Box scoreHONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball program has a rich history of memories in the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, with stunning upsets over No. 1 Virginia (1982), Louisville (1983, '84) and No. 3 SMU (1984).
Friday night against their neighboring school, the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, was not among them.
The Rainbow Warriors used a dominant inside game to down the Silverswords, 94-63, in front of a crowd of 927 at the Blaisdell Center, CUH's first game in the historic building since Feb. 2011.
Chaminade got a team-high 12 points from
Kevin Hu while
Kuany Kuany contributed with 10.
De'Von Boyd scored eight points while
Lee Bailey and
Michael Louder had six each.
Despite the loss, the game was classified an exhibition game for the 'Swords, so the result and statistics for the game did not count in their overall season total.
Aaron Valdes led a parade of six double-digit scorers for Hawai'i with 23 points. Roderick Bobbitt and Stefan Jovanovic each had scoring-rebounding double-doubles with 15-13 and 12-13, respectively. Unlike Chaminade, the result and stats did count as a regular season game for Hawai'i, which improved to 8-3 on the season.
UH hammered CUH on the boards, out-rebounding the home team, 56-34, and outscored them in the paint, 52-24.
The two previous games between the two teams on Moloka'i and Kaua'i were close down the stretch. And in the opening five minutes of the first half, it appeared the contest would head in that direction again.
Hu opened the game with a 3-pointer as he scored seven of the Silverswords' first nine points as the game was locked in a 9-all tie. Three-balls by Bailey and
James Harper, followed by a Kuany bucket gave the 'Swords a 17-12 lead, their largest of the game. A
Kiran Shastri jumper followed by Kuany's 3-pointer put Chaminade up 22-18 with 13:31 left in the half.
But the 'Bows put the clamps on, outscoring the 'Swords 18-2 over the next five minutes to take a 36-22 advantage. The deficit eventually swelled to 23 with Hawai'i owning a 55-32 halftime lead.
Chaminade got a better defensive effort in the second half, holding UH to 39 second-half points. They also managed to force 21 Rainbow Warrior turnovers in the game.
The Silverswords will take the Christmas break off, then will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 30, as they host the University of British Columbia in a scrimmage at McCabe Gym at 8:30 a.m. The 'Swords resume regular season and Pacific West Conference action on Saturday, Jan. 3, when they host Point Loma.
