HONOLULU — Defending PacWest Champion Hawai'i Pacific University trailed only at the start of the game as the Sharks dominated cross-town rival Chaminade 102-82 in PacWest action Saturday night at McCabe Gym.
 
The Sharks (5-4, 2-1) saw the Silverswords (5-4, 1-2) take an early 3-0 lead, then proceeded to go on a 7-0 run to take the lead and never trailed again on their way to their second 100-plus game of the season.
 
"We played an outstanding game against a very good team tonight," said HPU head coach Darren Vorderbruegge. "We shot the ball extremely well and dominated the boards. And Spencer (Vering) had a phenomenal game. That was a game we really needed."
 
Senior forward Niksha Federico of San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic, recorded his sixth double-double of the season in leading the Sharks with 24 points and 11 rebounds. But it was the play off the bench of junior forward Spencer Vering of San Diego, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic who scored 15 of HPU's first 21 points and finished with 22 points on the night. A total of five Sharks scored in double-figures as junior forward Jonathan Janssen of Noosa Heads, Australia/Mountain State, just missed a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds, while junior guard Darnell Bettis of Los Angeles, Calif./University, posted 15 points with three assists and freshman guard David Rowlands of Dayton, Ohio/Moorpark added 11 points.
 
Chaminade placed four players in double-digits with Austin Pope and Erik Scheive each collecting 15 points, with Braden Koelliker 13 and Justin Bridges popping for 11 points with a team-high eight rebounds.
 
The Sharks shot an outstanding 59 percent from the floor (37-of-63), including 55 percent (12-of-22) from the 3-point arc. HPU also connected on 16-of-23 free throws (70 percent). CUH shot a strong 48 percent from the floor (34-of-71), but only 31 percent (8-of-26) from the arc and 6-of-11 (55 percent) from the foul line.
 
The Silverswords jumped out to their only lead as Dantley Walker hit a 3-pointer 10 seconds into the game.
 
HPU senior forward Albert Christensson of Lund, Sweden/South Kent Prep, followed by picking up two fouls in the next 40 seconds that had Vorderbruegge going to the bench to put in Vering.
 
The junior picked up two jumpers for the lead and Federico followed with a trey to give the Sharks a 7-0 run and a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
 
After a dunk by CUH's Pope, Vering went on his own 8-2 run to extend the Sharks lead to 15-7 and followed another Federico 3-ball with one of his own to score 15 of the Sharks first 21 points in a span of five minutes.
 
HPU built an early 13-point lead, but the Swords chipped it away and after an 8-0 run capped by a Walker 3, the Swords pulled within three points. But that was as close as they would get.
 
Janssen nailed a short jumper in the lane and Federico added a dunk as the Sharks used an 8-0 run that finished in a 10-2 run to end the half with an 11-point 52-41 lead.
 
Janssen opened the second half with a jumper to key a 10-0 run for a 21-point lead for HPU. The Sharks while allowing the Swords to cut the lead, never trailed by less than a dozen points the rest of the half.
 
HPU eventually got lead up to 24 points at 75-51 with a pair of Christenssen free throws with 13:27 remaining. CUH responded with an 11-2 run to cut the lead to 15 points and the Swords worked the advantage back down to 12 on Brett Reed's jumper with 3:59 to go that make it 87-85.
 
The HPU answered with a pair of Bettis layups, ending the threat. The Sharks held the Swords scoreless in the last 1:44 and used free throws and a Janssen layup to finish off the Swords 102-82 in the game that scores in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
 
The Sharks have another week off before playing as the sponsoring school in the Hoops In Hawai'i Holiday Tournament. HPU meets Harding in the tournament on Sunday (Dec. 17) at 3:30 p.m. at the Hawai'i Convention Center. They also play on Tuesday (Dec. 19) at 3:30 p.m. against Montana State Billings in Convention Center.