HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team was back in action Monday, facing Fresno Pacific University at McCabe Gymnasium.
The Silverswords got 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals from
Destiny Castro (Talofofo, Guam/Notre Dame HS) while
Ellyonna Bankofier (Happy Valley, Ore./Clackamas) had 15 for the team's highest scoring output since Dec. 17 in their 78-67 defeat.
Kali Benavente (Tamuning, Guam/Academy of Our Lady of Guam) posted 10 points, her most since late November while
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds for the 'Swords, who fell to 2-11 overall and 2-5 in the Pacific West Conference.
The Sunbirds (7-7, 4-4 PacWest) were paced by Jessica Malazarte's 18 points.
Michaella Dean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran) had six points for Chaminade with
Breann Nueku (Honolulu/Clark College/Kamehameha-Kapalama HS) chipping in with five.
The 'Swords hit 23 of their 50 shots for a 46 percent clip and made seven of their 11 3-pointers. Bankofier made four triples while Castro hit three from long distance.
FPU shot 50 percent from the floor with six 3s and also made 18 from the foul line.
Chaminade was outscored 15-7 in the first quarter and trailed 38-29 at halftime.
Down by as many as 19 in the third quarter, Bankofier buried a pair of treys while Castro knocked down another as a part of a 9-0 run to climb to within 10.
After the Sunbirds built their lead in the fourth to 68-52, Chaminade rallied with seven straight to get to within 68-59 with 5:27 left but that would be as close as the 'Swords got.
Fresno Pacific out-rebounded the 'Swords, 39-29, and out-assisted them, 12-7.
The Silverswords are next in action Wednesday when they host conference-leading Point Loma at 5:30 p.m. at McCabe Gym.
