HONOLULU – For the third time in as many games, the Chaminade University men's basketball team was taken to the wire.
Unlike Monday's encounter against Fresno Pacific where they survived the final seconds, Point Loma made the big shot it needed to turn back the Silverswords, 69-67, on Wednesday at McCabe Gymnasium.
Brock Mackenzie hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 39 seconds left for the Sea Lions who then survived two Chaminade potential game-winners with less than 3 seconds left on the clock.
Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) paced the Silverswords with 25 points and seven rebounds while
Kendall Small (Lakewood, Calif./Pacific/Mayfair HS) added 14 and five assists.
Chaminade fell to 7-6 overall and 5-3 in the Pacific West Conference.
Mackenzie and Kaden Anderson each had 15 for Point Loma, which improved to 11-3 overall and 7-1 in the PacWest, extending their winning streak in the 808 to six.
Eliet Donley (Yokosuka, Japan/Hayfield, Va., HS) pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds in defeat while adding eight points and three assists.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) had nine coming off the bench.
As many expected, the contest was close although Point Loma led by as many as nine (25-16) midway through the first half which turned out to be the largest lead by either squad in the game.
The 'Swords got a layup from
Andre Arissol (Northampton, England/Otero JC/Charnwood HS) to put them up 49-48 with 9:27 left, their first lead since it was 15-14 seven minutes into the game. CUH got the lead to 57-52 but PLNU's 13-1 run tipped the advantage back to the visitors.
The 'Sword chipped away then with 48 seconds left, Small put Chaminade ahead 67-66 on his layup. However on the ensuing possession, Brock rained in his go-ahead triple nine seconds later.
Chaminade still had a chance but came up empty on three looks at the rim including twice in the final 3 seconds.
The 'Swords were held to just 39.7 percent from the floor (27-of-68), their lowest against a Division II squad this season. And while they out-rebounded the Sea Lions, 41-37, Chaminade made just 4-of-15 shots from 3-point range while Point Loma made 11-of-22. The Sea Lions also made 14-of-17 free throws to Chaminade's 9-of-13.
The Silverswords will get two days off before returning to action on Saturday when they face Notre Dame de Namur at McCabe Gym. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
