HONOLULU – The Chaminade University and Dominican University of California women's basketball teams are on the opposite ends of the Pacific West Conference spectrum.
On one side, the Silverswords are trying to stay out of the conference cellar. On the other side, the Penguins are battling for their first-ever conference title.
Yet for roughly 34 minutes the 'Swords were in position to pull off the biggest upset in the conference this season before Dominican pulled away in the end, 71-57, Friday at McCabe Gymnasium.
Chaminade fell to 4-15 overall and 3-12 in the PacWest while Dominican improved to 18-3 and 15-2, just a half-game behind first-place Azusa Pacific.
For the second time this season,
Destiny Castro (Talofofo, Guam/Notre Dame HS) out-performed Dominican's Natalie Diaz, the nation's third-leading scorer, by hitting for a game-high 24 points while collecting her third double-double this season with 10 rebounds.
Diaz, averaging 26.2 points per outing heading into the contest, had a double-double of her own with 15 points and 13 boards. However with Chaminade employing a similar suffocating zone defense like it did in the teams' first meeting in San Rafael, Calif., on Jan. 5, Diaz made just 4 of 16 shots from the floor. She had a then-season-low 14 points in that game.
Castro's performance gives her 976 career points, just 24 away from being just the third Silversword in program history to reach the career 1,000 mark. The junior guard also had two assists and three steals in the contest as well as a block for the fifth straight game.
Hunter Liftee (Kamuela, Hawai'i/Central Methodist Univ./Honoka'a HS) added nine points and nine rebounds, the latter being a season-high.
Kali Benavente (Tamuning, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) contributed with six points, three boards and two steals.
All nine Silverswords who got into the game had at least one field goal.
Early on, the game had the making of an early rout. DUC opened up a 13-0 lead and led by as many as 14 in the first quarter. But Chaminade kept swinging away in the second with Castro's bucket starting a 10-0 run.
Jordyn Zader (Mukwonago, Wis./Pius XI) had both of her game's baskets during the surge and
Cheyenne Ardona (Mililani, Hawai'i/Mililani) another as the 'Swords trailed just 26-24 with six minutes left in the half before the Penguins built a 39-32 halftime lead.
The 'Swords kept within striking distance throughout the third quarter. Then with DUC up 54-41 just over a minute into the final quarter, Castro began to will Chaminade back, scoring all of the 'Swords' points during a 9-1 run with four free throws and a 3-pointer which drew them to 55-50 with 6:12 left. But Alanna Scott and Vanessa Cruz hit consecutive triples to push the lead back into double-digits to keep the home team at bay. Dominican hit 8 of 10 from the line in the final two minutes to make the final margin larger than the score indicated.
Despite taking the loss, Chaminade's stifling zone gave Diaz, who is also one of the PacWest's top percentage shooter, all kinds of fits. Her 25 percent shooting night is her lowest this season with 10 or more shots attempted. Two of her lowest scoring games this season have come against Chaminade.
However like in the first meeting, Dominican's ability to knock down the long-range shot proved to be a difference. DUC made 13 of 19 triples on Friday with Scott and Marisa Mondave each making four. DUC sank 14 in the first meeting with Scott accounting for seven.
Both teams shot under 36 percent in the game and the 'Swords also controlled the board, out-rebounding their taller foes, 46-37. However Chaminade made just four 3s while Dominican made 23 trips to the free throw line, making 16, while the 'Swords made 9 of 11.
The Silverswords wrap up their home stand Tuesday against Academy of Art at McCabe Gym and will look for their first season sweep of the year.
