HONOLULU - The Hawaiʻi Pacific University men's basketball team mounted a strong second-half surge but fell just short in a 64–57 loss to Fresno Pacific University on Saturday night.

After trailing by 14 at halftime, the Sharks (15-8, 11-7 PacWest) stormed back with renewed energy, outscoring the Sunbirds 39–32 in the second half and cutting the deficit to single digits multiple times. Hawaii Pacific's defensive intensity and bench production helped fuel the rally in front of the home crowd.

Isaac Peralta led Fresno Pacific with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Liam Switzer added 8 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. The Sunbirds built their early advantage on a dominant first half, shooting 48 percent and forcing key turnovers to create transition opportunities.

The Sharks found their rhythm after the break.  Ike Sutton paced Hawaii Pacific with 14 points, while Nemanja Sarenac picked up 13 points and Josh Niusulu contributed 11 points to provide an offensive spark during the comeback effort. Quentin Meza added 6 points and helped facilitate the offense with three assists.

Hawaii Pacific showed its depth with 29 bench points and a strong rebounding effort in the second half, finishing with 25 rebounds overall and limiting second-chance opportunities during its rally. The Sharks also improved their shooting after halftime, connecting on 44 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range in the final period.
Despite the loss, the Sharks' resilience and second-half execution highlighted their competitiveness as they continue conference play. 

The Sharks will return to action on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. against Jessup to entertain the keiki for their annual field trip day.