HILO, Hawai'i - A second half offensive surge helped lift the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds to victory Thursday night as they defeated the Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans 65-52 in their first of three games on the Islands.
The game tipped off with both teams looking to assert themselves early. The 'Birds started aggressively on both ends of the floor, using their defensive pressure to force turnovers.
Isaac Peralta set the tone defensively, grabbing an early steal and pushing the tempo in transition. However, Hilo countered with a strong inside presence, scoring early points in the paint.
The Sunbirds found success attacking the basket, with Liam Switzer finishing a dunk off a crisp assist from Peralta to get the Sunbirds on the board. However, their three-point shooting struggled early, going just 1-for-10 from beyond the arc in the first 10 minutes. Jonah Geron hit a key three-pointer midway through the half to keep the Sunbirds close. The first half saw nine lead changes, as both teams traded baskets in a highly competitive opening period.
Hilo relied on their ability to crash the boards, grabbing four offensive rebounds in the first half, leading to crucial second-chance points. A jumper from the Vulcans gave them a slight edge late in the half. However, the Sunbirds responded converting back-to-back layups from Gabriel Quiette and Hugo Gonzalez Garcia inside, keeping the game tied.
As the first half neared its conclusion, Fresno Pacific capitalized on Hilo's mistakes, scoring six points off turnovers in the final minutes. Switzer knocked down a clutch mid-range jumper just before the buzzer to give the Sunbirds a 26-26 tie heading into halftime.
Coming out to start the second half, the Sunbirds wasted no time taking control of the game. Geron opened the half with a pair of deep three-pointers, igniting a 9-0 run that gave the Sunbirds their biggest lead up to that point. Fresno Pacific tightened their defensive rotations, forcing Hilo into contested shots and capitalizing on fast-break opportunities.
The Sunbirds' offensive efficiency improved drastically, as they shot 10-for-25 from the field and 5-for-13 from beyond the arc in the second half. Cooper Sheldon and Switzer continued their dominance inside, combining for 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Peralta orchestrated the offense effectively with six assists on the night.
Hilo struggled to keep up with Fresno Pacific's pace, as turnovers plagued them in key moments. The Vulcans committed 10 second-half turnovers, leading directly to 14 Sunbird points. The Sunbirds also found success at the free-throw line, making 14-of-22 foul shots to extend their lead. Ryan Abbott and Seth Brown contributed key defensive stops, while Geron's three-point shooting helped put the game out of reach.
As the clock wound down, the 'Birds composure proved too much for Hilo to overcome. The Sunbirds finished strong, outscoring the Vulcans 39-26 in the second half, securing an impressive 65-52 road victory.
With the win the Sunbirds keep their win streak alive, extending it to four straight PacWest Conference victories.
"Extremely proud of the toughness and togetherness of our team, Hawai'i Hilo is a tremendously hard place to win at, and is well-coached and tough," said head coach C.J. Haydock. "I was thrilled with our defensive execution, and a really good individual defensive effort from Isaac Peralta. Jonah Geron gives us the shot of offense we need, and then our discipline and toughness on the defensive side of the ball carries us. Thrilled to get a win, and we are really focused on how much momentum we can grab in this stretch."
It will be a quick turnaround for the Sunbirds as they hop on a plane and head to Oahu for a pair of games, with the first tipping off Saturday against Hawai'i Pacific at 8:30pm PT following the women's game at 6:30pm PT. Both games will be streamed on the
PacWest Network.
"We will try to be even tougher and more together Saturday against a quality Hawai'i Pacific team."
SUNBIRD SOCIAL
- X - @fpusunbirds
- Instagram - @fpusunbirds
- Facebook - /FPUsunbirds
#TeamFPU
