HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University men's basketball team began their only regularly scheduled trip outside the island of O'ahu Saturday with an important two-game series at the University of Hawai'i Hilo.
However, after the most recent result, this trip might be the only one it will take during the pandemic-shortened season.
The Silverswords were dealt a serious setback with a 72-67 loss to the Pacific West Conference Hawai'i Pod-leading Vulcans at UH Hilo Gymnasium. It was the third straight loss for Chaminade, its first three-game losing streak to non-Division I foes since February 2018.
Malik Parsons (San Diego/Wenatchee Valley College/Lincoln HS) led the 'Swords (3-4 PacWest) with a season-high 16 points including a handful of highlight reel dunks.
Kevin Kremer (Chico, Calif./Utah/Pleasant Valley HS) added 15 points and 12 boards, his third double-double this season.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) followed with 12 points and
Jessiya Villa (Martinsburg, W. Va./Hawai'i/Kahuku HS, Hawai'i) eight. No other Chaminade played had more than six.
Darren Williams had 19 for UH Hilo (7-1 PacWest) which now owns a three-game lead over Chaminade in the Hawai'i Pod with five games remaining in the pandemic-shortened schedule. With all regionals being reduced to six teams and the strong Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference moved from the South Central Region to the West, the Vulcans are making a strong case for the Hawai'i Pod.
The game went back-and-forth like a spinning top for much of the first half. Neither squad owned more than a four-point lead in the first 19 minutes of the game. But the 'Swords went without a field goal for the final six minutes of the first half to see a 25-21 lead slip away, allowing Hilo to take a 36-29 halftime edge.
The Vulcans' lead swelled to as many as 11 in the second half and were up 64-54 with six minutes remaining. But Kremer, Amaral-Artharee, Parsons and
DeRay Seamster (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) each scored during a 9-2 run which brought the 'Swords to within three. Parsons made another short jumper with 2:25 remaining to bring Chaminade to within 68-65 but Sasa Vuksanovic (12 points, 11 rebounds) got one of his own seven seconds later to keep a two-possession lead the rest of the way.
The 'Swords were held to just under 42 percent from the field and made just 4 of 22 shots from long range. They also had just four assists.
The Vulcans shot 52 percent including 61 in the second half, although they were out-rebounded by a 34 to 31 count.
The Silverswords and Vulcans face each again on Sunday with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m.
