HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team turned a competitive contest into a runaway with the help of a high-paced second half Saturday as the Silverswords rolled past Oakland City, 99-64, at McCabe Gymnasium.
Jake Hutchings (Las Vegas/Howard College/Centennial HS) poured in 19 of his game-high 30 points in the second half as the 'Swords amassed 53 points in the final 20 minutes to help lead them to a perfect 3-0 mark on the season.
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State/Palo Verde HS) added 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win.
Andrew Scott had 20 points for the Oaks (1-1) who won 24 games last season.
Chaminade's
Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury) hit for a career-best 17 points while
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College/Marysville HS) contributed with 10.
Hutchings and Cartaino each pulled down eight rebounds – also a career-high for Cartaino – with
Masa Swain (San Jose, Calif./Bellermine Prep) pulling down a career-best seven.
Nicholas Anderson (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton College/Canyon HS) dished out six assists.
Hutchings hit 14 of 21 shots from the floor while Cartaino was 7 of 11. Dressler's 7-of-14 performance included four triples.
The 'Swords scored the game's first 12 points and led by as many as 27 (43-16) after Dressler's 3-pointer with four minutes left in the half. But the Oaks stormed back, going on a 17-3 run, to pull to within 46-33 at the break. OCU made six of its final seven buckets including three triples.
Oakland City continued its momentum coming out of the break, hitting a 3 followed by a layup in the second half's opening minute which cut the deficit to just 46-38. But Cartaino buried a triple on the ensuing possession which began an 11-2 run to put the home team up by 17. The 'Swords forced five turnovers with Cartaino getting seven points during the span which including a massive breakaway dunk on a steal.
Dressler's 3-pointer and layup bookended a 12-0 'Swords run to put them up 71-45 with 12 minutes left to take out any remaining drama from the outcome. Chaminade would lead by as many as 39 toward the end of the second half.
After experiencing periods of drought in the first half by shooting just 43.6 percent, the 'Swords made 21 of their 41 shots in the second half for 51.2 percent and made 47.5 percent total. They out-rebounded the Oaks 48-34 and forced 18 OCU giveaways and turned them into 28 points.
The Silverswords will take the next 12 days off and will next be in action on Thursday, Nov. 29 when they open Pacific West Conference action against Fresno Pacific.
