Just two days after securing one of the biggest wins in program history, the Hawai‘i Pacific University men’s basketball team was back on the practice court Wednesday, this time with a new sense of recognition.
The Division II Sharks, led by third-year head coach and Kamehameha graduate Jesse Nakanishi, returned to work at the Shark Tank in Mānoa after stunning perennial Mountain West contender Boise State on the Broncos’ home court Monday night.
Senior guard Joshua West fueled the milestone victory with 23 points, helping HPU earn national attention and a wave of newfound expectations heading into the rest of the season.
“We talked a lot just now about flipping the page,” Nakanishi said. “Obviously an incredible accomplishment and sure elation on everybody’s part, but it’s digested now. We have our championship goals ahead of us. You’ve got to learn how to handle success as much as you handle adversity. That win is a confidence booster that we can play in our league at a high level.”
For West, who hails from Chicago, the victory carried extra meaning.
“Any opportunity that we have to put Hawai‘i on the map, HPU wants to take full advantage of it,” West said. “Hawai‘i and being a Shark, it’s become like a second home for me. It means a lot to put on this jersey. We take pride on the defensive end, working hard and showing effort. We obviously want to get back into the tournament, but we’re taking it one day at a time.”
HPU will host an exhibition against Noble on Saturday at the Shark Tank before officially opening its Division II schedule on Nov. 15 in Alaska.
The Sharks will also face the University of Hawai‘i on Nov. 24 at Bankoh Arena.