HONOLULU — Hawai'i Pacific University had no problem on Saturday afternoon as five players scored in double-digits in leading the Sharks to a 101-53 shellacking of NCAA Division II independent Oakland City University (Ind.) in non-conference action at Moanalua High School.
 
The Sharks (3-0) had to overcome a lull midway through the first half that allowed the Mighty Oaks (1-1) a brief lead before kicking into gear for the run away win.
 
Sophomore Jonothan Janssen of Noosa Heads, Australia/Mountain Creek came off the bench to lead the Sharks with 21 points, hitting 6-of-7 from the floor including 5-of-6 from the 3-point arc. The 6-9 forward also was 4-for-4 from the foul line and blocked three shots.
 
Senior Elliott DeFreitas, a 6-10 forward from Essex, England/County Upper, scored 16 points with nine rebounds and added four blocks. Guards Chauncey Orr, the 6-4 graduate student from Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green, and Connor Looney, the 6-2 senior from Palmer, Alaska/Palmer, both scored 13 points. Orr added seven rebounds and four steals as well. Colfax Nordquist, a 6-3 senior forward from Elk Grove, Calif./Pleasant Grove, added 10 points for HPU.
 
Oakland City got a game high 26 points from sophomore Andrew Scott who hit 5-of-11 from the 3-point arc. Addison Wagler chipped in 10 points, while Logan Worthington pulled down 10 boards with eight points.
 
HPU shot an outstanding 54 percent from the floor (37-of-68) and 52 percent from the 3-point arc (14-of-27). The Sharks were nearly perfect from the foul line connecting on 13-of-14 charity tosses (93 percent).
 
The Shark defense worked strongly as well, holding the Mighty Oaks to 31 percent from the floor (19-of-61), 28 percent from the 3-point arc (7-of-25) and 8-of-10 from the foul line. HPU out rebounded OCU 45-28.
 
"We hit on all cylinders today," said HPU coach Darrin Vorderbruegge. "It was great to see how we worked so well together."
 
HPU opened the game on a 10-0 run, but took its foot off the gas as the Oaks answered with a 10-0 run of their own.
 
OCU and HPU traded the lead twice until a tie at 18 heading into a timeout with 9:50 to play in the first half.
 
Coming out of the timeout, DeFreitas scored on a put back that started a 7-0 run that included a dunk by Looney off a steal and a 3-ball by Janssen and extended to a 12-2 run and HPU never looked back on the way to a 46-29 halftime lead.
 
HPU opened the second half by extending the advantage to 20, then got a 9-0 run keyed by an Orr dunk and the only thing in doubt was the final score.
 
The Sharks got to the century mark on a layup and free throw by junior Deven Riley, a 6-3 forward from Wildomar, Calif./Elsinore that made the final 101-53.
 
The Sharks play again on Tuesday night against West Coast Baptist in non-conference play. Tipoff at Moanalua High School's gym is at 6:30 p.m.