HILO, Hawai'i – After a six-games-in-13-days stretch, the Chaminade University men's basketball team is looking forward to a much-needed full week of rest.
Plus the break might be well-needed after the Silverswords' latest setback after suffering a 71-67 loss Sunday to the University of Hawai'i Hilo at UH Hilo Gymnasium.
The defeat dropped the 'Swords to 3-5 in the Pacific West Conference, putting them on edge of elimination in the chase for the PacWest Hawai'i Pod title.
The reverse is true for first-year head coach Kaniela Aiona whose surprise Vulcans (7-1 PacWest) are one win away with four remaining to clinch the Hawai'i Pod and a chance for an at-large berth in the six-team NCAA Regionals in two weeks.
Kevin Kremer (Chico, Calif./Utah/Pleasant Valley HS) had a team-high 15 points while pulling down a career-high 15 rebounds, the most boards by a Silversword since Austin Pope's 16 in January 2017.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) added 14 points as did
Jessiya Villa (Martinsburg, W. Va./Hawai'i/Kahuku HS, Hawai'i).
DeRay Seamster (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) contributed with eight points, six coming in the game's first four minutes.
Sasa Vuksanovic led UH Hilo with 18 points while Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones had 17 points and 18 rebounds.
Seamster's hit a pair of 3-pointers early to help give the 'Swords an early 6-2 edge but the Vulcans responded with a 7-0 run including a 3 from Darren Williams which put them up for proved to be the remainder of the game.
With UH Hilo leading 57-46 with 8:41 left, the 'Swords went on an 11-2 run over the next four minutes with Kremer netting seven points to close to within 59-57. Chaminade stayed within one-possession several times down the stretch but the Vulcans had an answer for each CUH score, the most pivotal being Tait-Jones' layup with 1:07 left to make it a 66-61 game.
The 'Swords also hurt themselves with two missed 3-pointers, a two-point field goal and a turnover during a late two-minute stretch when they trailed by two (63-61) and three (64-61), respectively.
Chaminade shot just 32 percent for the game (22 of 69) and made just 9 of 36 from 3-point range while committing 19 turnovers.
UH Hilo did not shoot particularly well either, making just 37 percent of its shots but went to the line a whopping 37 times, making 26. Oddly enough, the Vulcans were willing to run on Chaminade's press, outscoring them 16-0 on fast-break points.
The 'Swords' loss was their fourth straight to non-Division I opponents, their longest since November through December of 2012.
The Silverswords will get a break before resuming competition on Monday, March 1 against Hawai'i Pacific University at The Shark Tank.
