared a game-high eight rebounds, not to mention scoring 12 points, to set the tenor for the Rainbow Warriors' Western Athletic Conference opener, a 69-59 victory over Utah State.

Gueye reintroduced himself with authority to the team that a year ago had fought a down-to-signing-date recruiting battle for his services with a put-back shot and muscling inside for another basket in the first three minutes. But it would be a resounding rejection of Cass Matheus' ill-conceived shot 3 minutes, 27 seconds into the contest that ignited the matinee gathering of 5,103.

By halftime the 6-foot-7, 225-pound Gueye had made an additional example of Matheus and the Aggies had wisely taken attention to alter some shots.

Just as suddenly, six games into his UH career, the Senegal native via Salt Lake (Utah) Community College has quickly found a role — and a following for the 4-2 'Bows.

What might have been Gueye's best all-around performance, including 6-of-9 shooting from the field, did not go unrecognized or rewarded. "It was good to hear the crowd get behind him like that," said Riley Wallace, the UH head coach. "He deserved it. It is good for him and, knowing how hard he works, it won't go to his head."

If the thumping force with which Gueye rejected shots and ferocity with which he fought for rebounds was music to Wallace's ears, so, too, were the chants of the assembled fans to the at first disbelieving intended recipient.

"I thought I heard my name but I wasn't too sure but my teammates were saying, 'they're saying your name,' " Gueye said. "That was really nice. I appreciated it. It made me want to play harder."

Not that Gueye or Matt Lojeski, the 'Bows' game-high scorer with 20 points, lacked for inspiration, playing against a team that had recruited them and against some old acquaintances.

Because he knew the players and the system so well, Gueye took it upon himself to yell out to his teammates the plays the Aggies were sign-flashing from the bench. It was why, Gueye hoarsely said after the game, that he was losing his voice.

Not that it mattered this day. Gueye's performance — and the crowd's enthusiastic recognition of it — said it all for him.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.