Beattie greeted by boos as Hawai’i holds off UC San Diego

Beattie greeted by boos as Hawai’i holds off UC San Diego

Feb 7, 2026

Hawaii G Hunter Erickson is guarded by former Rainbow Warrior Tom Beattie in UH’s win over UC San Diego. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Beattie greeted by boos as Hawai’i holds off UC San Diego

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 7, 2026

HONOLULU – Triton or traitor?

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team sent the second-largest home crowd of the season back to their cars happy on Saturday night, holding off old friend Tom Beattie and UC San Diego (16-9, 6-7 Big West) inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, 72-67. Senior Isaac Johnson led the way for the Rainbow Warriors with 20 points and nine rebounds, getting the hosts off to a much-needed hot start against the Tritons.

“We talked about it a lot leading up to the game, we had to throw the first punch,” said Johnson about UH’s mindset entering the night. “Almost got to it literally throwing a first punch, but basketball-wise, we came out with a hot start and then it seemed like we took our foot off the gas a little bit.”

The 7-footer came out guns blazing to begin, scoring nine of the first 11 points as Hawai’i raced out to an 11-0 lead less than three minutes into the action. His aggressiveness continued as other Rainbow Warriors struggled to get it going from the floor, helping keep the hosts ahead by nine nearly midway through the opening half.

“That was crucial, necessary for us to kind of send a message early,” Johnson continued. “It set a tone for the rest of the game, and we were ready to battle.”

Hawaii C Isaac Johnson gives an extra stare after a putback dunk in the first half against UC San Diego. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

The battle spilled over into being of special interest to the 4,842 fans in attendance with 8:50 left before halftime as Gytis Nemeikša and UCSD junior guard Tom Beattie got tangled up and shared a few words back and forth, causing Beattie to clap and smile at Nemeikša before being greeted by vociferous boos by the Hawai’i fanbase.

“After that moment with Tom Beattie, I got heated,” Nemeikša said unprompted about the moment with his former teammate. “I just really wanted to win this game. That’s all.”

The game took on a different tone after the Nemo-Beattie moment as the crowd took it upon themselves to defend Nemeikša while taking their opportunity to voice their displeasure with the in-conference defector, booing Beattie every time he touched the ball for the rest of the night.

“I was really happy when the crowd started booing him when he had the ball,” Nemeikša grinned when asked about the fan reaction for the rest of the night. “Thank you for the crowd.”

With fans engaged and both teams battling, Hawai’i clung to a two-point advantage going into the locker room despite shooting just 2-for-13 from distance.

Beattie helped swing the score in the Tritons’ favor when play resumed, draining a three from the left side after starting the second half with a twisting layup through defenders, holding a finger up to his lips to shush the booing crowd as the visitors ticked ahead, 37-36.

The UCSD lead grew as large as five with 13:34 to play as the Rainbow Warriors dragged through a three-minute scoring drought before Nemeikša and junior forward Ike Finlinson had a pair of and-one finishes for the hosts to pull within a pair.

The tough finishes got the hosts going as Finlinson followed it up by connecting from the left corner for his lone triple of the night, putting Hawai’i back ahead with 10:05 left to play, 50-49.

The UH defense locked in to allow just one made field goal over the next seven and a half minutes, allowing the Rainbow Warriors to extend the advantage back to 10 behind a pair of big threes from Harry Rouhliadeff and Hunter Erickson as the clock ticked under three minutes remaining in regulation.

“We had some [bad shots], and we had some forcing the issue against their defense,” head coach Eran Ganot said of the offensive woes to begin the second half. “At the forefront, we have to play with confidence, some swag, belief. So, Ike started that, he hits the three in the corner … a paint touch and Harry hits a big one. Obviously, we got a late clock three from Hunter Erickson. We’re going to keep talking about [taking good shots], stop forcing things, but do not pass up the good ones, ever.”

Despite the comfortable lead for UH, the Tritons refused to relent after getting a little extra life from a technical foul on Isaac Johnson right after the Erickson 3-pointer. A few bad fouls and tough made shots by UCSD later and the 10-point Hawai’i lead had been cut to two with 14 seconds left to play.

After Hunter Erickson split a pair a free throw to give a 70-67 advantage, the Rainbow Warrior defense stood tall to force a miss by Aidan Burke from the left corner and Dre Bullock secured the rebound and knocked down the final two free throws to help the hosts survive late.

Beattie finished with a team-high 14 points for UC San Diego in his return to his old stomping grounds, adding three assists and a trio of steals to his ledger. Hudson Mayes chipped in a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes for the Tritons, who had four players finish in double digits in the loss.

 Ike Finlinson scored 12 of his 15 points for UH after halftime, adding four rebounds and a pair of assists in the win. Gytis Nemeikša added 11 points and five rebounds off the bench while Dre Bullock finished with 10 points and seven boards as the Rainbow Warriors dominated the battle on the glass, 47-26.

Erickson did a little bit of everything despite not having his best offensive performance, scoring nine points on 2-of-7 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals.

The victory helped knot the Rainbow Warriors back at the top of the Big West standings after UC Irvine fell at UC Santa Barbara earlier on Saturday. Hawai’i (17-5, 9-3 Big West) will try to keep pace atop the conference ranks as they head back out on the road next week, traveling to CSU Bakersfield on Thursday before visiting CSUN on Saturday.

Hawai’i also announced on Saturday that sophomore starting point guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a severe turf toe injury in practice. Already without the services of Tanner Cuff (knee) for the year, the Rainbow Warriors are down to 10 total bodies on the active roster with eight games left in the regular season.

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Mana Wahine: Hawaii Softball shortstop Milan Ah Yat

Mana Wahine: Hawaii Softball shortstop Milan Ah Yat

Feb 2, 2026

Photo Credit: HSRN

Mana Wahine: Hawaii Softball shortstop Milan Ah Yat

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2, 2026

HONOLULU – Being a successful athlete in the Ah Yat family is nothing new.

University of Hawai’i junior shortstop Milan Ah Yat is the daughter of a former pro baseball player, the niece of a University of Montana athletics Hall of Famer and granddaughter of a Linfield University athletics Hall of Famer.

As if her high school resume didn’t already speak for itself, Ah Yat has continued that line of success in athletics after enjoying a strong first season back in the islands in 2025, earning All-Big West honorable mention recognition after starting all 53 games for the Rainbow Wahine and hitting .277 with five home runs, seven doubles and 28 runs batted in.

She was even better in clutch moments, delivering a trio of walk-off hits over the course of her sophomore campaign, including a two-run homer against Utah Tech in the bottom of the eighth inning to finish the 2025 Spring Fling on a high note for Hawai’i.

Ah Yat credits her dad for her pursuit of softball at a higher level. The daughter of former University of Hawai’i baseball left-handed pitcher and Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguer Paul Ah Yat, the junior can’t remember many times that she had the ability to play on a diamond that her father wasn’t pushing her to use it.

“My dad had me playing tee ball since I could pick up a bat,” said Ah Yat, who is the middle of three siblings. “Naturally, my dad just wanted to put me in baseball. So, I played baseball until middle school, and I took a break … I joined the high school softball team at UH Lab, the Pac-Five team, and finally after that, I got more into [focusing on] softball.”

That focus helped her to an elite prep career on the diamond, leading Pac-Five to the ILH Division II title as a junior and the Division II HHSAA state championship as a senior while winning league Player of the Year honors in both seasons.

Playing for the Pac-Five program brought a variety of challenges that were a bit unusual for many high school athletes. Made up of players from a variety of schools, Ah Yat and her teammates made a habit of carpooling to the different fields that were available for the group to practice at each day.

With different girls coming from all over with a variety of differing day-to-day activities, Ah Yat tried to help bring the team closer together in the limited time that they got with each other and got to develop her leadership skills all throughout her high school career.

The four-year letterwinner in softball recalled that goal going smoothest in her high school junior and senior seasons, not-so-coincidentally the two best seasons that the team enjoyed on the diamond in her tenure.

“Having all of those girls there with me definitely contributed to my individual success as well,” Ah Yat said of teammates from high school. “Having all of that support and everyone being one [was so important].”

Ah Yat spent her college freshman season away from the islands, originally committing to Loyola Marymount (CA) with eyes on an experience away from Hawai’i. The year was an enjoyable experience for Ah Yat, who spoke glowingly of her time at the school, but saw the two-time ILH Player of the Year appear in a muted role with just 17 games played and nine starts.

After sitting down with her family, Ah Yat decided a change of scenery – sort of – was needed.

“We just talked about what I needed the next year and came to the conclusion that I needed to be home with my family,” said Ah Yat. “Coming home was just what God had planned for me as well, so I think all glory to Him. And thanks to my dad for helping lead me on the right way and keep me in the right mindset the whole time.”

The move paid dividends quickly as Ah Yat earned a starting job after transferring to the University of Hawai’i, helping the Rainbow Wahine to a 33-20 season and a semifinal appearance in the Big West Tournament. The 33 wins by UH were the most in a single season since 2019 when the Rainbow Wahine went 33-16.

“I’m really grateful for Coach Bob [Coolen], especially for allowing me to come home and getting an opportunity to play,” Ah Yat said about the legendary UH coach who retired at the end of the 2025 season. “Just him having faith in me to get out there and prove myself and show that I can do it, and then the fans backing me up behind that … I can’t ask for anything better.”

Ah Yat returns to a talented but different Hawai’i roster in 2026, under new leadership for the first time in over 30 years as first-year head coach Panita Thanatharn takes over at the helm for the Rainbow Wahine. Despite graduations and changing regimes, the excitement remains the same as Opening Day approaching for Ah Yat and her teammates.

“Don’t forget to come out to our first game,” A smiling Ah Yat responded when asked about any message to the fans before the season. “Our first tournament, February 5-7. Our games are free … Thank you for all your support during this season and in the past, we’re really grateful and we see the impact you make on us and our program. We’re just trying to do our best for you guys and grow.”

Hawai’i begins the Thanatharn era on Thursday, February 5 against Seattle University on the first day of the Bank of Hawai’i Paradise Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. HT at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

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Mana Wahine: Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn

Mana Wahine: Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn

Feb 2, 2026

First-year Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn smiles on as her team opens the 2026 season. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Mana Wahine: Hawaii softball head coach Panita Thanatharn

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2, 2026

HONOLULU – What’s the butterfly effect of a star sophomore breaking her leg in the first half of her college career?

New University of Hawai’i softball head coach Panita Thanatharn can tell you her own firsthand account.

“I think not being able to play for a couple years, sitting back on the sidelines, watching my teammates play, I think that’s what kind of got me into coaching,” Thanatharn said while reflecting on her career-altering injury from her playing days with Long Beach State.

After starting the 2003 season scorching hot with a .526 batting average across seven games, then-sophomore outfielder Panita Thanatharn saw her playing career dramatically altered on a February evening during a home tournament for the Beach.

Thanatharn rounded third to score in the second inning of a 4-2 win for LBSU but collided with LMU catcher Trisha Gomes as she reached home plate. It would be the final run that the right fielder would score for a long time, suffering a compound fracture in her lower left leg that cost her two years of work to rehab back from.

“I’ve had at least eight surgeries on it already,” Thanatharn revealed. “I had two surgeries right away and I was in the hospital for 10 days and nine nights.”

Despite working tirelessly to return in time to play during her junior year, Thanatharn was told that she wasn’t going to be cleared and ready and took a rare second medical redshirt. While she spent two years out of the lineup, Thanatharn was anything but absent from everything softball related.

Despite her fibula never healing, tibia getting major work and suffering nerve damage to go along with a few paralyzed muscles, Thanatharn made a return to the field in 2005 and improved to a respectable batting average again by 2006. After her coaches pushed for a return for a sixth year, Thanatharn obliged and finished her college career with an all-Big West honorable mention selection in 2007.

The injury also provided perspective on one of Thanatharn’s key messages as a coach – playing every game as though it could be your last.

“You never know,” the first-year head coach said. “Tomorrow could be your last game. We never know when our end date is, ever.”

Photo Credit: UH Athletics

As soon as her playing career’s expiration date hit, Thanatharn took up the clipboard and coaching cap with her alma mater. After a quick two-year detour at UNLV with veteran head coach Pete Manarino, she returned to LBSU under Kim Sowder and spent the next 15 seasons with the Beach.

Across 18 total years in various assistant coaching roles, Thanatharn finally took the leap to the head chair last June. The patience to take a lead job was purposeful as Thanatharn leaned on the advice of her mentors (who won a combined 1,422 games for Long Beach State) and other people in her circle.

“The goal was to be a head coach,” Thanatharn said. “But it had to be the right fit for me as well.”

She took multiple interviews for head coaching jobs when she was younger but consistently found herself asking if she was willing to leave a good place and role at LBSU for the positions looking to hire her. After some reflection, Thanatharn slowed her push to lead her own program and waited for a job too good to refuse to pop up.

Fast forward to the end of the 2025 season with former UH head coach Bob Coolen’s retirement after 34 years leading the Rainbow Wahine program and there was suddenly a program with the things Thanatharn desired in her new home.

“Again, the goal was to be a head coach but not just anywhere,” Thanatharn emphasized. “It had to be the right fit for me, for my family and at the same time, again I’m competitive. I didn’t want to go, selfishly, set myself up for failure. I wanted a place that is supported, where I know I can win, I can have support … it just had to be a good fit.”

Thanatharn acknowledged the daunting task that is replacing the program’s all-time winningest coach that spent over 30 years leading the Rainbow Wahine program. She also pointed to the longevity of Coolen’s tenure as a plus in her mind about the Hawai’i job.

“When people don’t leave, that’s a good thing,” Thanatharn said after becoming just the fourth head coach in UH program history. “People don’t want to leave [Hawai’i], and there’s something special going on at a place when you have a coaching staff that’s been there for quite a while.”

The first-year head coach certainly won’t have her team playing many cupcake tune-ups in her debut season at the helm. The Rainbow Wahine’s non-conference schedule features matchups against No. 9 Nebraska, No. 19 Duke, and a BYU squad that received votes in the preseason ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 poll and multiple other tournaments that will test the 24-player roster made up of seven new faces and 17 returning letterwinners.

Hawai’i will start the 2026 season on Thursday, February 5 against Seattle University at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on the first day of the Bank of Hawaii Paradise Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. HT and attendance is free and open to the public.

“Come out and support us, our girls are working hard,” Thanatharn said ahead of Thursday’s season opener. “Come support, it’s going to be a fun, special season … we’re super excited and we’re going to make this community proud.”

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Hawai’i cruises to sixth straight win in smile-loaded Beeman’s Big Bash

Hawai’i cruises to sixth straight win in smile-loaded Beeman’s Big Bash

Jan 31, 2026

Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i cruises to sixth straight win in smile-loaded Beeman’s Big Bash

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 31, 2026

HONOLULU – They still aren’t quite totally sure of the origins of the “6-7” meme, but the University of Hawai’i women’s basketball coaching staff understood the gravity of the situation down the stretch on Saturday night.

The Rainbow Wahine had been stuck at 65 points since the 3:18 mark of the fourth quarter, missing three separate chances to tick to the number that has become a viral sensation across all age groups.

With a 21-point lead already in hand and the shot clock turned off, the hosts would have been well within their rights to stop playing hard as the final 30 seconds ticked away in a blowout win against Long Beach State (3-18, 2-9 Big West).

Instead, Hawai’i (11-9, 6-5 Big West) played to the favor of the season-high 2,792 fans in the house for the third annual “Beeman’s Big Bash” game and saw sophomore guard Rebecca Moors deny LBSU’s Kennan Ka’s layup try, senior Izzy Forsyth grab the rebound and pitch it ahead to a sprinting Ella Collins as the clock ticked under 15 seconds. The freshman guard hustled to the hoop to score the final points of the night, securing a 67-44 win over the Beach and delighting a keiki-heavy crew of fans that had been hoping to hit the mark.

“It’s a big thing, the 6-7 is a big thing,” head coach Laura Beeman said chuckling after the sixth consecutive victory by the Rainbow Wahine. “No disrespect to Long Beach for scoring a layup like that when we’re up by so much, but if we wouldn’t have [gotten 67], I think the fans would’ve come on the floor and maybe attacked us.”

Playing in front of the most raucous crowd of the season, the Rainbow Wahine started slowly as they watched the visitors from Long Beach come out firing to take an early 10-6 lead. Hawai’i would respond with an 8-0 run behind a few frontcourt contributors in Ritorya Tamilo, Imani Perez and Kyra Webb, but LBSU scored the final seven points of the first quarter with the help of the hot hand of JaQuoia Jones-Brown to take a 17-14 lead over the hosts after 10 minutes.

Hawai’i opened the second quarter with seven straight points of their own, forcing a timeout from the Beach just over three minutes after play resumed. LBSU’s Khylee Pepe finally snapped the scoring drought for the visitors with a pair of free throws with 4:48 left in the half, but a left-handed layup by Jovi Lefotu followed by a corner triple from Izzy Forsyth helped spark an 11-3 Rainbow Wahine response to go up by 10 going into the break.

Long Beach State made just 1-of-8 attempts from the floor in the second quarter after shooting 54% in the opening 10 minutes, scoring more points from free throws (3) than from attempts during live action (2).

The visitors found the offensive touch again to begin the third quarter, scoring the first nine points and forcing a timeout by Hawai’i to settle down as the host’s offense turned it over twice and missed a layup and open 3-point try after play started back up.

“I thought the first half, we were sticky with the ball and took some really bad shots,” Beeman said. “Third quarter, it started that way again. [We] called a quick timeout, just to remind them of who they were and what they needed to do.”

Keiara Curtis helped sparked the Rainbow Wahine out of the timeout, sandwiching an Imani Perez and-one with a pair of buckets, including her second 3-pointer of the night, to help get back on track and some breathing room for UH.

Hawai’i would continue the offensive onslaught from there, closing the quarter on an extended 13-1 run to take a 47-34 advantage into the final frame of the night.

“When we share the ball, we have weapons,” explained Beeman. “The more we share, the more we have weapons, the harder it is for people to stop us and defend us.”

The lead grew to 16 to begin the fourth behind a 3-pointer from Imani Perez and back-to-back buckets by Tee Bond and Saniyah Neverson. Jovi Lefotu’s and-one finish in transition and Perez’s second 3-pointer of the final frame pushed the Rainbow Wahine’s advantage over 20 with 3:18 to play and set the stage for the dramatic end in an otherwise fully decided result as they tried to reach 67 points.

After Collins’ layup dropped through, the season-high crowd on hand erupted with their biggest cheer of the night and the Hawai’i players shared chest bumps and ear-to-ear grins after the buzzer sounded on the 67-44 win.

Senior forward Imani Perez posted a team-high 15 points and knocked down a pair of triples in the win while towering sophomore Ritorya Tamilo turned in her best game of the season with a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in 23 minutes off the bench.

“I think when Tori is confident, there’s not a lot of people who can stop what she does because she does things so seamlessly,” Beeman said of her 6-foot-5 center. “I think this was her best game [this season]. Maybe it wasn’t statistically, but the way she felt about how she played and that’s only going to compound in a great way for her.”

Keiara Curtis was the third Rainbow Wahine player to finish in double figures, scoring 10 points and dishing out three assists in the win. Jovi Lefotu provided a spark off the bench with nine points and a pair of steals in 14 minutes of work.

JaQuoia Jones-Brown scored a game-high 18 points in the loss for Long Beach State, also grabbing five rebounds while playing all 40 minutes against the Rainbow Wahine. Khylee Pepe tacked on 13 points and nine rebounds for the visitors but committed six turnovers and received a technical foul for slamming the ball after disagreeing with a call in the second quarter.

Hawai’i will look to turn six straight wins into seven when they return to action next Saturday, February 7 on the road against Big West leader UC San Diego. The Rainbow Wahine fell at home on January 3 against the Tritons, 65-54, but have won six of the seven contests since and hold the longest active win streak in the conference.

Legendary Hawaii HC Laura Beeman steps down after 14 seasons

Legendary Hawaii HC Laura Beeman steps down after 14 seasons

Mar 30, 2026

HONOLULU – It hurts to say goodbye. When she first accepted the job in 2012, Laura Beeman had no idea how long she would remain in the islands. Fast forward to 244 victories, nine postseason appearances and 14 years with the Rainbow Wahine later...

Report: Hawaii F Isaac Finlinson intends to enter transfer portal

Report: Hawaii F Isaac Finlinson intends to enter transfer portal

Mar 27, 2026

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

Despite loss, HPU Baseball shows promise ahead of busy April

Mar 27, 2026

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...

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Meza, Sharks enjoying benefits of perfect portal match

Meza, Sharks enjoying benefits of perfect portal match

Jan 29, 2026

Hawaii Pacific G Quentin Meza handles the ball for the Sharks in a November exhibition against the University of Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Meza, Sharks enjoying benefits of perfect portal match

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED JANUARY 29, 2026

HONOLULU – Last April wasn’t Quentin Meza’s first rodeo in the wild, wild world of college basketball’s transfer portal period.

After spending his first college season on the east coast and appearing in 32 games for Wofford, the Cyprus High School (UT) product found himself wanting to return closer to home. Idaho State quickly emerged as an attractive landing spot, giving the 6-foot guard an opportunity to play home games just two hours from his hometown with an open starting spot at the point.

After committing to the Bengals, the 2023 Utah HS Gatorade Player of the Year saw those starting hopes take a hit with Washington State sophomore guard Dylan Darling committing to join the ISU program six days later. Darling would win the starting job on the way to earning 2024-25 Big Sky Conference Player of the Year honors while Meza contributed as a reserve in 21 games and got under eight minutes of action per night.

“Really great player, really good person as well,” Meza said of Darling, who parlayed his single season in Pocatello into a spot in the St. John’s rotation after transferring again last April. “Even though I wasn’t getting the playing time that I wanted, I was still learning a lot in practice while guarding him … So, Dylan Darling and [Wofford guard] Corey Tripp really helped me improve my game.”

After two seasons playing behind all-conference guards, Meza spun the wheel again and hopped in the portal on the first day of April in hopes of finding another spot to compete for a starting job.

He didn’t have to wait long for the phone call from his future home.

It did help that the first contact came from a familiar face, though.

Hawaii Pacific University associate head coach Cam Flabel, an Idaho native and former student manager for the Idaho State men’s basketball team, was back home in June 2024 hosting the annual Gate City Basketball Camp when he reached out to the Bengals’ coaching staff in search of camp workers.

ISU had just started summer workouts and Meza was quickly recommended by the staff to work the camp. After spending a few days helping shape the next generation of hoopers together, the two went their separate ways for the season.

Quentin Meza & HPU associate HC Cam Flabel pose with a camper during the 2025 Gate City Basketball Camp. Meza has worked the camp for the past two summers with Flabel. | Photo Credit: Cam Flabel

Fast forward to the first day of April in 2025 when Meza entered his name into the portal database officially, Flabel wasted no time reaching out.

Head coach Jesse Nakanishi needed very little selling on the soon-to-be junior guard, watching the scoring power and playmaking potential Meza possessed on tape while images of an improved assist-to-turnover ratio as a team danced through his mind.

Meza’s resume didn’t hurt either.

“He was Gatorade Player of the Year, had an incredible amount of production and played at a high-level high school,” Nakanishi pointed to when asked what made him believe Meza could be a key piece for the Sharks after two seasons as a backup. “I thought with a bigger role and getting him back to [a style of play] and a team where he could be that type of role he was in high school that he could flourish and really thrive in this type of environment.”

The HPU coaching staff built their pitch to Meza around their ability to help him return to the form that saw him finish his prep career as one of eight players in the history of Utah high school boys basketball to score 2,000 or more points and finish in the top five in state history for assists.

The presence of returning starter Avi Halpert and another battle for playing time didn’t deter Meza, who bought into the idea of playing in tandem with Halpert or a platoon to best suit the team.

“I wanted to come to a team that was excited for me to be there and play a big role,” Meza recalled of his desires after hopping into the portal for a second time. “[The HPU coaching staff] are really good people and they seemed super excited about me from the start.”

That excitement from the staff only grew after Meza got on court.

Summer workouts made it clear that the guard was primed for a major role on a new-look Sharks roster that wanted to put an emphasis on faster play and a higher-powered offense.

Meza’s first impression was memorable, being named PacWest Player of the Week for the first time on November 24 after leading HPU to a three-game win streak while averaging 20 points per game on 57% shooting from the field.

Meza pulls up for a deep 3-pointer during a home win by the Sharks. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

He has continued his big impact in his first year in the islands more recently, being named PacWest Player of the Week again on January 26 after helping the Sharks remain towards the top of the conference standings with a pair of key home wins as he poured in over 20 points and five rebounds per night over a three-game stretch.

“Just really proud of him,” Nakanishi responded when asked about the junior guard becoming the first player in his three-year tenure to earn multiple conference Player of the Week honors in the same season. “He’s grabbed this opportunity by the horns and just ran with it. He gets to play with a lot of freedom, and we believe in him a lot to take big shots and get downhill and create for himself and others.”

Meza has rewarded that trust and belief with his best collegiate season yet, averaging 16.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in more than 31 minutes of action per game across 13 contests. The junior ranks in the top 10 in the entire conference in a multitude of categories, including points per game (5th), total assists (1st), assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd), 3-pointers made per game (10th) and overall field goal percentage (6th) heading into the final week of January.

Even with eyes back on him like when he was a high school star, Meza believes that his return to form would not have been possible without finding such a good fit.

“It’s been great for me personally,” said Meza of the season so far in his new home. “I feel like we’re really tight and we’re like a family here … My teammates and coaches are putting me in positions to be successful, finding me in open spots. These [Player of the Week awards] aren’t just for me, it’s really a team award for all of us.”

Meza claps alongside his teammates during a home win for the Sharks. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Meza and HPU hope to continue the great vibes into February and beyond, sitting two games back in the loss column of first-place Chaminade as they hit the road for a critical Westmont, Vanguard and Azusa Pacific stretch on the continent before a clash with the Silverswords next week.

While November, December and January have gone swimmingly for the Sharks, the team remains focused on writing each chapter as it happens while looking to return to the PacWest Tournament for the second time in the three-year Nakanishi era.

“Standings are probably more on a coach’s mind than anything but we kind of break different parts of the season into chapters or sections,” said Nakanishi ahead of another crucial road swing. “This [section] is kind of the separator, if you will, where we’re on the cusp [of the top] in a crowd of teams and we can stay in that upper tier above that mix [in the standings].”

Hawaii Pacific (12-5, 8-4 PacWest) gets a second shot at Westmont on Thursday, January 29 to open the three-game trip away from the islands with tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m. HT. The Warriors (10-8, 7-5 PacWest) beat the Sharks on January 22, 88-69, inside the Shark Tank and sit one game back of Nakanishi’s squad in the PacWest standings.

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