ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Chaminade University men's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season with a 71-58 win over the University of Alaska in the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge Friday at the Alaska Airlines Center.
The new-look Silverswords (1-0), featuring a slew of post players standing 6-foot-7 and taller, got 19 points from 6-foot-10 forward
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College) and 10 from another front-court transfer,
Braden Koelliker (Kaysville, Utah/Colorado State).
Justin Bridges (Atlanta, Ga./Georgia Highlands) and
Dantley Walker (Panaca, Nev./UNLV) added 13 and nine points, respectively, to lead the returnees. All-Pacific West Conference Preseason selection
Austin Pope (Burbank, Calif./North Idaho College) added seven points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Scheive hit his first four shots and was 9-for-12 from the floor while Bridges was 5-for-7 coming off the bench.
In all, newcomers accounted for 36 of Chaminade's points on the night. Another transfer, guard
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State), had eight assists and seven rebounds along with five points.
Davis Kimble had 23 to lead the Nanooks (0-1).
In stark contrast to Chaminade teams of recent vintage, the 'Swords attempted just 17 3-pointers (making five) on the night, their third-fewest attempts from long range in the past two seasons. They also got 40 points in the paint.
Their new defensive approach also limited UAF to just 33.3 percent shooting from the floor, the lowest by an opponent since Dec. 31, 2015 when NAIA Viterbo shot just 24.2 percent. They also forced the Nanooks to just 5-of-28 (17.9) from the 3-point arc.
The 'Swords led 8-7 in the early stages but their defense took center stage, holding UAF to just one field goal in eight minutes which helped CUH to a double-digit lead. Chaminade led 36-22 at the break.
The Silverswords led by as many as 20 in the second half but the Nanooks managed to trim the deficit to 12 with six minutes left. But Walker and Scheive buried triples then a Scheive layup expanded the lead back to 20 and the 'Swords were never threatened again.
The 58 points allowed is the fewest allowed by a 'Swords squad in a season-opener since 2011 when they surrendered 53 to Western Oregon,
Eric Bovaird's debut as head coach.
Of Chaminade's 28 baskets, 20 were assisted. The 'Swords also out-rebounded UAF 43-36 and had 21 bench points to Alaska's eight.
The Silverswords wrap the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge Saturday against host Alaska Anchorage.
