FRESNO, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University senior Jonathan Janssen posted his seventh career double-double, but it wasn't enough for the Sharks as Fresno Pacific claimed a 71-52 PacWest Conference victory on Friday evening at the FPU Special Events Center.
 
The Sharks (4-8, 1-6) fell for the third straight game, while the Sunbirds (6-7, 2-5) picked up their third win in four games.
 
HPU held a brief first half lead, but battled to a trail by four with 10 minutes to play in the game. That's when FPU rattled off a 14-1 as part of a 21-6 closing streak to take the win.
 
Janssen, the forward from Noosa Heads, Australia/Mountain State, led HPU with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Blain, a swingman from McDonough, Ga./Union Grove, added 13 points with two steals.
 
Adrian Antunez hit 8-of-11 shots on his way a game-high 18 points for Fresno Pacific, while Nate Kendricks posted 17 points, Elijah Hill 15 and Aamondae Coleman 10. Toby Christensen, Hill and A.J. Kirby each grabbed four rebounds.
 
HPU was held to 29 percent shooting from the field (16-of-56), with 4-of-17 (17 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks made 16-of-21 (76 percent) from the foul line. FPU connected on 53 percent from the floor (30-of-57), including 32 percent (7-of-22) from the arc. The Sunbirds hit only 4-of-10 (40 percent) from the free throw line. HPU outrebounded FPU 38-to-31, but suffered 17 turnovers to the Sunbirds 11.
 
Fresno Pacific opened the game on a 7-2 run before the Sharks rallied with a 7-1 run capped by a layup from junior Scott Ulaneo of Rome, Italy/St. George's International to grab a 9-8 lead with 12:15 to play in the first half.  A 3-pointer from Jake Straughan coming out of a media timeout gave FPU the lead they wouldn't relinquish a minute later. HPU kept it close for the rest of the first half and trailed by seven at halftime 34-27.
 
FPU maintained its advantage early in the second half, going up by 10 on a Spence Heimerdinger layup for a 50-40 lead with 11:34 to go. The Sharks rallied after a monster dunk from Blain to make a 6-0 run capped by a layup from sophomore Tavon Tarpley of McLean, Va./Langley that put the score at 50-46 with 10:09 remaining.
 
The Sunbirds answered with layups from Antunez and Coleman to key a 14-1 run over the next five minutes to put FPU in the driver's seat. The run extended to 21-6 with the last score a dunk by HPU junior Daniel Melifonwu of San Diego/Lincoln with 52 seconds remaining to make finalize the game at 71-52.
 
After closing this northern California swing, the Sharks return to action next Saturday, Jan. 12, by visiting the Big Island to meet Hawai'i Hilo in a PacWest Hawai'i Challenge contest at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. following the women's game between HPU and UHH.