
via Avi Halpert on X.com
Hawai’i Pacific adds to backcourt with sharpshooting JUCO point guard
BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED AUGUST 22, 2024
HONOLULU – At the buzzer!
The Hawai’i Pacific University men’s basketball program made one final addition to the roster before the 2024-25 season on Wednesday, gaining the commitment of standout guard Avi Halpert. The sophomore guard will join the program with three years of eligibility remaining after spending his freshman season with Moorpark College at the JUCO level.
Halpert proved to have a sweet shooting touch in his first season at the college level, drilling over 40 percent of his 3-point attempts while averaging 18.3 points per night across 28 games for Moorpark College. Comfortable in the pick-and-roll, the guard dished out 5.1 assists per game last year while posting an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.7 – which would have tied him for second among all players in the PacWest in 2023-24 (with HPU’s Diggy Winbush, ironically).
The 5-foot-11 guard is expected to compete for significant minutes right away, joining the Sharks after an injury to Winbush put the 2024 All-PacWest selection’s season in doubt. Halpert becomes a late addition to the 2024 offseason recruiting class for HPU, joining a signing class of five other players (4 college transfers, 1 high school).
Hawai’i Pacific is looking to build off of a 3rd place finish in the PacWest during the regular season and a quarterfinal exit from the conference tournament in 2024 with a cast of fresh faces joining the majority of the core of last year’s unit. Follow along with all the action on the Hawai’i Sports Radio Network, the home for HPU Sharks athletics.
Extremely excited to announce my commitment to join Coach Nak and Hawaii Pacific University pic.twitter.com/Kdg3jHNg4p
— Avi Halpert (@HalpertAvi) August 21, 2024
Report: Hawaii F Isaac Finlinson intends to enter transfer portal
HONOLULU – Winds of change keep blowing into the islands. Hawaii forward Isaac Finlinson will enter the transfer portal when it opens on April 7, his agent Daniel Poneman told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello on Friday morning. The 6-foot-8 sharpshooter...
Despite loss, HPU Baseball shows promise ahead of busy April
They didn’t come away with the upset win to send shockwaves across the state — but for a stretch — the Hawai’i Pacific University Sharks smelt blood in the water. The HPU Baseball team fell short to the University of Hawai’i Wednesday night in a...
Report: Hawaii G Aaron Hunkin-Claytor intends to enter transfer portal
HONOLULU – Let the music begin. Just under two weeks ahead of college basketball’s annual game of musical chairs starting for the 2026 cycle, the University of Hawai’i found out their point guard from this past season would be joining the...
New Culture, New Standard: HPU Women’s Basketball Builds Its Foundation on Sharks Weekly
This week’s Sharks Weekly highlighted a Hawai‘i Pacific University Women’s Basketball program in transition—one not defined by its record, but by the foundation being built under first-year head coach Brent Gibson. Joined by student-athletes Jaylen...
Moanalua Cruises Past Kaiser 46-13, Improves to 4-0 in OIA Girls Flag Football
The defending OIA champions from Moanalua continued their strong start to the season Wednesday evening, rolling past Kaiser 46-13 in OIA girls flag football action. Nā Menehune improved to a perfect 4-0 on the year, showcasing the same form that...
Inouye earns first save with Hawaii, shuts down former team in 4-1 win
MANOA — Redemption came full circle for Ryan Inouye on Wednesday night. The right-handed side-arm pitcher recorded his first save with the University of Hawaiʻi, closing out a 4-1 victory at Les Murakami Stadium over his former team — Hawaiʻi...
Waianae keeps it rolling with win over rival Nanakuli, 26-14
Kawena-Lynn Kaluna had herself a game. The Wai’anae sophomore quarterback threw two touchdown passes and added two more scores on the ground to power the Seariders to a 26-14 win at Nanakuli Tuesday night. Wai’anae improved to 2-0 with the win...
HPU take series opener over Chaminade with fast start, 11-7
WAIPAHU — The Hawaiʻi Pacific University baseball team wasted no time getting back on track. Tyler Arnold’s one-out solo home run in the bottom of the first ignited a seven-run inning as the Sharks defeated Chaminade 11-7 in the Pacific West...
Dillon Gabriel gives back with upgrades for Mililani baseball
MILILANI — Dillon Gabriel is continuing his long-standing commitment to giving back to his alma mater, unveiling a newly renovated baseball clubhouse and locker room at Mililani High School last Saturday. The project marks the sixth consecutive...
Hawaii edges Long Beach State in five sets on night one
The last time the University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team beat Long Beach State inside the Pyramid, most of the current roster hadn’t entered middle school yet. That changed on Friday night as No. 3 Hawai’i (18-3, 1-0 Big West) opened the...



