HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team bid a fond hello to the 2021-22 season with an exhibition contest with the neighbor just down Waialae Ave. in the University of Hawai'i.
The Silverswords gave their Division I counterparts all they could handle before falling 72-60 in front of a maximum reduced capacity crowd of 500 at the SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Graduate transfer
Zach McIntire (Delaware, Ohio/Mercyhurst University/Delaware Hayes HS) had a team-high 12 points for the 'Swords while pulling down eight rebounds in his debut in a Chaminade uniform. Another newcomer,
Tredyn Christensen (Eagle Mountain, Utah/Snow College/Westlake HS), came off the bench with 11 points while returnee
Sawyer Storms (Idaho Falls, Idaho/College of Southern Idaho/Idaho Falls HS) added 10 and hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Hawai'i was paced by its 7-foot center Mate Colina's game-high 19 points and 12 rebounds.
After an opening slam by UH on the game's opening possession,
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) responded with a 3-pointer from the top of the key on Chaminade's first possession, their only lead of the first half. Later, trailing 14-5, long balls from Storms and
Raazhel Watkins (Concord, Calif./Sacramento State/College Park HS) and layups from
Kevin Kremer (Chico, Calif./Utah/Pleasant Valley HS) and
Paris Taylor (Bolivar, Tenn./Wisconsin Green Bay/Central HS), the 'Swords chopped away at an eight-point deficit and closed to within 16-15. But an 8-0 Rainbow Warrior run would extend their lead back to nine and, eventually a 36-28 at the half.
CUH shot just 11-for-30 from the floor (36.7 percent), they held Hawai'i to just 1-of-9 from 3-point range.
Chaminade came out on fire at the start of the second half when McIntire stole the ball at midcourt and flushed it on a breakaway. McIntire then tied it at 37, drilling a triple following a UH timeout.
UH eventually retook the lead but the 'Swords would not allow the Rainbows to pull away, staying within one possession or forcing four ties over the next 10 minutes. They even went ahead twice; once at 52-51 on McIntire's three-point play then at 54-53 on Taylor acrobatic layup with 5:55 remaining.
But the 'Swords then went cold from the floor, making just one of their next 10 shots over the next four-and-a-half minutes, allowing the Rainbow Warriors to extend to a 68-56 advantage with 1:27 left.
Chaminade was just 2-of-15 from 3-point range in the second half and was 5-for-22 the entire 40 minutes. However they managed to grab 13 offensive boards to UH's seven. They also held Hawai'i to just 4-of-21 from 3-point territory, and were outrebounded by just one, 42-to-41.
The 'Swords shot 35.3 percent from the floor (24-of-68) while Hawai'i was at 48.3 (28-of-58). UH dished out 18 assists to CUH's nine.
Chaminade will open the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 13 when they host the PacWest/GNAC Challenge at McCabe Gymnasium. The Silverswords will open the tournament against Alaska at 3 p.m. Hawai'i Pacific University and Alaska Anchorage will face off in the preceding game at 1 p.m.
