ANCHORAGE — Hawai'i Pacific University never trailed in the second half as the Sharks opened the 2017-18 season in style with a 65-51 victory over host Alaska Anchorage in the first night GNAC/PacWest Challenge at the Alaska Airlines Center.
 
The Sharks (1-0) overcame an eight-point first half deficit to hand the homestanding Seawolves (1-1) their first loss of the young season.
 
"We played with a lot of good energy tonight," said HPU Head Coach Darren Vorderbruegge. "We made a lot of typical first game mistakes, but I thought our energy covered some of them up. We will rebound the ball better and that will help."
 
The Sharks shot 40 percent from the floor for the game, including 35 percent (9-of-26) from the 3-point arc, and shot 67 percent (8-of-12) from the foul line.  HPU held Alaska Anchorage to just 27 percent shooting from the field and 18 percent (6-of-34) from the 3-point arc. The Seawolves were 11-of-13 (85 percent) from the charity stripe. HPU out-rebounded UAA 42-40.
 
The Sharks were led by senior San Diego State transfer forward Niksha Federico of San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, to go with a blocked shot and two steals. Junior forward Jonathan Janssen of Noosa Heads, Australia/Mountain Creek, scored 17 points with four assists and redshirt freshman guard David Rowlands of Dayton, Ohio/Moorpark, put in 12 points and led the team with five assists and a block.
 
Jacob Lampkin was the only UAA player in double digits, collecting a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds along with two blocks. Josiah Wood and Jack Macdonald each added eight points for the Seawolves.
 
Alaska Anchorage jumped out to an early lead and built the advantage to eight points on a Malik Clements layup with 10 minutes remaining in the first for an 18-10 lead.
 
HPU made its comeback 90 seconds later on a Rowlands layup that started a 13-4 run over the next three minutes that gave HPU a lead on Janssen's first 3-pointer with 5:39 to play in the half. The Seawolves responded with a jumper from D.J. Ursery, only to have Janssen bury a second three the next time down the floor to give the Sharks a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The triple started a 10-3 HPU run and gave the Sharks the momentum going into the half.
 
HPU carried a 37-34 lead into intermission.
 
The Sharks opened the second half on a 10-0 run and extended it to a 19-3 run in the second half as HPU grabbed a 19-point advantage at 58-39 on junior Nikola Urli's layup.
 
HPU held on down the stretch for the 65-51 victory.
 
The Sharks don't have long to enjoy the win, as they face Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks on Saturday, with tipoff at the Alaska Airlines Center at 4:30 p.m. HST (5:30 p.m. AST).