Two months after what was supposed to be the traditional start of the season, the Chaminade University women's basketball team is ready to roll.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020-21 season has a new look. In agreement with Pacific West Conference athletics directors, the schedule was padded down to in-pod competition with opponents playing back-to-back games at the same venue.
The Silverswords have a daunting task to start the season: Try to slow down one of the top and hottest teams in the nation in Hawai'i Pacific University.
And they must do so without
Destiny Castro, who graduated after four years of excellence, leaving as the program's all-time leader in points and steals as well as 21 other records which has her name at the top of stats lists.
The 'Swords' unique schedule begins Saturday at noon, the first of back-to-back contests at The Shark Tank. The second game is Sunday, also at noon.
HPU, ranked fourth in the latest D2SIDA Media Poll, are 3-0 after sweeping a pair of games at Hawai'i Hilo over the weekend in addition to an eye-opening upset over Division I Hawai'i in December. It's a continuation of a season which ended prematurely last spring when the pandemic canceled the remainder of the year, costing them a chance to compete for a national championship. The Sharks have also continued their domination of the local Division II schools with 50 straight wins over Chaminade, UH Hilo and BYU-Hawai'i, dating back to January 2012.
Castro is not the only 'Sword whose presence will be missed. Also gone is
Kali Benavente, who wrapped her career fourth in the program's all-time assists list, and 3-point shooting specialist
Breann Nueku.
Despite the personnel losses, fourth-year head coach
Arthur King returns forward
Cheyenne Ardona (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani), the team's top returning scorer from last season at six points per game. King is hoping Ardona continues to improve upon her numbers as she did between her first two seasons. Her sophomore scoring (6.0 points per game), rebounding (4.7 rebounds per game) and blocks (21) were all up from her freshman season (1.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, six blocks) as a results from increased minutes.
Fellow post
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) is also back after a 4.9 point and 4.4 rebound season in 2019-20. Also returning is guard
Michaella Dean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran) while the team also returns guard
Jordyn Zader (Mukwonago, Wis./Pius XI) who sat out last year after being granted a medical hardship.
While there's lack of experience, King may have one of his best recruiting classes yet. Seven freshmen enter the program, four of them having played locally:
Paige Relph (Las Vegas/Waianae, Hawai'i) was last year's O'ahu Interscholastic Association scoring champion at 18.0 ppg;
Taeya Blakeney (Honolulu/Kaiser) averaged 13.7 points and was a force in the paint;
Sasha Phillip (Punalu'u, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Baptist Academy) helped guide her school to a state title as a junior; and
Lile Hina Oyama (Honolulu/Kalani) whose speed will help the 'Swords pick up the tempo on both sides of the ball.
Also joining the squad are three mainland recruits.
Carsen Bridges (Groveland, Fla./Leesburg) had a fantastic senior year, posting 20.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 4.5 steals.
Emma Morris (Tuscon, Ariz./Tanque Verde) graduated as the school's all-time leader in scoring and 3-pointers.
Emily Laham (Potwin, Kan./Maize) put up consistent numbers during her final three years of her high school career.
Following the HPU series, the 'Swords – picked 10th in the PacWest Coaches Preseason Poll – make their home-opener next Saturday, Jan. 30 against UH Hilo. As with the rest of the universities in the state, there will be no fans allowed at McCabe Gymnasium due to the State of Hawai'i's and City and County of Honolulu's gathering restrictions. However all six home games will be video streamed live on a pay-per-view basis.
