FRESNO, Calif.- While they received some classic senior performances, the final game of the season also served as an unofficial passing of the torch as the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (9-18 overall, 6-14 PacWest) defeated the Holy Names Hawks (6-22 overall, 3-17 PacWest) to close the season Saturday at the Special Events Center.
 
Darrin Person Jr. worked like a battering ram on his way to a team-high 18 points and 8 rebounds while Nate Kendricks offered the precise decision making that's made him (and Spencer Heimerdinger) the winningest Sunbirds of the NCAA D2 era.
 
Kendricks 12 points fit right end with the underclassmen, Ryan Abbott scored a season-high 16 points and proved timely on the glass and defense. Ryas Vang added 13 points and the defensive stop of the game to seal the win.
 
The Sunbirds led wire-to-wire behind a 10-0 start that including a 3-point play from Person on the opening possession.
 
Fresno Pacific further marched away from there with seniors Person and Kendricks as well as D.J. Searcy ballooning the lead to as much as 17 just a few minutes before halftime.
 
The lead settled at 16, 41-25, heading into halftime.
 
Holy Names had a pair of runs loaded up in the final game of its history, cutting the difference in half with twelve and a half minutes to play.
 
The Sunbirds created some breathing room behind Abbott and Vang before the Hawks reduced the difference to eight with just 7 minutes remaining.
 
Abbott and Vang again helped buoy the lead to 16 just three minutes later before things got dicey.
 
After FPU held a 79-65 lead on a free throw by Vang, Holy Names went on an 11-2 run to pull within five with less than 40 seconds in regulation.
 
But a Kendricks free-throw and Vang steal that turned into a layup for the guard on the other end sealed the win for Fresno Pacific.
 
Fresno Pacific earned a win in front of its biggest home crowd of the season supporting the seven seniors, including the six active valley natives.
 
The Sunbirds conclude the season on a winning note, after a year plagued by injury and illness, tied for 9^th in the PacWest standings.
 
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