SAN DIEGO – The Chaminade University men's basketball team began what is likely the most important road trip of the season with a rematch against Point Loma on Saturday.
But like the Jan. 17 meeting in Honolulu, it was the Sea Lions who again came out on top.
The Silverswords, ranked 22nd in the NABC Top 25 Poll, took the No. 12 Sea Lions into overtime but couldn't avoid several costly mistakes in the extra session to suffer a 97-92 loss at Golden Gymnasium.
Chaminade saw its four-game winning streak end in falling to 18-5 overall and 12-5 in the Pacific West Conference. The first-place Sea Lions improved to 21-4 and 17-2. Paired with Azusa Pacific's win over Hawai'i Pacific later in the evening, the 'Swords dropped to fourth in the PacWest standings, a half-game behind APU.
A win would have clinched a spot in next month's PacWest Tournament for Chaminade. Despite the loss, they can still do so with an Academy of Art loss to Holy Names on Sunday.
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College/Marysville HS) posted his third straight 20-point game with 26 points, making 11-of-16 shots from the floor including three 3-pointers. Tyler Cartainio (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) added 21 points, his sixth consecutive contest with 20 or more, along with eight rebounds.
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State/Palo Verde HS) helped with 19 points, seven boards and six assists with
Nicholas Anderson (Anaheim, Calif./Fullerton College/Canyon HS) providing 10 points, seven assists and five steals.
Point Loma was led by its NBA prospect, Daulton Hommes, who poured in 27 points.
After PLNU scored the game's first six points,
Andre Arissol (Northampton, England/Otero JC/Charnwood HS) got the 'Swords on the board with a triple which began a 7-0 run to put them ahead. The teams began trading scores over the course of the next four minutes before
Jake Hutchings' (Las Vegas/Howard College/Centennial HS) 3-ball pushed Chaminade ahead 22-21 midway through the half. A triple from Scheive then a basket from
Eliet Donley (Yokosuka, Japan/Hayfield, Va., HS) gave the 'Swords their largest lead of 27-21 with 8:38 remaining.
Point Loma rallied and eventually regained the lead in the closing minutes and held a 45-44 halftime edge.
The Sea Lions led for a majority of the second half but the 'Swords managed to stay close behind. Eventually Point Loma built its lead to as many as nine (76-67) with six minutes remaining but Chaminade answered with 7-0 run to get to within a basket with 2:33 left.
PLNU again stretched its lead to 82-76 with just 30 seconds left and appeared to have the game in hand. Dressler hit a driving layup, making it 82-78. Then following the Sea Lions' missed front end of a one-and-one free throw, Cartaino grabbed the board and raced down the floor. But Point Loma committed a costly error when Josh Rodriguez was called for a flagrant foul with 10 seconds left when he clotheslined Cartaino at the top of the key. The redshirt junior calmly hit both free throws to give Chaminade a chance to tie or win the game since the flagrant foul also kept possession with the 'Swords.
With time winding down and PLNU intent on not allowing a potential game-winning 3, Anderson drove the left baseline and hit a reverse layup with 3 seconds left to knot the score at 82. Ben Okhotin's desperation half-court heave hit all glass as the game went into overtime.
However the Silverswords couldn't take advantage of the gift. Turnovers on four consecutive possession in overtime resulted in a 91-84 Sea Lions' lead with 1:53 remaining. The Silverswords managed to again reduce the deficit to four (94-90) with 27 seconds left but PLNU's three free throws kept them at bay.
Both teams excelled from the floor with Chaminade making 37-of-66 shots (56.1 percent) and Point Loma 37-of-58 (63.8) with 12 3-pointers by the visitors and 10 from the home team. The 'Swords out-rebounded the Sea Lions, 30-23, and dished out more assists, 18-14. But the Sea Lions converted 13 of its 15 tries from the foul line while the Silverswords made just seven trips to the charity stripe, making six. Chaminade also committed a season-high 17 turnovers which resulted in Point Loma outscoring the 'Swords 20-8 in points off giveaways.
The Silverswords continue the road trip Tuesday with another revenge game at Azusa Pacific and a chance to regain third-place in the PacWest. The Cougars handed the 'Swords a 16-point loss at McCabe Gymnasium on Jan. 28, their worst of the season.
