HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team bounced back from a disappointing loss to one island rival by dispatching the other.
Six Silverswords – including all five starters – cracked the double-digit scoring plateau in their 101-72 win over the University of Hawai'i Hilo Saturday at McCabe Gym.
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College) had a team-best 18 points for the 'Swords (6-4 overall, 2-2 Pacific West Conference) who rebounded from last week's setback to Hawai'i Pacific.
Meanwhile
Austin Pope (Burbank, Calif./North Idaho College) fell one assist shy of the program's first triple-double in nearly nine years with his 13-point, 13-rebound, nine-assist performance. Chaminade's last triple-double was in January 2009 by Noah Gottlieb against Academy of Art.
Dantley Walker (Panaca, Nev./UNLV) and
Justin Bridges (Atlanta/Georgia Highlands) each had 17 points with
Brett Reed (Houston/Cabrillo College) adding 13.
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State) came off the bench for a career-high 16 points in Chaminade's highest scoring game this season.
Trey Ingram led UH Hilo (3-5, 2-1 PacWest) with 19 points.
UHH held its largest lead of three (12-9) seven minutes into the game. Dressler buried a triple and an
Eliet Donley (Yokosuka, Japan/Hayfield) layup put the 'Swords ahead for good. The buckets helped spur a 15-0 run over the next 3:41.
The Vulcans managed to reduce a 12-point deficit down to five with less than five minutes left in the half but then began to unravel.
UH Hilo head coach GE Coleman was assessed a Class-A technical foul for running onto the court to argue a call while the ball was live. Then with 50 seconds left, Ingram was issued a technical foul for throwing an elbow, the third time he's been assessed a technical this season.
Walker hit the two technical free throws then on the same possession, Pope's jumper put Chaminade up by 18.
The 'Swords shot 53.7 percent from the floor and allowed the Vulcans to just 35.7. Of Chaminade's 36 baskets, 22 were assisted. Their 22 dimes tied their season high. They also out-boarded the Vulcans, 48-33.
Chaminade's win also gave them two points in this year's PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
The Silverswords close the calendar year Monday when they host Montana State Billings at McCabe Gym in their final non-conference game this season. Live streaming audio coverage on GoSwords.com begins at 7 p.m.
