Five players to watch for on fresh-faced HPU squad

HONOLULU – Success and the winds of change.

The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team claimed a spot in the NCAA Tournament (Division II) for the third time in program history last season, capping off a thrilling campaign that began with a road victory over Boise State with an invite to the national dance for the first time since 2017 and third time ever.

It was a good time to cash in, seeing the majority of the rotation graduating at season’s end while All-PacWest second-team guard Quentin Meza hit the portal after one year in the islands and returned home to Utah to play at Westminster (D2).

The Sharks still return a half-dozen players from that postseason run for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign but hit the portal hard to replace more than 75% of their scoring output from last year. In total, nine players joined the six returners via the portal and high school class.

With so many new faces on the roster, here are five guys to keep a tab on ahead of HPU’s quest to go dancing in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.

G Evan Kilminster – Transfer via USCB

From one side of the United States to the other, Kilminster comes to the islands for his final year of eligibility after a 2nd-team all-conference season for the University of South Carolina-Beaufort. The Australian guard led the Sand Sharks with 13.2 points and 4.1 assists per game across 29 starts and shot 40% from 3-point range last year, competing in a conference that produced the national runner-up in Lander.

HPU will likely look to Kilminster to pick up some of the scoring and playmaking slack left on the table after the departure of last year’s starting point guard Quentin Meza. With a sturdy 6-foot-3 frame, the former Division I prospect does provide a bigger option at the lead guard spot than previous seasons have presented for Nakanishi’s squads.

G Avi Halpert – Returner

In a college basketball environment filled with change, Halpert is one of the few constants remaining for HPU and enters his senior campaign as the longest-tenured Shark on the roster. The shifty guard has played a variety of roles in his two years in the islands, starting 42 of the 59 games he’s appeared in before shifting to a heavier bench role while serving as a team captain last season.

Avi Halpert (8) drives down the floor against the University of Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

With multiple question marks surrounding the chances left behind by graduation and the portal, Halpert could take a step forward (or just continue) his HPU career averages of 7.9 points and 2.8 assists to greatly assist Jesse Nakanishi’s new-look group set an early foundation with a productive piece. He’ll also vie for the starting point guard gig again, though he also showed last season that he has the ability to provide a playmaker off the bench if needed.

G Nemanja Sarenac – Returner

A quiet breakout candidate, Sarenac showed off his sweet shooting stroke in his first year for Hawaii Pacific as he finished top 10 in the PacWest in 3-pointers made (60) and top 5 in overall 3-point percentage (38.2%) while playing under 20 minutes per game last season. He drilled over 40% from distance during conference play alone and ripped off a nine-game stretch of making two or more 3-pointers from late January into the middle of February.

Poised to continue playing fast and free offensively in his second year in the system, Sarenac could become the top 3-point sniper in the entire PacWest. With multiple playmakers and scorers playing alongside of him, the 6-foot-5 Serbian guard will find himself with plenty of opportunity to let it fly and change games entirely from behind the arc.

G Keonjay Carter – Transfer via Roberts Wesleyan

Another high-character guy with talent, Carter was a co-captain last year for the Redhawks as he averaged 11.6 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting just under 38% from long range. He had arguably his best performance of the year in a loss against Daemen (who went 33-2 and made the Elite Eight before falling to Lander) with a 25-point outburst on 7-for-11 shooting while getting to the free throw line 10 times.

A creative and confident playmaker, Carter could shift into a role similar to what Sharks fans saw with former guard Tyrease Terrell as a guy with range that extends a few feet beyond the arc that still can force defenses to respect the threat of him attacking off the dribble. The 6-foot-2 guard does attack the basket at a higher clip than Terrell did and has the touch around the rim to make it count when he’s in a rhythm.

F Eric Ahlers II – Transfer via Husson

Can lighting strike twice for the Sharks? Much like the now-graduated Joshua West before he came to the islands, Ahlers was a Division III star that showed mastery of the level. The 6-foot-5 wing was selected as a All-Northern Atlantic Conference 1st-teamer after averaging 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists last year for the Husson Eagles, adding 14 double-doubles to his ledger before portaling as a graduate transfer.

After 14 outings with 20+ points last season and a season-high of 35, Ahlers has shown the propensity to put the ball in the bucket. He, too, will get the chance at snatching scoring responsibilities for HPU while looking to bring a toughness on the glass from the wing spot.