HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team made a successful regular-season debut Friday, downing the University of Alaska, 69-67, in the PacWest/GNAC Challenge at McCabe Gym.
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College/Marysville HS) put in a team-high 13 points while
Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury) and
Andre Arissol (Northampton, England/Otero JC/Charnwood HS) added 12 each.
The matinee crowd saw the Silverswords (1-0) win for the 10th time in 11 tries against non-Division I foes dating back to 2004.
Chaminade also got balanced scoring with
Grant Dressler's (Las Vegas/Sacramento State/Palo Verde HS) nine points followed by
Jake Hutchings (Las Vegas/Howard College/Centennial) with seven.
Nicholas Anderson (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton College/Canyon HS) and
Roman Young (Wichita, Kan./Mineral Area College/Sunrise Christian Academy) each had six. Anderson also dished out four assists.
The Nanooks (0-1) were led by Tymoryae Glover's 19 points.
Telly Davenport (Idaho Falls, Idaho/College of Southern Idaho/Bonneville HS) pulled down a team-best eight rebounds, six coming in the first half.
The 'Swords led for much of the game although Alaska managed to scratch out leads on occasion in the first half.
Chaminade managed to build a 10-point lead with just under four minutes remaining in the game but UAF's Alex Baham single-handedly brought them back with a pair of triples including a four-point play which helped Alaska pull to within 68-67 with eight seconds left.
After a Cartaino free throw, Aushanti Potts-Woods had a chance a game-winning 3-pointer but Anderson rejected the shot at the buzzer to preserve the win.
Both teams shot well below 40 percent but Chaminade out-rebounded the Nanooks, 40-35, and went to the free throw line 18 times, making 13, all in the second half.
The Silversword conclude the Challenge Saturday against Alaska Anchorage which downed Hawai'i Pacific University, 83-79, in the first game. HPU and Alaska will tangle in Saturday's first game.
