HONOLULU – For a span of 12 minutes, the Chaminade University men's basketball team were facing the potential of being a victim in one of the biggest upsets in the Pacific West Conference this season.
However, a big run in the final eight minutes of the first half combined with a another in the beginning of the second quashed any concerns as the Silverswords as they ran away with a 91-71 win over Dominican University of California on Monday at McCabe Gymnasium.
Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) poured in a game-high 26 points while
Eliet Donley (Yokosuka, Japan/Hayfield, Va., HS) added 18 for the 'Swords who improved to 9-6 overall and 7-3 in the Pacific West Conference in front of a Pink Out crowd of 164 with Hawai'i Pacific Health sponsoring the evening.
Andre Arissol (Northampton, England/Otero JC/Charnwood HS) chipped in with 13 points.
Sam Averbuck led the Penguins (2-13, 2-7 PacWest) with 22 points.
The Silverswords made 37-of-64 shots from the floor for 57.8 percent. Cartaino made 12-of-17 shots while Donley went 7-of-9 from the field and Arissol going 5-of-7 including burying all three of his 3-point tries.
Dominican came out and surprised Chaminade from the onset. The Penguins led the game's first 13 minutes, grabbing as large as a nine-point lead which came midway through the first half at 15-6. Trailing 26-20 with 7:38 left in the half, the 'Swords finally got things in gear.
A driving layup by
Bill Awet (Sydney, Australia/SID Edwardsville/Victory Rock Prep, Fla., HS) followed by a triple from Arissol, a layup by
Kevin Kremer (Chico, Calif./Utah/Pleasant Valley HS) and a flush by Donley were a part of a 9-0 run that put the 'Swords ahead. In all, it was part of a 26-9 surge to end the first half with Chaminade making an impressive 12-of-14 shots from the floor with Arissol scoring eight points and Donley six during the time span.
The 'Swords continued the blitz in the second half with a 23-5 tsunami during an eight-minute span to quell any chance for a Dominican rally. The Penguins did not have consecutive baskets in the second half until two minutes left with the outcome already decided.
All 10 Silverswords who were active for the game got into the scorebook. Chaminade out-rebounded Dominican, 35-21, and had 16 assists to DUC's 10 while forcing 19 Penguins' giveaways.
Kremer had a team-leading seven boards for CUH while
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic), who earlier in the day was named the PacWest Freshman of the Week, and
Morningstar Takapu (Goodyear, Ariz./Millenium) each pulled down six, season-highs for both.
The Silverswords will play outside of McCabe Gym for the first time in 2020 on Thursday when they face intercity rival Hawai'i Pacific University at its new home, The Shark Tank, site of the former Saint Francis School, in Manoa Valley. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
