There's no doubting that
Destiny Castro (Talofofo, Guam/Notre Dame HS) will go down as one, if not the best, Chaminade University women's basketball player ever.
She has the numbers to prove it; third in the career scoring list (and expected to become the all-time leading scorer by the end of this calendar year), second in total rebounds, third in assists and is already the program's career leader in steals.
Now entering her senior season, the two-time all-conference guard has her sights set on helping the Silverswords reach the Pacific West Conference Tournament next March, a feat that yet accomplished by the program.
This year's squad may be the one to finally reach that destination.
"I expect a lot from the team," said Castro, who last year became the first 'Swords' women's player in 12 years to earn All-PacWest First Team honors. "The goal this year is to make the conference tournament and we've been working really hard in the past few months and hoping the team will bond together to reach that goal."
For the first time since November 2014, the 'Swords will have non-conference games outside of Hawai'i. They open their season Saturday in the Land of the Midnight Sun when they face No. 16 Alaska Anchorage at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. They close out their trip on Sunday against the University of Alaska.
Joining Castro is her longtime teammate from Guam and fellow senior,
Kali Benavente (Tamuning, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam). Over the summer, the duo helped guide their home island to a fourth-place finish at the Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa, the highest finish by Guam's women's team in two decades. Benavente's valuable international experience during the games will also be vital for Chaminade against the rough-and-tumble PacWest schools.
The Silverswords also welcome back a third senior in guard
Breann Nueku (Honolulu/Clark College/Kamehameha-Kapalama) who redshirted last season. Two years ago, she was one of the team's top perimeter threats, knocking down 24 triples and was their fifth-highest scorer.
"We are excited and ready for the new challenges the new season will bring," said third-year head coach
Arthur King. "Our three seniors – Destiny, Kali and Breann – will be vital if we want to reach the goals we've set this season."
Last year's freshmen class, who were tossed into the pool to learn to swim, are more experienced and will assume larger roles especially with the losses of
Hunter Liftee and
Diamond Carter, the 'Swords' second- and third-highest scorers from a year ago.
Sophomores
Cheyenne Ardona (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani),
Jamia Bailey (Yokosuka, Japan/Yokota),
Ellyonna Bankofier (Happy Valley, Ore./Clackamas),
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer),
Michaella Dean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran),
Grace Underhill (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest) and
Jordyn Zader (Mukwonago, Wis./Pius XI) are a year older and will provide support in both the front and backcourts for the team.
Bankofier made 14 starts at shooting guard last year while Zader made 12 at the point and played 22 minutes per game, the most of the seven rookies. Dean, who is originally from Belgium, will also see time at both guard spots while Bailey provides depth.
In the frontcourt, Blowe showed great athleticism by leading all post players with 83 points while showing a knack for hitting the deep shot with eight made 3-pointers. She also had a team-high 13 blocks. Underhill and Ardona showed flashes last year as they look to help secure the paint.
An impressive addition to the 'Swords is
Kayley Elliott (Creswell, Ore./Springfield), a 6-foot-2 center who earned multiple all-league honors during her prep career. The freshman played in two Oregon state title games, one for Springfield High School as a senior and another with Marist Catholic during her junior year where she won the state championship.
Since full practices began for Division II schools on Oct. 15, Castro is seeing the cohesiveness starting to jell.
"I think (the bonding has) been pretty good," she said. "On the court, we just started doing 5-of-5s so we're starting to gain that chemistry, playing with the ball and being able to play off each other by knowing who does what and what their favorite things are."
Following their Alaska trip, the Silverswords return home to open the annual O'ahu Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, Nov. 16, against Minnesota Crookston at Hawai'i Pacific's Shark Tank, the former Saint Francis School Gymnasium. They will also face Sioux Falls (Nov. 28) and Cal State San Marcos (Nov. 29) in the Classic.
The 'Swords open PacWest action on Wednesday, Dec. 4, when they host conference favorite, Azusa Pacific, at McCabe Gymnasium. The Cougars are currently ranked fourth in the WBCA Preseason Top-25 Poll.
Chaminade then returns to the road for four conference games in Northern California starting on Sunday, Dec. 15 at Academy of Art and ending on Dec. 21 at Dominican.
The team will take the mandated NCAA Division II Christmas week off then return home on Jan. 2 in a non-conference tilt against the University of Pennsylvania from the Ivy League, just the second time in program history the 'Swords will face a Division I foe in a regular season game.
Chaminade resumes PacWest action with nine straight games on O'ahu, eight in McCabe starting on Jan. 4 against Biola. Their lone contest away from their home court will be a Jan. 16 date at HPU.
The 'Swords wrap up the regular season at home versus the Sharks (Feb. 25) and Hawai'i Hilo (Feb. 27). The PacWest Championships will be held starting March 5 in Azusa, Calif.
