ANCHORAGE — Hawai'i Pacific University cut a 15-point second half deficit to one point with two minutes to play, but could not score the rest of the way as the Sharks fell to Alaska 97-90 in the opening game of day two of the GNAC/PacWest Challenge at Alaska Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center.
 
The Sharks (1-1) squandered a 10-point first half lead by turning the ball over 15 times to the Nanooks (1-1) who capitalized on the opportunity.
 
"We're still trying to figure out our identity," said HPU Head Coach Darren Vorderbruegge. "We gave up 52 points last night and 97 tonight. Fairbanks scored 26 point off our turnovers. We will get better at that."
 
The Sharks shot 56 percent from the floor, that included going 55 percent (11-of-20) from the 3-point arc, and shooting 77 percent (13-of-17) from the foul line.  The Nanooks shot 53 percent from the floor and 17-of-31 from the 3-point arc (55 percent) to go with hitting 57 percent (8-of-14) from the free throw line. HPU dominated the boards 36-25, but the devil was in the turnovers. The Sharks had 15 to just five for the Nanooks. HPU scored just two points off the turnovers.
 
The Sharks were led by senior San Diego State transfer forward Niksha Federico of San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Hawai'i senior transfer Larry Lewis scored 20 pointw with two blocked shots. Junior forward Jonathan Janssen of Noosa Heads, Australia/Mountain Creek, added 16 points, a game-high seven rebounds and nine assists.
 
Alaska was paced by Alex Baham with 20 points, while LaDonavan Wilder scored 15 points with a team-high six rebounds. Davis Kimble also scored 15 points and double-doubled with 11 assists.
 
HPU answered an early lead by the Nanooks to rally from a four-point deficit with a 9-0 run to take the lead by five on a Janssen layup. The Sharks extended lead to 10-points with 3:15 remaining in the first on a Federico layup to make it 41-31.
 
Alaska fired back, getting a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch and a dunk by Wilder to cut the Sharks lead to 45-43 at halftime.
 
UAF's Michael Kluting hit a 3-pointer on the opening possession of the second half to take the lead from HPU. The Sharks would get it back with 14:15 remaining on a Federico bucket, but the Nanooks answered. The was tied at 56-all with 13:52 to play when the Nanooks made their first move.
 
Using a 3-pointer from Tre Eisenhut, Alaska went on an 8-0 run to grab the lead. The Sharks countered to pull within two when the Nanooks went on a 16-4 run to take a 15-point 88-73 lead with 5:47 left on Eisenhut's second and final trey of the game.
 
HPU answered back starting with a jumper from junior Spencer Vering from San Diego, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic, and a 3-pointer from Federico to start a 17-3 run. Federico scored 10 of the points in the run that was capped by a Janssen layup with 2:03 to play that put HPU within one at 91-90.
 
However, the Sharks wouldn't score again. UAF got layups from Wilder and Kluting, and the Sharks missed three 3-pointers down the stretch. An HPU foul allowed Wilder to sink two free throws to finish the game at 97-91.
 
Janssen was named the Classic's Most Outstanding Player, with Federico named to the All-Classic Team, joining UAF's Wilder and Kimble, Alaska Anchorage's Jacob Lampkin and Chaminade's Braden Koelliker.
 
The Sharks have a pair of non-conference games in the Pacific Northwest before returning to Oahu. HPU faces Corban (Ore.) in Salem, Ore., on Monday night at 5 p.m. HST (7 p.m. PST), then goes to Eugene, Ore., to face New Hope Christian on Tuesday at 3 p.m. HST (5 p.m. PST).