’Swords Topple UCSD to Capture Power Invitational Title

HONOLULU – The 20th-ranked Chaminade University men's basketball team will head to the Christmas break on the highest of highs after completing an arduous run.
 
Playing on the final day of their grueling four-games-in-four-days stretch, the Silverswords on Tuesday managed to summon the energy to down seventh-ranked UC San Diego, 70-64, to capture the Hoops in Hawai'i D2 Power Invitational championship at the Hawai'i Convention Center.
 
Reigning Pacific West Conference Player of the Week Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College/Marysville HS) had 18 points as did Nicholas Anderson (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton College/Canyon HS) – just one off his career high – as the 'Swords remained undefeated at 10-0, their best start since the 1978-79 team began the year with 11 consecutive wins. Anderson also added three steals.
 
Invitational Most Valuable Player Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State/Palo Verde HS), who on Monday was named the PacWest Defender of the Week, added 17 points, six rebounds and six assists to help the 'Swords earn their first tournament championship since capturing the 2014 PacWest Tournament crown.
 
The Tritons (10-2), who are in their penultimate year before they move up to the Division I ranks, were led by Chris Hanson's 20 points and 13 boards.
 
Chaminade began its grueling 96-hour marathon Saturday against upstart Holy Names (which won two of its three games in Hawai'i), then posted back-to-back wins against previously-ranked squads in Western Washington (Sunday) and Dallas Baptist (Monday).
 
Against the No. 7 Tritons which had won seven straight heading into the title game, the 'Swords managed to build a lead and weather several UCSD runs down the stretch.
 
"We just talked about mentally being tough and fight through but we're going to have a nice nine-day break now so (it was about) playing 40 minutes as hard as you can," Chaminade head coach Eric Bovaird said. "These guys are warriors and I know that now playing four great teams in four days. They never complained once and they never stopped trying really, really hard and focused on the game plan. I'm really, really proud of this team."
 
Chaminade jumped out to a seven-point lead midway through the first half before the Tritons rallied back and cut the deficit to 27-25 with 1:50 left in the half. Dressler's 3-pointer followed by Anderson's steal and breakaway layup a minute later gave the 'Swords a nine-point edge, their largest of the half.
 
Andre Arissol's (Northampton, England/Otero JC/Charnwood HS) basket to begin the second half again put Chaminade up by nine but a 7-0 UCSD run got it back on track. The Tritons eventually took the lead at the midway point of the half but the 'Swords managed to regain control of the lead at 51-50 courtesy of Scheive's two free throws.
 
With Chaminade hanging on to a 58-55 lead, Dressler began the game's pivotal sequence when he buried the last of his three triples, a straight-away 24-footer with 2:29 left to put the 'Swords up 61-55. Then on UCSD's ensuing possession, Anderson ripped the ball away from Hanson which led to his breakaway layup to give the Silverswords an eight-point advantage.
 
The Tritons got to within five twice but Chaminade made seven of its final 10 free throws to secure their first win over a top-10 opponent during Bovarid's seven-plus years at CUH.
 
Chaminade held UCSD, the nation's top 3-point shooting team with nearly 13 makes per game, to just 8 of 29 (27.6 percent) from behind the arc. Despite being out-rebounded 41-34, including 10-3 on the offensive glass, the 'Swords forced 15 turnovers while giving it up just seven times.
 
Along with Dressler, Scheive was named to the all-tournament first team while Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) earned second team honors.
 
The Silverswords will take the mandated NCAA Division II Christmas break off then resume PacWest action on December 31 at Fresno Pacific, the first of a five-game road trip to Northern California and the Central Valley.