HONOLULU, Hawai'i - In a heart-stopping showdown at the Shark Tank, the Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU) men's basketball team narrowly fell to the Academy of Art Urban Knights with a final score of 83-82. The Sharks, entering the game with a 5-1 home record, looked forward to the rematch against the Urban Knights, aiming to avenge their only PacWest loss earlier this month.

After a decisive 51-65 loss in their last encounter in San Francisco, HPU made it clear that the fight would be more fierce this time around. In the first half, Melo Sanchez and Charlie Weber showcased offensive prowess, matching the combined 19 points from Latrell Williams and Treylon Payne with 18 of their own. As the halftime buzzer sounded, the Sharks trailed by just three points, setting the stage for another nail-biting contest at the Shark Tank.

Head Coach Jesse Nakanishi strategically turned to Tucker Pellicci to disrupt Academy of Art's offensive flow, and the senior center delivered with an outstanding defensive performance, tallying five blocks in just 18 minutes of action. In the second half, Weber and Sanchez continued their scoring onslaught, combining for 27 points, finishing with 27 and 19 respectively. Meanwhile, Dominique "Diggy" Winbush contributed in every facet of the game, dishing out a game-high seven assists, collecting five rebounds, and adding 13 points to his tally.

Despite a remarkable 22 lead changes, a clutch three-pointer by Jamal Fuller with 13 seconds to go and a missed free throw by HPU ultimately allowed the Urban Knights to escape with a one-point victory.

Despite the loss, the Sharks remain very much in contention in the PacWest Tournament race with a 3-2 record. Charlie Weber continues to showcase his consistent scoring ability, reaching double digits for the fifth consecutive game with an average of 16.6 points per game in that span.

HPU will be back at the Shark Tank tomorrow as they aim to complete the season sweep over Dominican University.