HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University fought hard but could not overcome a strong Arkansas-Monticello attach as UAM defeated HPU 80-63 on Friday afternoon at the Hawai'i Convention Center in the Ala Moana Hotel Hoops In Hawai'i D2 Power Invitational.
 
The Sharks (3-6) had a brief first half lead before the Boll Weevils (10-2) regained the lead and rolled to the 17-point victory.
 
Sophomore Jacob Foy of Newcastle, Australia/St. Francis Xavier led the Sharks with 11 points, while junior David Rowlands of Dayton, Ohio/Moorpark added 10 points. Junior Tavon Tarpley of McLean,Va./Langley added eight points with a team-high six rebounds, while senior Daniel Melifonwu of San Diego/Lincoln also scored eight points.
 
UAM was paced by KJ Lesure with 29 points and two steals. Justin Slocum added 17 points with eight rebounds and Marcus Gilbert posted 14 points. Austin Hardy also grabbed eight boards with eight points.
 
The Sharks shot 39 percent (22-of-56) from the floor, including 8-of-27 (29 percent) from the 3-point arc. HPU was 11-of-18 (61 percent) from the foul line. The Weevils connected on 51 percent of their shots from the field (29-of-57), with 8-of-23 (35 percent) coming outside the arc. UAM hit 14-of-18 (78 percent) from the charity stripe. UAM outboarded HPU 37-31 and edged the Sharks on turnovers 13-to-14.
 
After the two teams traded 3-pointers on their first possessions, the Weevils used an 8-0 run to take an early lead. The Sharks countered with a 7-0 run to pull within one on a free throw by junior Chidozie Ndu of Lagos, Nigeria/Sunrise Christian (Kan.) via Sam Houston State. After a pair of UAM baskets, the Sharks got a pair of jumpers from senior Ronald Blain of McDonough, Ga./Union Grove followed by freshman Trey Chapman of Healdsburg, Calif./Healdsburg nailing a jumper for a 6-0 run to give HPU a 16-15 lead with 10:19 remaining in the first half. Unfortunately for HPU, the Weevils got a jumper from Marcus Gilbert to retake the lead and a pair 3-pointers from Lesure to ignite a 14-0 run that crushed the HPU hopes.
 
UAM built an 18-point 36-18 lead with 3:50 to play in the first before the Sharks trimmed to a 14-point halftime deficit of 38-24.
 
The Sharks rallied in the second half, eventually cutting the UAM lead to seven on a Melifonwu jumper with 12:10 to play. That's when the Boll Weevils ripped off a 10-3 run to extinguish the Sharks heat. UAM built a 19-point lead late in the game and settled for a 17-point 80-63 win.
 
The Sharks are back at it on Saturday on the final day of the classic, facing Simon Fraser at 5:45 at the Convention Center. It's the last game before a holiday break for HPU.