FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno Pacific men's basketball celebrated its senior duo, Isaac Peralta and Ryan Braam, before the homestand finale against visiting conference opponent Vanguard. The Sunbirds trailed the Lions for most of the match and nearly closed the deficit, but in the final minutes, Vanguard broke ahead 72-58 on Thursday night at the Special Events Center.

Fresno Pacific began the game by facing an early deficit as Vanguard scored a layup just 21 seconds into play. The 'Birds struggled initially, missing multiple attempts and committing turnovers. However, momentum shifted slightly when Isaac Peralta's fastbreak dunk at 14:55 cut the lead to 5-4. Unfortunately, the great energy from the dunk was short-lived as Peralta received a technical foul for accidently swinging into a Lion defender. This brought the Sunbird bench to their feet in outrage and contributed to the 'Birds passionate fire as the game progressed.

Nick Davidson provided a spark with a three-pointer at 13:06, bringing the Sunbirds within five points. As the half progressed, FPU found some success from beyond the arc, with Amar Hot contributing three crucial back-to-back 3-pointers, the last of which came with just 10 seconds remaining to bring the score to 34-27. Despite their efforts, the Sunbirds trailed 36-27 by the end of the first half after Vanguard closed with a dunk at the buzzer.

The Blue and Orange made a notable push midway through the second half, with Peralta hitting a 3-pointer at 13:58, assisted by Liam Switzer. This moment was part of a series of efforts to close the gap, highlighted by Davidson's layup at 8:01 and subsequent free throws by Peralta at 7:23. Despite these efforts, Vanguard maintained a lead, bolstered by key 3-pointers and free throws, leading 71–53. The half concluded with Brandon Gibson Jr. making a 3-pointer, assisted by Tyler Parr, as the clock expired, finalizing the game with a score of 72–58 in favor of Vanguard.

Offensively, senior Peralta scored 12 points and recorded seven rebounds, leading Fresno Pacific in both categories. He has broken into FPU's All-Time list in points, steals, and assists. Not to mention, he is currently ranked fifth in assists in the PacWest. Davidson added 14 points and collected four rebounds, while Hot made three 3-pointers, tallying nine points in total. Seth Brown showcased his defensive skills with three steals and added six points to the 'Birds board. In the PacWest, Brown is currently ranked first in three-pointers per game and fourth in free throw percentage.

Fresno Pacific has a record of 13-14 overall and 12-9 in PacWest play. The Sunbirds are among several other PacWest schools fighting for a spot in the PacWest Championships. Thus far, Point Loma and Westmont have been the sole schools to clinch, leaving four remaining spots. The final results on Saturday will determine who makes the tournament.

To view the PacWest Men's Basketball Standings, CLICK HERE.

NEXT UP: The 'Birds end regular season play on Saturday, February 28 with a conference matchup against Dominican at 3:30 pm.

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