HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Men's Basketball closed its season with a 79-76 defeat to Azusa Pacific on Saturday evening in Pacific West Conference play at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
The Vulcans turned a 19-point deficit into a one-possession game late, but the Cougars managed to hold on for the victory.
Senior Julio Montes II left it all out on the court and dropped a new (D-II) career-high 35 points. Montes II hit 11 of the Vulcans' final 16 points, sinking a pair of free throws with 61 seconds remaining. APU came up empty from the field and the free throw line, but Hawai'i Hilo just couldn't get a basket to land as time expired.
Fellow senior Brody Davis collected a career-high 16 rebounds with 14 points for his fourth career double-double.
NOTES
- Vulcans Seniors: Brody Davis, Alex Horiuk, Julio Montes II, Jessiya Villa
- Hawai'i Hilo finished with an even split of 22 offensive (season high) and 22 defensive rebounds.
- Montes II finishes the season with a .903 free-throw shooting percentage, ranking No. 2 in the program record books for a single season. Montes II also ranks No. 4 with a .864 free throw percentage from the 2024-25 season.
- Hawai'i Hilo: 5-23 Overall (5-17 PacWest)
- Azusa Pacific: 7-18 Overall (5-15 PacWest)
- One lucky attending fan had the opportunity to win a new vehicle courtesy Aloha KIA Hilo with one half-court shot attempt during the halftime contest.
- The Vulcan Booster Club recognized and honored executive board member Dakota Frenz at halftime with the Heart & Hustle Award for her unwavering support, commitment and dedication to Hawai'i Hilo Athletics and Vulcans student-athletes.
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