HONOLULU — In front of an electric crowd of nearly 500 keiki at the Shark Tank, Hawai'i Pacific battled back in the second half but ultimately fell to Jessup, 85-77, in PacWest action Tuesday morning.

The Sharks fed off the energy in the building after halftime, erupting for 52 second-half points while shooting over 51 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes. HPU knocked down seven threes in the second half and repeatedly cut into the deficit, keeping the crowd engaged down the stretch.

Quentin Meza led the way with 16 points, while Joshua West added 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Zane Gaul provided a major spark off the bench, scoring 11 points on a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Nemanja Sarenac also reached double figures with 10 points, helping the Sharks total 30 bench points and 30 points in the paint.

After trailing 34-25 at the break, HPU showed resilience and offensive rhythm in the second half, forcing Jessup to answer possession for possession. The Warriors shot efficiently after halftime, connecting on 63 percent from the field in the second period to maintain separation late.

The Sharks move to 15-9 overall and 11-8 in PacWest play as they continue their push toward postseason positioning.