IRVINE, Calif. – Chaminade University men's basketball players
Kendall Small (Lakewood, Calif./Pacific/Mayfair HS) and
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) were named the Pacific West Conference Defender and Freshman of the Week, respectively, for games between Feb. 24 and March 1.
Small totaled 12 defensive rebounds and five steals during the week while Amaral-Artharee had a combined 35 points to help the Silverswords end the regular season with wins over island rivals Hawai'i Pacific University and the University of Hawai'i Hilo. The two victories helped the 'Swords leapfrog past Concordia to capture the No. 3 seed in this week's PacWest Championships in Azusa, Calif.
Small, the 6-foot senior guard, had six rebounds in both games while forcing four steals against HPU. He also continued his solid offensive production with 31 total points and 11 assists. He went for 17 points and seven assists against the Sharks and 14 and four versus UH Hilo. Small, who earned his first weekly honor, leads the PacWest in steals at 2.1 per game and is second in assists at 4.8 per outing while averaging 14 points and six boards.
Amaral-Artharee, the 6-2 guard, earned his conference-leading fifth freshman of the week nod this season after tying his season-high with an 18-point outing against HPU. Then against the Vulcans, he overcame a 0-for-7 first half by making 5-of-9 field goals including 3-of-5 from 3-point range – all 17 of his points – in the second half. Amaral-Artharee increased his scoring average to 9.3 and is second on the team in triples with 44.
Kaden Anderson of Point Loma earned the final PacWest Player of the Week nod.
The Silverswords will face sixth-seeded Academy of Art in the PacWest Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday at Azusa Pacific's Felix Event Center. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. Hawai'i time (5 p.m. Pacific). The winner will face second-seeded Point Loma, the defending conference champion and last year's Division II national runners-up, on Friday.
