HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team opened their season Wednesday with a 67-55 exhibition win over Multnomah University at McCabe Gymnasium.
Destiny Castro (Talofofo, Guam/Notre Dame HS), a Preseason All-Pacific West Conference honoree, picked up where she left off in 2017-18 with 22 points, 11 rebounds, seven steals, four assists and a blocked shot for the Silverswords.
Three Chaminade newcomers also made their presence felt. Senior transfer
Hunter Liftee (Kamuela, Hawai'i/Central Methodist Univ./Honoka'a HS) had 10 points and nine boards while freshmen
Jordyn Zader (Mukwonago, Wis./Pius XI) and
Ellyonna Bankofier (Happy Valley, Ore./Clackamas) each had nine points.
Tara Takata (Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kailua) who began her college career at Pacific Lutheran University two years ago but transferred and sat out as a redshirt last year, contributed with eight points.
Chaminade forced 29 Multnomah turnovers and got 21 steals with
Kali Benavente (Tamuning, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) being responsible for five thefts while Liftee added three. Benavente also dished out three assists.
Sequoia Wheeler had a team-high 18 points for the Lions.
Multnomah led much throughout the first half before a pair of Liftee free throws with two minutes in the half put the 'Swords up 28-27, their first lead since the start of the game. After a Lions free throw knotted the score at 28, Takata hit a layup to put the put the home team ahead which helped stake Chaminade to a 35-32 halftime lead.
The score teeter-tottered to both sides in the beginning of the second half with three ties and five lead changes, the last coming at the 5:29 mark of the third quarter on Zader's bucket which put the 'Swords ahead to stay. Her basket began a 10-0 CUH run that helped to maintain a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter.
Chaminade shot just 29.7 percent from the floor but also held Multnomah to 29.8. They out-rebounded the Lions 50-47 and made 18 of 29 free throws.
Although the win was Chaminade's first-ever against a mainland non-PacWest foe, it does not count towards its official record since the contest was an exhibition.
The Silverswords will have a chance to get that elusive mainland non-conference opponent win Tuesday when they open the regular season against Saint Thomas Aquinas in the O'ahu Thanksgiving Classic at Saint Francis School Gym. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. The 'Swords will also face Minot State and Northwest Oklahoma State in the Classic, the latter being held at McCabe Gym.
