AZUSA, Calif. – The Chaminade University men's basketball team opened an important five-game road trip Saturday with a 75-71 defeat against nationally-ranked Azusa Pacific at the Felix Event Center.
Kendall Small (Lakewood, Calif./Pacific/Mayfair HS) had a game-high 20 points for the Silverswords while defending two-time Pacific West Conference Player of the Week
Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) added 16 for the Silverswords who fell to 13-8 overall and 11-5 in the conference. The loss dropped them to fourth in the PacWest, a half-game behind Concordia Irvine which survived a scare at Holy Names earlier in the day.
PacWest Freshman of the Week
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) added 13 points for the 'Swords while
Roman Young (Wichita, Kan./Mineral Area College/Sunrise Christian Academy) had a team-high three assists.
Selom Mawugbe had 17 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for Azusa Pacific, ranked No. 7 in the NABC Coaches Poll and 12th in the D2SIDA Media Poll. The Cougars, whose last loss came to Chaminade in Honolulu on Dec. 4, extended their winning streak to 13 games in improving to 18-3. With a 13-2 PacWest record, APU also jumped to the top of the conference standings.
The Silverswords never led but managed to managed to rally from an 11-point deficit late in the first half to trail 39-30 at the break.
A 6-0 run to start the second half with buckets from Young, Cartaino and
Eliet Donley (Yokosuka, Japan/Hayfield, Va., HS) got the 'Swords to within a possession then an old-fashion three-point play from Amaral-Artharee knotted the game at 42. A minute later, Cartaino knocked down a jumper to forge a 44-all deadlock then on APU's next possession, Mawugbe, the nation's No. 2 shot-blocker, had the tables turned on him when his layup was rejected by
Bill Awet (Sydney, Australia/SIU Edwardsville/Victory Rock Prep, Fla.). The 'Swords had a chance to take the lead on the possession but couldn't get the shot to drop.
Mawugbe's short jumper on the ensuing possession gave the Cougars the lead for good at 46-44 with 14:11 left. Each Chaminade score from there was answered including five straight APU points after Amaral-Artharee's 3-pointer which brought the 'Swords to within 60-58 with 4:41 remaining. APU held a two-possession lead the rest of the way, which was helped by going a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the final 1:22 of the game.
Chaminade shot 40 percent (26 of 65) from the floor and are 0-4 when shooting 40 percent or less this season. They managed to out-rebound the Cougars, 41-39, and held Azusa Pacific to just 28.6 percent from 3-point range (8 for 31). APU entered the game the PacWest's top 3-point shooting team at over 11 per game. However the 'Swords were just 13-of-21 from the free throw line while APU made 13 of its 17 tries.
The Silverswords face another nationally-ranked squad on Monday when they face Point Loma, which APU replaced for the top spot in the standings, in San Diego. The Sea Lions, who are the defending PacWest champions, are ranked No. 16 in the NABC Poll and No. 17 in the D2SIDA Poll.
