HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team ended the 2015-16 season by putting a scare into Point Loma Saturday at McCabe Gym.
The Silverswords nearly pulled off the upset on the Pacific West Conference Tournament-bound Sea Lions, who sank several clutch free throws in the closing seconds, to secure the 67-63 win.
Lilia Maio had 14 points and seven rebounds for Chaminade, which ended the season at 5-19 and 5-15 in the PacWest, the third-most wins in program history.
Carissa McBride added 12 points while
Courtney Kaupu had 12 points and six rebounds.
The game also marked the culmination of the collegiate careers of three seniors; forward
Kennedi Akana and guards
Sabrina Angle and
Shana Kawakami as well as junior guard
Bobbi Montibon. All four were honored following the game.
Sydney Tonack led the Sea Lions (19-9, 12-8) with 20 points.
Chaminade owned a 19-14 lead after the first 10 minutes with the help of Maio's eight points. A triple from Kaupu midway through the second quarter gave the 'Swords a 26-21 lead before PLNU went on an 8-0 run to claim a 29-26 lead with 1:32 left in the half. Angle's 3-pointer with 28 seconds left knotted the game at 29 at intermission.
Taylor Babbitt's triple midway through the third quarter gave Chaminade a three-point lead and later, baskets by McBride and Kawakami helped the 'Swords take a 50-45 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Kawakami opened the fourth by drilling a short jumper in the lane to give the home team a 52-45 advantage but the Sea Lions eventually rallied, re-taking a 60-59 lead on Alex Brunk's bucket with two minutes remaining. Point Loma proceeded to hit five of its next six shots from the foul line to help put the game away. Kawakami's layup on her final career shot attempt at the buzzer was the final margin.
Chaminade shot nearly 42 percent from the floor and held Point Loma to 43.5. The Sea Lions held the rebounding edge, 37-33, and was 10-of-13 from the free throw line. The Silverswords made eight 3-pointers and dished out 18 assists. The 'Swords also committed only eight turnovers, a record-low in the 10-year history of the program.
Kawakami finished with eight points and four assists while Angle had six points on a pair of 3-pointers along with three dimes. Montibon had two points in her final game via a third quarter layup.
Kawakami departs the program as the third-leading scorer in program history with 644 points, fourth in rebounds (282), fourth in assists (148), second in steals (129), field goals made (241) and games played (97).
Akana finishes as the 'Swords' all-time blocked shot leader with 71. She's also the program's sixth-leading scorer at 547 points and second in rebounds with 370. She also ranks fifth in games played with 76 and starts with 67.
Angle wrapped up her career as the team's all-time career 3-point shooter with 119. She also ranks 10
th in points (456) and fourth in games played (83).
Montibon ended her two-year stay at Chaminade with 27 career points.
Meanwhile Maio ended the year with 356 points, the third-most in a single season. It also gave her 937 points, putting her within striking distance of Samantha Saito's career scoring record of 1,141 as a senior next season. She also pulled down 211 total rebounds, the second-most in a single-season.
