Kilminster’s 29 helps Hawaii Pacific push past Alaska Fairbanks

HONOLULU – Welcome back, Killa Kilminster.

The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team moved back above .500 on Friday night, using a 29-point explosion from fifth-year guard Evan Kilminster to cruise by Alaska Fairbanks on the first night of the 2026 Alaska/Hawaii Challenge in the islands, 74-58.

After earning All-Tournament team honors during the Hoops in Hawaii Tip-Off Classic, Kilminster missed the home opener against Northwest Indian College for the Sharks with an ankle injury. The USC-Beaufort transfer returned in a big way on Friday, playing 34 minutes in his return and scoring 17 of his 29 after halftime to help Hawaii Pacific pull away late.

Both squads struggled to find any offensive rhythm in the opening minutes, seeing a Friday the 13th shooting hex as the teams combined for five made shots on the first 25 shot attempts of the game. Alaska Fairbanks used a few trips to the free throw line and an early triple from Kellen Jedlicka to secure a 10-7 lead after eight minutes of action.

HPU countered with 11 of the next 18 points to grab an 18-17 advantage with just over five minutes left in the first half after back-to-back layups from Kilminster. The fifth-year guard continued to carry the otherwise lifeless Sharks offense down the stretch of the opening stanza, drilling a pair of triples before Keonjay Carter got in on the long-range fun to give the hosts a 29-23 lead heading into halftime.

Kilminster picked right up where he left off when play resumed, draining his third 3-pointer of the night before assisting on a Will Woodward layup that put the Sharks up by double figures two and a half minutes into the second half.

The Nanooks pulled back within five before the first media timeout of the second half, but HPU guard Avi Halpert hustled for an and-one finish in transition and dished a beautiful assist to a cutting Franciz Wai to extend the lead back to 10 for the Sharks just a minute later.

Alaska Fairbanks fought back again as Tyriq Luke and James Bodily took turns making 3-pointers over the next few possessions to make it a 50-47 game with under eight minutes left in regulation, but Halpert and Hawaii Pacific calmly responded with another run of their own to remain ahead.

Kilminster finished the job for the hosts, scoring 10 of his 29 points over the final five minutes to sink the Nanooks in the opening game of the annual Alaska/Hawaii Challenge.

Avi Halpert continued his hot start to his senior season with 12 points in 21 minutes for the Sharks, knocking down 2-of-4 attempts from behind the arc while going a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the win.

Will Woodward was the third and final player to finish in double figures for HPU, chipping in 11 points and six rebounds before fouling out after 31 minutes of work. It was the third straight game that the 6-foot-7 forward finished with 10 or more points and continued his streak of at least six rebounds in every game so far for the Sharks.

Alaska Fairbanks was led by senior guard James Bodily’s 21-point outing, seeing the former Idaho State guard drain four 3-pointers in his debut for the Nanooks. Davis Crilly, the reigning GNAC Player of the Week, was held to just four points by the Sharks as the 6-foot-6 wing misfired on all eight of his shots from the field in 32 minutes of action.

Hawaii Pacific will return to the floor on Saturday night to wrap up the 2026 Alaska/Hawaii Challenge, taking on Alaska Anchorage inside the Shark Tank with tip-off scheduled for 5 p.m. HT.