Fresno, Calif. / Rocklin, Calif. / Atherton, Calif. — Hawai'i Pacific battled through a demanding Northern California road swing this week, taking on Fresno Pacific, Jessup, and Menlo across five days. The Sharks closed the trip with a strong win and now turn their attention to one final road matchup this Saturday to wrap up the stretch.
Fresno Pacific 84, Hawai'i Pacific 72 — Fresno, Calif.
HPU opened the trip with an 84–72 road loss at Fresno Pacific, where a slow defensive start created early separation. Despite the deficit, the Sharks saw a standout scoring performance from Quentin Meza, who finished with 23 points on 5-for-7 shooting, including four threes and a 9-for-11 mark at the line.
Joshua West added 11 points and seven rebounds, and Josh Niusulu contributed eight. HPU knocked down 10 threes but couldn't overcome the Sunbirds' 16 second-chance points and turnovers that turned directly into scoring opportunities. Fresno Pacific held a 44–32 halftime lead and maintained control throughout.
Jessup 86, Hawai'i Pacific 70 — Rocklin, Calif.
HPU's second stop came at Jessup, where a tough first half put the Sharks behind in an 86–70 loss. The Sharks regrouped and posted a stronger second half, showing resilience on both ends.
Maj Dusanic led the Sharks with 12 points and seven rebounds. West added 11 points and eight boards, while Niusulu scored 10. McCullough and Steadmon each added nine.
HPU outscored Jessup after halftime and won the rebounding battle 37–33, but Jessup's early momentum and 11 made threes were enough to protect their lead. The Sharks tightened up defensively in the second half, holding Jessup to 40 percent shooting.
Hawai'i Pacific 83, Menlo 72 — Atherton, Calif.
The Sharks closed the trip on a strong note, defeating Menlo 83–72 with one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season. HPU shot 54 percent from the field and 42 percent from three, using a 46-point first half to build early control.
Meza once again led the offense with 20 points and eight assists. Niusulu added 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting, while Sarenac delivered 12 points on four made threes. West contributed 12 points, and Halpert added 10.
The Sharks got 32 points from the bench, forced turnovers that led to 23 points, and held Menlo to 38 percent shooting to secure the win.
One More Road Test Ahead
HPU now sits at 7–4 overall and 3–3 in PacWest play heading into one final road matchup this Saturday before returning home. The Sharks look to carry the momentum from their win at Menlo into the weekend as they close out the extended road swing.
