ATHERTON, Calif. – Another slow start at home wasn’t the problem for Menlo College, but the late fade was as the Oaks dropped a 64-58 decision to Holy Names in California Pacific Conference men’s basketball on Thursday night at Haynes-Prim Pavilion.

Menlo shook off a slow start – an all-too-familiar occurrence in home contests – but couldn’t get over the hump in the second half after trimming an 11-point deficit to one point with seven minutes, 15 seconds remaining. The Oaks couldn’t convert on a pair of chances to take the lead and never got another chance down the stretch.

The Oaks fall to 3-7 in Cal Pac play and 5-14 overall. Holy Names is now 3-7 in conference and 5-19 overall. Menlo plays at CSU-East Bay on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a rematch of a 70-63 Oaks victory over the Pioneers in December. Menlo is the only team to beat CSU-East Bay (9-1, 12-5) in conference play.

It took little time for the Oaks to find themselves in the same predicament that has plagued them all season when Holy Names jumped out to quick 13-2 and 16-5 advantages within the first five minutes of play. Jonathan Kargas, Zac Sewitsky, Aaron Kanno, and Ben Clyde each made a 3-pointer during the stretch.

Menlo settled down, eventually scoring seven straight when Mike Stone hit a jumper and Chris Cobb followed with a 3-pointer and two free throws. The Oaks whittled the Hawks advantage down to a point before Logan Shoffner went high for a layup off a Cobb assist for Menlo’s first lead of the game at 24-23. It was still a one-point advantage for the Oaks until Kargas and Kanno each sunk another 3-pointer to close out the half with Holy Names leading 33-28.

The Hawks stretched their lead to 11 points promptly in the second half and led by 10 when Menlo made one last run.

Brandon Cochran made a pair of field goals and a free throw, Jason Logan and Julian Harris each made a 3-pointer, and Andrew Young scored inside as part of a 13-4 Oaks run that took just less than six minutes off the clock. Kargas answered with a three-point play on his way to a game-high 29 points and Menlo got any closer.

Harris and Cobb led the offense with 13 points apiece while Young came through with a double-double, finishing with 10 points and as many rebounds. Cochran added nine points and six rebounds with Tim Kees chipping in six points.

Clyde and Kanno scored 12 and 10, respectively, for Holy Names. Clyde added 12 rebounds for a double-double of his own. The Hawks forced 22 Oaks turnovers while committing just 13 of their own.