Hawai’i overwhelms Cal State Bakersfield, secures share of Big West crown

Hawai’i overwhelms Cal State Bakersfield, secures share of Big West crown

Mar 7, 2025

Hawai’i poses together after cutting down the nets on Thursday, the third season in the last four that the Rainbow Wahine have claimed part of the regular season Big West title. | Photo Credit: Paul Brecht, HSRN

Hawai’i overwhelms Cal State Bakersfield, secures share of Big West crown

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MARCH 7, 2025

HONOLULU – Top of the pack. 

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team clinched the top overall seed in next week’s Big West Conference Tournament with a convincing 66-51 win over Cal State Bakersfield (2-28, 2-18 Big West) on Thursday evening. Kelsie Imai paced the Rainbow Wahine with 12 points and three rebounds as nine different players scored for UH in the victory. 

With the head-to-head tiebreaker over UC Irvine, Hawai’i (21-8, 15-4 Big West) entered the week needing only one win in two chances to lock up the conference’s top spot and wasted no time in securing the position before Senior Night. The victory on Thursday night kicked off the celebration and marked the 11th straight time that Hawai’i has beaten CSUB, last falling to the Roadrunners in January of 2021. 

“What this group has done thus far is super special,” Hawai’i head coach Laura Beeman said after the game. “We’re not done, but for tonight, we’re going to enjoy what they did.” 

It marked the third time in the last four years that Hawai’i snagged at least part of the conference’s regular season title, finishing below the top place on the pedestal only in 2023 after multiple players suffered season-ending injuries over the first half of the season. (Hawai’i went on to win the Big West Tournament that year for the second straight time.) 

The Rainbow Wahine got out of the gates quickly, scoring 8 of the first 10 points of the night to snag an early 6-point advantage before the Roadrunners responded with an 11-2 run over the final five minutes of the opening period. Melissa Secchiaroli drilled her lone 3-pointer of the game to close the quarter, giving CSUB a three-point advantage after one frame. 

Ary Dizon started the second quarter with the Roadrunners’ third 3-pointer of the opening half, giving the visitors a six-point advantage just 17 seconds into the frame. The Hawai’i defense clicked into gear again from there, allowing two points over the final 9:43 of the half while ripping off 19 points of their own to take a double-digit lead at the break, 29-18.

Hawai’i continued its dominance through halftime and into the third quarter, scoring 12 of the first 14 points out of the locker rooms to complete a 31-4 run in total that stretched back into the opening seconds of the second quarter and take a commanding 41-20 lead over Cal State Bakersfield. 

The Roadrunners put together a couple scoring stretches to pull as close as 12 with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter, but an and-one followed by a 3-pointer by Kelsie Imai pushed the Rainbow Wahine lead back out to 18 points and helped the hosts cruise to the calm 66-51 victory to start the cutting of the nets. 

Melissa Secchiaroli led the Roadrunners with 11 points off the bench, going 5-of-11 from the field and knocking down one of CSUB’s five 3-pointers. Cheyenne Forney added 10 points and five rebounds, scoring the final basket of the night (and season) for the visitors. 

Lily Wahinekapu pitched in 11 points in 19 minutes of work for the Rainbow Wahine, knocking down both of her 3-point attempts as she moved into the top 20 for career points with UH (1,066 points, 19th). Imani Perez was the only other scorer in the game to reach double figures, tallying 10 points and five boards to go with a pair of steals. 

Hawai’i still needs a win on Senior Night OR a loss by UC Irvine on Saturday to secure an outright claim to the regular season Big West title. A loss by UH to CSUN on Saturday would need to be coupled with a victory by UCI over UC Santa Barbara for the Anteaters to grab a share of the crown, but the Rainbow Wahine cannot fall out of the top spot in the conference regardless of the results. 

“I don’t like sharing,” Beeman said while holding the Big West trophy after the game. 

With the top seed in the Big West Tournament, Hawai’i gets a double-bye and guaranteed spot in the semifinals on Friday, March 14. The Rainbow Wahine will face off against the winner of the 4-5 matchup at 9 a.m. HT, looking to return to the conference championship game with a win after getting knocked out in the semifinals in 2024. 

The Rainbow Wahine will celebrate six seniors on Saturday, taking on Cal State Northridge (4-24, 2-17 Big West) at 7 p.m. HT for “Show’UHM Your Aloha Senior Night” to close out the regular season. The Matadors’ roster features former UH forward Nnenna Orji, who turned in a career-high 22 points in CSUN’s overtime loss on Thursday against UC Riverside. 

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day

by | Apr 19, 2025

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULUPUBLISHED APRIL 19, 2025WAIPAHU – Can't win ‘em all.  The Hawai’i Pacific University baseball team saw the bats go too quiet for too long in a shortened second game on Saturday...

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Hawaii Pacific stuns Azusa Pacific with 7th-inning comeback

Hawaii Pacific stuns Azusa Pacific with 7th-inning comeback

Mar 5, 2025

Hawaii Pacific 1B Tiari Hernandez stands in the box to take a swing during HPU’s 4-3 comeback win over Azusa Pacific on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawaii Pacific stuns Azusa Pacific with 7th-inning comeback

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MARCH 5, 2025

HONOLULU – Something about ladies and singing. 

The Hawaii Pacific University softball team stunned Azusa Pacific (10-9, 7-3 PacWest) on Tuesday, using three runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to come back and take the series rubber match over the Cougars, 4-3. First baseman Tiari Hernandez delivered the game-winning hit, smacking an RBI double to right field to score Alexis Oshiro from second base and cap off the 3-run frame for the Sharks.

It was the seventh time this season that HPU (10-14, 4-5 PacWest) erased a deficit to come back and win and the second straight day that the Sharks pulled out a win in a one-run game against the Cougars. The victory also matched HPU’s 2024 PacWest win total (4) while surpassing the total amount of wins from last season (9 in ‘24) through just 24 games. 

“[The team] understands the pressure is a little bit firmer when we drop the first [game of a series],” said HPU head coach Jarnett Lono after Tuesday’s win. “We’ve put ourselves in that situation in the first three series already, so hopefully they’ll turn through and think about capturing that first one.” 

The HPU softball team poses together after a 4-3 comeback win over Azusa Pacific. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

The Sharks had to show resilience for the second straight day after APU put up three runs in the 1st inning, tagging sophomore pitcher Layla Molina for four straight hits to begin the game. Once Molina got APU’s Bella Fraser to fly out on a sacrifice to left, the right-handed hurler settled in, tallying the next two outs shortly after to limit the damage through the first frame. 

Molina allowed one more hit through two more innings of work, recovering to turn in an overall nice outing before exiting in the top of the 4th inning with HPU still trailing, 3-0. Veteran pitcher Taylor Thompson entered for the Sharks, keeping the momentum from the sophomore going as she spun together four scoreless innings to keep the hosts within striking distance. 

HPU finally got on the board in the bottom of the 4th after Jewel Larson led off the inning with a base hit and moved to third after a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. Center fielder Hoku Ching brought the Pearl City product home, poking an RBI single into the outfield to make it a 3-1 game with three more innings to work. 

They needed all three innings, waiting until there was one out in the bottom of the 7th before scoring again as Azusa Pacific starting pitcher Mia Castillo continued to stymie the Sharks’ offense. Looking for any type of spark, Lono used a pair of pinch hitters at the bottom of the lineup to try and get a runner aboard before the potent top of the lineup came up. 

Enter Neva Poulin. 

The senior outfielder smacked a pinch-hit, one-out double to give HPU new life as leadoff hitter Taryn Hirano stepped to the plate representing the tying run. Hirano quickly followed behind, lifting an RBI triple over the head of APU center fielder Hailey Burns to put the tying run for HPU just 60 feet away still with only one out. 

Alexis Oshiro tapped an RBI single up the middle to tie the game, 3-3, and then stole second to put herself in scoring position with Tiari Hernandez, the team leader in runs batted in on the season, at the plate. 

Then it was just up to Ari to do Ari things. 

The senior first baseman took a 3-2 offering from Castillo the other way to right field, driving in her 18th run of the year and scoring Oshiro from second to steal the game and the series from Azusa Pacific, 4-3. 

“This win was very needed,” Hernandez said immediately after the game. “I feel like we can carry this momentum into the next series. One of our team goals [this year] is to always win the series and this one really helps us [before] going on the road and going forward.” 

Taylor Thompson (5-5) was awarded the win for HPU after going 4.0 innings, striking out two and allowing two hits while keeping the potent APU lineup at bay. Mia Castillo (2-3) took the loss for the Cougars, going 6.1 innings and allowing four runs on nine hits while walking three HPU batters.  

Up next for the Sharks will be the first conference road trip to the continent in 2025, traveling to take on Concordia in a three-game set this weekend. The Golden Eagles currently lead the PacWest after a 15-2 overall start and a 6-0 record in conference play. 

“Big series this weekend,” said Lono of the upcoming road trip. “Hopefully, this is what they needed in order to get [ready to go] to Concordia.” 

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day

by | Apr 19, 2025

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULUPUBLISHED APRIL 19, 2025WAIPAHU – Can't win ‘em all.  The Hawai’i Pacific University baseball team saw the bats go too quiet for too long in a shortened second game on Saturday...

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Hawai’i shows life in Senior Night victory over UC Davis

Hawai’i shows life in Senior Night victory over UC Davis

Mar 2, 2025

Hawai’i F Akira Jacobs lets out a shout in a much-needed win over UC Davis. The 6-foot-10 sophomore forward chipped in 12 points off the bench in the victory. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i shows life in Senior Night victory over UC Davis

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MARCH 2, 2025

HONOLULU – Needed it. Got it. 

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team answered the call on Saturday night in a big way, starting strong and sticking together for a critical Senior Night victory over UC Davis (15-14, 9-9 Big West) inside the Stan Sheriff Center, 78-70. Tanner Christensen led the way for the Rainbow Warriors with 16 points and nine rebounds as five different players finished in double figures for the hosts. 

Suddenly in a fight for their spot in the Big West Conference tournament, UH saw heroes from every angle against the Aggies. Tom Beattie turned in one of his best two-way performances of his career, scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds while drawing the assignment guarding UCD star guard TY Johnson for a large portion of the evening, helping hold the Big West’s leading scorer to a 10-of-26 shooting performance. 

Hawai’i (15-14, 7-11 Big West) finally started a game as the aggressor, leaping out to an early lead over the Aggies that they would protect all night with the help of Aaron Hunkin-Claytor’s all-around productions. The freshman guard flirted with a triple-double in his ninth start, posting eight points and career highs in rebounds and assists with seven boards and six dimes to go along with one blocked shot in 32 minutes of work. 

“He’s got a couple things that you can’t really teach and it’s why we gravitate towards him,” head coach Eran Ganot said of his starting freshman point guard. “His confidence, love for the game and instincts. Now he’s going through reps early in his career that will help him down the stretch this year and moving forward.” 

Gytis Nemeikša and Akira Jacobs each turned in quality performances off the bench as Nemo scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked a shot before fouling out late and Jacobs gave a look into his potential once again with 12 points (4-6 FG, 1-2 3PT) and three rebounds. Harry Rouhliadeff turned in his first double-digit scoring outing in over three weeks, knocking down a three on the way to a 10-point, 3-rebound night. 

Entering the evening on a 3-game slide, the Rainbow Warriors came out with a different intensity, speed and physicality from the opening tip. Hawai’i scored 14 of the first 19 points of the night, turning the ball over just once in a 7-plus-minute span to take early control of the contest. 

A few defensive lapses and turnovers for points by UH helped UC Davis come back and knot the game at 21 with 7:44 left to play in the first half, but Hawai’i quickly recovered following the under-8 media timeout to extend the lead up to 10 by the 2:30 mark after a quick 5-point run by Hunkin-Claytor and a few buckets in the paint by the Rainbow Warrior forwards. 

The Aggies closed the opening half well, holding Hawai’i without a point for the final couple minutes while creeping closer with a pair of baskets to head into the locker room with six points separating the sides, 35-29. Similar to UCD’s first run in the frame, Hawai’i miscues and missed shots hurt the hosts more than the visitors’ skills. 

The scoring drought extended into the first minute of the second half for Hawai’i as UC Davis put in the first two buckets out of halftime to make it a 2-point game, but Christensen ended the dry spell with a two-handed flush and got the Rainbow Warrior offense rolling again. Hunkin-Claytor’s third foul slowed the Hawai’i momentum for a few minutes, keeping the Aggies close as TY Johnson and Pablo Tamba powered the offense for the visitors. 

Hunkin-Claytor’s return helped Akira Jacobs re-find his first half powers as the pace picked up again for Hawai’i, seeing a pair of drives by Jacobs go down to restore a 5-point lead with under 12 minutes to play. Christensen’s second 3-pointer of the game gave UH an 8-point lead a few minutes later, sending the crowd into a frenzy as all cylinders clicked on one night for the hosts. 

“They made their punch, their move, and we responded each time,” Ganot said. “Really proud of our guys… everybody stepped up and we needed it.” 

Hawai’i held on to the double-digit lead into the final minute before some spotty foul shooting allowed UC Davis to put a small scare in fans late, pulling as close as 73-68 before the Rainbow Warriors slammed the door shut by going 5-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final 22 seconds. 

TY Johnson finished with a game-best 26 points, putting up 26 shots to get it as the UH defense held the UC Davis team to under 40% shooting overall on the night. Pablo Tamba added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Aggies, who dropped to 9-9 in conference play with meetings left with Big West leaders UC Irvine and UC San Diego to close the regular season. 

Ryan Rapp, who got the loudest ovation during the postgame ceremonies after spending the past three seasons with the Rainbow Warriors, finished with four points and joked that he was able to keep his promise to his teammates to not cry on the emotionally charged night. He also saw a team that still had more to fight for with two games left in the regular season to work towards a Cinderella run. 

The 2024-25 Hawai’i men’s basketball program. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

“We’re playing to go to Vegas still,” Rapp said after the win. “Nothing is given in this league; you’ve got to earn it … Like I said, I still think we’ve got a story to tell. I think we can shock some people. It just comes down to belief in the locker room and within our teammates, so I’m excited.” 

Hawai’i hits the road to close out the regular season this week, taking on Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday in what could amount to a play-in game for a berth to the conference tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. HT on Thursday. The Rainbow Warriors currently sit 0.5 game ahead of the Roadrunners for the 7-seed in the Big West Tournament. 

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day

by | Apr 19, 2025

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULUPUBLISHED APRIL 19, 2025WAIPAHU – Can't win ‘em all.  The Hawai’i Pacific University baseball team saw the bats go too quiet for too long in a shortened second game on Saturday...

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Hawai’i sweeps UC Irvine to open Big West play

Hawai’i sweeps UC Irvine to open Big West play

Mar 1, 2025

Hawai’i sophomore Tread Rosenthal playfully mean mugging after a point by the ‘Bows in a sweep over No. 3 UC Irvine on Friday night. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i sweeps UC Irvine to open Big West play

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED MARCH 1, 2025

HONOLULU – Statement made. 

The University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team returned to the islands with an added fire and desire, opening the 2025 Big West season with a sweep over No. 3 UC Irvine on Friday night, (25-21, 26-24, 25-22). Freshman opposite Kristian Titriyski led the charge for the Rainbow Warriors, turning in 17 kills on 32 swings while twisting in a pair of service aces throughout the night. 

Redshirt freshman Justin Todd, starting in place of Ofeck Hazan, racked up eight kills on 10 swings to help boost Hawai’i (14-1, 1-0 Big West) in a tightly contested match while floor captain Tread Rosenthal piloted a beautiful offense for the Rainbow Warriors from start to finish with 36 assists and four putdowns of his own. 

More than 7,000 fans packed into the Stan Sheriff Center to watch the two elite programs duel on the court, creating an electric atmosphere from the starting lineups being announced on. Hawai’i has continued to be the hotbed for men’s volleyball viewing experience, pulling in fans from all over the globe with the product in Mānoa. 

The Hawai’i crowd, led by the fans of the night. UH has had over 5,000 fans in attendance for all 11 home games this season. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

“This is the coolest thing in the world right now in volleyball,” Hawai’i head coach Charlie Wade said of the environment for every home game. “Literally everybody around the world is talking about what’s going on in the Stan Sheriff Center for men’s volleyball right now. We’re incredibly humbled by the support that we get and it absolutely, as I’ve said, is the wind in our sails many times.” 

The opening frame set the tone for the night on both sides, seeing Hawai’i begin with the first two points before the sides traded rallies to remain within a point of each other up until the media timeout. UCI won the second of two first-set challenges to go ahead, 15-14. The clicking offense of the Rainbow Warriors did not miss a beat despite the break in the action, knotting the first set back up multiple times before powering ahead behind the right arms of Titriyski and Louis Sakanoko. 

Hawai’i began the second set a little quicker, seeing Titriyski, Todd and Adrien Roure each record points to give the hosts the lead on the way to a 15-14 advantage of their own at the media timeout. Roure enjoyed a strong second stanza, putting up three of his nine total kills (15 total swings) and scoring the set-winner in extra points after fellow Frenchman Louis Sakanoko calmed UH at the service line to help deliver a commanding 2-0 set lead to the Rainbow Warriors. 

“One of the things we preach is good service turns late,” Wade said. “And tonight, at the end of every set, we had guys go back there – and a variety of different guys – and came up and had some good turns, put some pressure on [UCI] … It was good to see that come out tonight in a big-time match against clearly one of the best teams in the country.” 

By the third set, Hawai’i had found the formula as the hosts raced out to an 11-6 advantage after Rosenthal’s lone ace of the match, the first time all night that either side had taken a lead of five or more over the other. With the assistance of a few UH attacking errors, the Anteaters chopped the lead down to a point before the media timeout. 

The Rainbow Warriors smacked back, restoring the 5-point advantage late in the third frame as Adrien Roure recorded his second and final ace to make it 22-17. Some Hilir Henno heroics helped UCI make Hawai’i sweat again after the Anteaters rattled off four of the next five points, but Kristian Titriyski’s 17th and final kill of the match returned the serve to UH for the aloha ball chance – which was returned long and out to complete the sweep in straight sets. 

Henno, the reigning AVCA national men’s Player of the Year, turned in a respectable 13 kills on 27 swings while committing only two attacking errors over the three-set loss for the third-ranked Anteaters. William D’Arcy added seven kills on 13 chances while committing a pair of errors himself while Micah Goss and Nolan Flexen each chipped in with six putdowns apiece as UCI fell for the third straight time out. 

“We had a hard week of practice, we felt we needed to push a little bit,” Wade said after the game of the team’s preparation leading up to the weekend. “The guys responded pretty well [tonight].” 

Hawai’i and UC Irvine will go again for Round 2 on Sunday with first serve scheduled for 5 p.m. HT. The Rainbow Warriors look to extend their 5-game winning streak while vying for the program’s first regular season sweep of the Anteaters in two years.

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day

by | Apr 19, 2025

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULUPUBLISHED APRIL 19, 2025WAIPAHU – Can't win ‘em all.  The Hawai’i Pacific University baseball team saw the bats go too quiet for too long in a shortened second game on Saturday...

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Sharks spoil Swords’ PacWest dreams with spectacular Senior Night

Sharks spoil Swords’ PacWest dreams with spectacular Senior Night

Feb 28, 2025

The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team poses together after “Senior Night” ceremonies inside the Shark Tank. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Sharks spoil Swords’ PacWest dreams with spectacular Senior Night

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 28, 2025

HONOLULU – One time for the seniors. 

The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team celebrated six seniors in style on Thursday night, spoiling island rival Chaminade’s PacWest tournament dreams with a 95-76 victory inside the Shark Tank. Joshua West led the way in a balanced scoring effort by HPU, pouring in 16 points to go along with seven rebounds as the Sharks saw all five starters finish in double figures. 

HPU (14-14, 9-10 PacWest) recognized a group mixed with varying journeys to the islands in Jonas Visser, Pavle Kuzmanovic, Charlie Weber, Tucker Pellicci, Kordel Ng and Jakob Kimura in a large ceremony that followed the women’s game, a 74-62 victory for the Sharks, and concluded before warmups of the men’s contest. Visser, who had started all 27 games leading into Senior Night, went to the coaching staff ahead of Thursday’s contest and offered up his starting role in favor of the 5th-year veteran Pellicci, who hadn’t started a game for the Sharks since January of 2022. 

The coaching staff granted the captain’s request to start Pellicci, along with fellow seniors Charlie Weber, Kordel Ng and Jakob Kimura and junior Joshua West rounding out the first lineup for the Sharks. Despite different roles to begin the night, each player responded with strong scoring efforts as the quintet combined for 63 of the 95 points by HPU. 

From left to right: Jakob Kimura, Pavle Kuzmanovic, Charlie Weber, Jonas Visser, Tucker Pellicci and Kordel Ng pose together on Senior Night. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Weber turned in 15 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting performance, knocking down three of HPU’s 13 total 3-pointers in the season-high scoring effort. Pellicci recorded his first career double-double, scoring 10 points while pulling down 11 rebounds and blocking his team-leading 21st shot of the season. 

Kimura drilled a season-high four 3-pointers and had 12 points for the Sharks, feeling some of the leftover mana from his alma mater Punahou’s recent state championship run. Fellow local boy Kordel Ng, who once played for the now-closed St. Francis High School team inside the Shark Tank, closed out his tenure in the cozy gym with 10 points and a season-best six assists. 

Chaminade (16-11, 10-10 PacWest) looked to spoil the celebration themselves on a night with plenty to gain and even more to lose for the Silverswords, blitzing HPU out of the gate with six 3-point makes in the opening six minutes of action. After falling down by as many as 17, back-to-back buckets from Jonas Visser helped calm the Sharks as they started to work their way closer with some of their own sweet 3-point shooting. 

“Credit to Chaminade,” Nakanishi said of the Sharks’ slow start. “They have really good players and really good shot makers and boy – did they make shots in that first segment.”

Kimura’s first 3-pointer of the game brought HPU within two before Ng’s lone triple of the night gave the Sharks their first lead of the night with under five minutes to play in the first half, 38-37. Another three from Kimura capped off an 11-0 run by HPU, forcing Chaminade to call for timeout as the packed-out Shark Tank tested how loud it could get. 

The Swords recovered momentarily, keeping within a few points before Visser and Weber helped Hawaii Pacific finish the half in a hurry and head into the locker room leading, 49-43. The Sharks connected on 50% of their looks from behind the arc across the opening 20 minutes, draining eight 3-pointers to help offset the early barrage from the Swords. 

HPU started the second half far stronger offensively, holding off the Chaminade push with another Kimura three, an Ng and-one and a seven-point spurt from Weber in the first six minutes out of the break to help extend the advantage for the Sharks into double figures for the first time all night. 

The Silverswords wouldn’t go down quietly, fighting back to pull within six points with six and a half minutes left in regulation after consecutive buckets from the King brothers, but another Weber 3-pointer and a massive two-handed putback dunk by Pellicci stopped the Swords’ momentum cold. HPU’s defense locked in over the final few minutes, only allowing two points in the last 4:08 of play to the visitors.  

Tucker Pellicci provides the exclamation point on Senior Night with a putback slam dunk. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Kent King led the way in a losing effort for the Silverswords, racking up a game-high 17 points while RJ Banks added 13 points. Kameron Ng, the older brother of HPU’s Kordel, finished the night with 10 points, four boards and three assists in his final collegiate game. 

Jonas Visser put up eight points and 11 rebounds in just 15 minutes off the bench while Pavle Kuzmanovic put up eight points with a pair of 3-pointers himself. All 10 HPU players who saw time ended up scoring and helped the Sharks dominate on the glass, doubling up the Swords in rebounds, 56-28. 

“I’m so proud and happy for these guys, especially those six seniors that really gave me everything and gave their teammates everything all year long,” Nakanishi said after the game. “[The team] has done everything we’ve asked. Yeah, we fell short for the season as far as getting into the playoffs but tonight was really a glimpse of some of the basketball potential that we really had but didn’t quite produce all year.” 

HPU closes out its season on Saturday, visiting UH-Hilo on the Big Island with eyes on a season sweep of the PacWest Tournament-bound Vulcans. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. HT and can be seen on the PacWest Network with purchase of access. 

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day

by | Apr 19, 2025

HPU falls to Vanguard on Senior Day BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULUPUBLISHED APRIL 19, 2025WAIPAHU – Can't win ‘em all.  The Hawai’i Pacific University baseball team saw the bats go too quiet for too long in a shortened second game on Saturday...

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