LAIE, Hawai'i  – Hawai'i Pacific University used a 18-4 run in the last four minutes of the game to remain unbeaten with a 79-70 victory over Carlton (Minn.) in the Hoops In Hawaii Thanksgiving Classic Friday night at BYU-Hawai'i's Cannon Activities Center.
 
The Sharks (5-0) overcame a late five-point deficit, while the Knights (1-1) fell for the first time this season.
 
HPU was paced by the play of guard Jordan Martin, the 5-11 senior from Goodyear, Ariz./Milleneum with 21 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Swingman Chauncey Orr, a 6-4 graduate student from Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green and forward Elliott DeFreitas, a 6-10 senior from Essex, England/County Upper, each scored 17 points with Orr adding six boards.
 
Carlton was led by the play of Mitchell Biewen with 21 points and five assists. Freddie Gillespie came off the bench to double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Kevin Grow scored 12 points with seven boards and five assists.
 
The Sharks hit 27-of-56 from the floor (48 percent), 7-of-16 from the 3-point arc (44 percent) and an outstanding 18-of-20 from the free throw line. Carlton connected on 28-of-56 attempts from the field (50 percent), 6-of-16 from the arc (38 percent) and 8-of-9 (89 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
"Carleton is a good team," said HPU head coach Darren Vorderbruegge. "Coach (Guy) Kalland has brought his team here several times and we know they don't make mistakes and don't beat themselves. We came out a little flat and a bit banged up, but I'm really pleased with the way we played in the last 3:56."
 
HPU seemed to have the game under control after leading 35-28 at the half before opening up a 12-point 47-35 lead with 15:16 to play. However, the Knights had other ideas.
 
Keyed by a Biewen 3-pointer, Carlton launched a 13-0 run over the next four minutes and claimed a 48-47 lead. The teams exchanged the lead six more times with four ties when CU jumped out with a 5-0 run for a 66-61 lead that they held going into the final media timeout with 3:56 to play.
 
Vorderbruegge challenged the Sharks at the break and the Sharks responded.
 
Orr used a pair of free throws to start a personal 4-0 run. After a Knight score on a Biewen jumper, Orr tied the game on a 3-pointer with 2:52 to go.
 
Orr missed a shot to take the lead with a 1:54 to play, but teammate Martin got the board and the follow up to give HPU a lead they wouldn't give up. Martin made sure of the lead with a steal on the next possession that he turned into a 3-point jumper and a 5-point Shark lead. The Sharks turned the string into a game ending 18-4 run.
 
"We really locked in in the last 3:56 after the media timeout," said Vorderbruegge. "Our defensive energy got revved up with the steals by Orr and Martin and we took care of business. While I'm happy with the play in the last four minutes, we have to have that kind of effort for 40 minutes."
 
The Sharks are right back at it on Saturday when they face West Coast Baptist, the team they beat by 77 points on Tuesday.
 
"West Coast Baptist is a much better team than they showed on Tuesday night," said the HPU boss. "They led BYU-Hawaii at halftime and is playing a strong game tonight."
 
The Sharks and Eagles meet again at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Cannon Activities Center.