HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team picked up their first Pacific West Conference win of the season Saturday with a 65-68 win over interstate rival Hawai'i Hilo at McCabe Gymnasium.
Diamond Carter (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Olympic College/Kapolei HS) led the Silverswords with 16 points while pulling down six rebounds while freshman guard
Jordyn Zader (Mukwonago, Wis./Pius XI) had a season-high 12 points.
Destiny Castro (Talofofo, Guam/Notre Dame HS), the PacWest's third-leading scorer, was held to just 13 points but did pull down nine rebounds in the win.
In improving to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the PacWest, Chaminade defeated UH Hilo for the third time in the last four meetings and the seventh time in the last 11.
Allie Navarette had a game-high 27 points for the Vulcans who fell to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
Ellyonna Bankofier (Happy Valley, Ore./Clackamas) had season-best seven points and three rebounds for Chaminade while
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) played her best game of the season with her first five career points along with three boards. Michaella Kean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran) had a team-leading three assists.
Grace Underhill (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest) pulled down five boards which is her season-high.
Neither team was able to get out to a substantial lead in the first quarter although Blowe was able to provide a spark for Chaminade with all of her points and rebounds, along with a steal, in the final four minutes of the quarter. Her free throw at the 4:08 mark broke a 10-all tie and gave the 'Swords the lead.
Zader's triple midway through the second quarter put Chaminade by its largest margin of the half at 25-17 and after UH Hilo crawled back with to within 27-25, Bankofier's three-point play extended the lead back to five which was the margin at the half.
A Vulcans' early third-quarter rally forced two ties including at 41-41 with 4:16 left in the period. Zader's four points, a layup from Castro and Carter's 3-pointer were a part of Chaminade's quarter-ending 9-0 run to put them up to stay.
The 'Swords showed fourth-quarter resilience matching UH Hilo point-for-point down the stretch. Chaminade went 7-for-10 from the foul line in the final 1:17 to keep the Vulcans at bay.
CUH shot 41.5 percent from the floor to UHH's 37.7 and out-rebounded the visitors, 41-31, the first time this season where they owned glass. The 'Swords were also 17 of 23 from the charity stripe while the Vulcans made just 15 trips, making 10.
The Silverswords return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 11 when they face intercity rival, Hawai'i Pacific University at McCabe Gym. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
