It came six days before Chaminade stunned the college basketball world with the upset of then-No. 1 Virginia. On Dec. 17, 1982, the Silverswords toppled the team from "over the ridge," 56-47.
"That was the biggest because it was local," Lopes said of beating the Rainbows. "Beating UH is still the best win for me because they used to think of us as hamburger meat.
"All the other wins were gravy after that."
That victory did little to stir up an inter-valley rivalry. The teams have not met since, and the overall series is tied at 1-1.
The Rainbows were just pupu for what eventually became the Chaminade monster. The win over Virginia fed the hunger that, sixth years later, ended up eating Lopes.
He semi-retired to the Big Island, fishing between jobs as varsity coach at Hawaii Prep and counselor at Waimea Intermediate.
Lopes is 63 and just weeks away from retiring from the Department of Education after 35 years. It's HIS hunger that has returned. Which is why he is one of some 40 applicants for his old job at Chaminade, a spot open for the fourth time in seven seasons following Don Doucette's resignation last month to become head coach at Central Missouri State.
"It's about time I go and do something, it's time for a change," said Lopes. "I feel good, been resting a lot and I need to be doing something more. I've still got this sense of urgency. And if the opportunity comes, I would jump at the chance."
The question is: Would the job bite back? Chaminade is not the tiny, Catholic school Lopes left in 1989.
While the student enrollment has not increased much, the athletic program has grown up considerably from the time Lopes was washing his basketball team's uniforms. The move to NCAA Division II from NAIA has changed the way the athletic department operates.
The job description for the vacancy is for athletic director and basketball coach, a dual headache that Darryl Lauderdale and Don Doucette endured for about two years apiece. Despite rumors to the contrary, Lopes is interested in the entire package.
"Everything is very preliminary right now," said Lopes. "I don't even know where the school is coming from now. But I do know I was there for 12 years, running a program that gave me about $35 a day to recruit a kid.
"My book is not closed to new opportunities. Athletic director and coach? It's a package deal that I'd consider."
The change would come at a price.
Lopes and wife Cheryl just closed on a house in Waikoloa. His son and daughter and several grandchildren have grown comfortably close.
"But whatever Mervin wants, I'll support," said Cheryl Lopes. "I love it on the Big Island but whatever my husband wants to do, I'm behind him 100 percent."
Some names have surfaced for the Silverswords' job, among them former Cal coach Lou Campanelli and Thomas Louden, an assistant under Doucette.
But none quite have the magic that Lopes has, even 15 years later.
The 1982 win over Virginia is still considered one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history. Keith Whitney's desperation shot with a millisecond left on the Blaisdell clock was a Christmas Day miracle in 1984.
"That was the monster we had to keep feeding and we were fortunate to have the talent to do it," said Lopes.
"The monster's been dead for a while and it's time for a new beginning. I'd like the opportunity to do it again."
It's no surprise that Lopes' favorite fish to catch is the mo'i, a reef fish that is difficult to land but "very delicious," he said.
If one didn't know better, it sounds like Lopes is casting his basketball philosophy again. Especially about landing the big one.