HILO, Hawai'i – The Hawai'i Hilo Men's Basketball team slugged through Hastings College, 57-52, Monday evening as part of the Big Island Holiday Classic at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

After overcoming a sluggish start, the Vulcans overcame an early six-point deficit and held onto the lead for the entire length of the second half. The lead never surpassed double digits. Coming down the final stretch, Hawai'i Hilo toyed with a five-point lead as the Broncos managed to continue to stay within striking distance.

Hastings hit a 3-pointer with under 30 seconds to go to make it just a two-point ballgame, but Zoar Nedd and Cameron Wall iced the game with free throws for the victory.

Kalique Mitchell and Charles Elzie III led the Vulcans in scoring with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

UP NEXT

Hawai'i Hilo moved to a 8-3 overall record (3-0 Pacific West Conference) while Hastings moved to 10-3 (6-0 Great Plains Athletic Conference).

Big Island Holiday Classic action concludes Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. against San Francisco State. More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/BIC.

Hawai'i Hilo will then return to PacWest Conference action to close out the calendar year on the road in Southern California against Biola (Dec. 30). The Vulcans will follow with matchups at Concordia University Irvine (Jan. 2), Azusa Pacific (Jan. 4) and Point Loma (Jan. 6).

BIG ISLAND HOLIDAY CLASSIC

Winter 2022 marked the return of the Big Island Holiday Classic, bringing many men's and women's collegiate basketball programs to the Big Island of Hawai'i for competition and fun at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

The event, put on by TItleTown Events (previously Malika Sport Tours) and hosted by the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, is a modern reiteration of the Big Island Invitational Tournament from the 1990s, which featured many NCAA Division I programs with the likes of Oklahoma, Oregon State, Iowa State, Arkansas, Creighton, Purdue, Stanford and UConn among others.

The Big Island Classic moniker was also previously resurrected in winter 2016 when current Hawai'i Hilo men's basketball head coach Kaniela Aiona was at the helm of the Menlo College men's hoops program where they played games at Kealakehe High School on the west side of the island.

SEASON TICKETS

Single-game and season tickets are now available to be purchased online through Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans Athletics' recently launched online ticket platform in partnership with AudienceView Campus.

The 2023-24 slate will feature 28 total home contests at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium with a package price of $130 for adults and $65 for seniors (ages 65-plus) and middle/high school students.

Both can be accessed at HiloAthletics.com/tickets.

VIDEO STREAM PACKAGES

The Hawai'i Hilo Men's Basketball team will have 14 home games available to be viewed online through our video stream broadcasts in partnership with Out of the Sea Media Arts Inc.

Single-game viewing will be priced at $10 with a season-package offering of $105.

More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/LiveStream.