HONOLULU – In last year's Pacific West Conference Tournament, Azusa Pacific ended the Chaminade University men's basketball team's season. The first meeting between the two since that game last March may have ended the Silverswords' run as a ranked squad.
Azusa Pacific got timely baskets and capitalized on several Chaminade turnovers to defeat the No. 20-ranked squad, 80-64, Monday at McCabe Gymnasium.
Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) had a team-high 21 points in defeat which spoiled a "Pink Out Night" of 240 fans.
Jake Hutchings (Las Vegas/Howard College/Centennial HS) added 11 with three 3-pointers while
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State/Palo Verde) and
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College/Marysville HS) both had 10. Scheive also had seven rebounds.
Nicholas Anderson (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton College/Canyon HS) had six points, six assists and five boards with two steals.
Andre Arissol (Northampton, England/Otero JC/Charnwood HS) chipped in with six.
Azusa Pacific was paced by Will Ferris' 18 points.
Chaminade fell to 14-4 overall and, by falling to 8-4 in the Pacific West Conference, was overtaken by APU (13-8, 10-4) for third in the standings. The 16-point margin of defeat was the most by the 'Swords this season. Their previous three losses were by a combined eight points.
The first 14 minutes of the game was closely contested with neither team able to grab more than a three-point edge. Cartaino's dunk off a feed from Anderson put the 'Swords up 23-22 with 6:28 left in the first half. But Ferris became a one-man scoring machine, dropping APU's next 13 points which included a two 3-pointers and three free throws after being fouled on a 3. The 18-2 run helped put Azusa up 40-27 at the break.
Trailing by as many as 19, Chaminade made a final push. Consecutive 3-pointers from Hutchings and Dressler chopped the deficit to 69-58 with 3:08 left but it was as close as they got.
The 'Swords' 40 percent field goal percentage was its third-lowest of the season while Azusa Pacific shot 51.7. Chaminade held the slight edge in rebounds (30-28) and free throws (12-11) while Azusa Pacific had one more 3-pointer (9-8). However the Cougars converted 13 Chaminade turnovers into 20 points while the 'Swords couldn't take advantage of 11 APU errors with just six points off turnovers.
The Silverswords will look to rebound Thursday when they host Biola at McCabe Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
