Box Score LIHUE, Kaua'i – The Chaminade University and University of Hawai'i men's basketball teams put on a show for hoops-hungry fans at Kaua'i High School Saturday night.
A boisterous sellout crowd of 800 at the "RaiderDome" watched as the Rainbow Warriors (7-2) defeated the Silverswords (4-4) for the second consecutive season on a Neighbor Island, 94-84.
Kiran Shastri put up 25 points, hitting five 3-pointers while
Kuany Kuany had 14.
Lee Bailey contributed with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists for the Swords, who fell to 1-5 against UH in the series.
But in what seemed like a replay from the 2012 game, the 'Bows countered with Christian Standhardinger's 31 points and 8 rebounds while Issac Fotu was perfect from the floor, connecting on all seven of his field goal attempts. Standhardinger and Fotu combined for 38 points and were 15-of-19 from the floor against CUH in the game played on Moloka'i last year.
The Swords opened up a 16-4 lead just three minutes into the game with the help six points each from Kuany and Shastri.
The Silverswords continued to find the bottom of the net, as
Kevin Hu, Shastri and Bailey each hit long-range shots to extend to a 25-10 lead with 12 minutes left.
With the first half fouls on Chaminade mounting, the Rainbows went on a 9-0 run to close to 27-19, but Shastri hit another trey, his third of the game at the 9:32 mark to increase the Swords' lead to 30-19.
But CUH would go cold from the floor and UH was able to take its first lead of the game on a Garrett Nevels free throw with 3:33 left in the half.
From there, the lead would see-saw and the first half ended with the score tied at 42.
Christian Stanhardinger's bucket gave UH a 44-42 lead just seconds into the second half, but Chaminade responded on Kuany's 3-point play to give the lead back to Chaminade at 45-44.
UH would retake the lead on Nevel's 3-point play three minute into the second stanza with the Swords continuing to battle back forcing several ties. Then Standhardinger and Fotu would both lead the pivotal run, combining for 26 points as a 62-58 Swords' deficit grew to 88-78 with under two minutes left.
The teams were whistled for 59 combined fouls, UH went to the free throw line 45 times with Standhardinger attempting 22. CUH also saw considerable time on the charity stripe with 31 attempts. However, three Swords fouled out, leading to a depleted bench down the stretch.
Hawai'i shot 51.9 percent from the field while Chaminade was held to only 38.2. Both teams hit eight 3-pointers while UH outrebounded CUH, 40-31, and blocked nine shots to the Swords' three.
Chaminade remains in non-conference action when it returns to McCabe Gym on Thursday to face Northwood at 7:30 p.m. The game is part of a doubleheader with the Swords' women, who face Malone University at 5 p.m. Both games will have live streaming audio on goswords.com.
