HONOLULU – The Chaminade University and Hawai'i Pacific University men's basketball teams are going to become very well acquainted with each other over the next week.
In the first of a four-games-in-nine-days span between the two rivals, the Silverswords won the first battle Tuesday with an 89-83 win at The HPU Shark Tank.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) paced the 'Swords with 17 points while
Jessiya Villa (Martinsburg, W. Va./Hawai'i/Kahuku HS, Hawai'i) added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Sawyer Storms (Idaho Falls, Idaho/College of Southern Idaho/Idaho Falls HS) had his best game in the royal blue and white with 11 points, nine boards, two assists, two steals and two blocks.
Chaminade (2-1) also got 14 points and seven boards from
Kevin Kremer (Chico, Calif./Utah/Pleasant Valley HS), nine points and six rebounds from
DeRay Seamster (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) while
Roman Young (Wichita, Kan./Mineral Area College/Sunrise Christian Academy) chipped in with five assists. Young also sank his only two free throw attempts on the night with just over a minute left to play to keep the game out of reach.
HPU (0-5) was paced by David Rowlands' 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting including five 3-pointers.
Tuesday's contest was originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 30 before being postponed. It was also Chaminade's sixth straight win over their in-town brethren.
Neither team was able to pull away throughout the evening, the largest lead being Chaminade's 20-12 advantage midway through the first half. The Sharks were able to string points together and took a 34-33 lead just under the three minute mark of the half on a fast-break layup by Rowlands. HPU took its biggest lead of the game (40-35) on Rodney Hounshell's 3-pointer with 1:18 left in the half.
Trailing by a deuce (40-38) at the half, the 'Swords got consecutive triples from Kremer and Storms to go up 44-40. HPU went back ahead and Rowlands' fourth triple of the game put them ahead 67-63 with 10:38 left. Villa and Kremer then each hit a pair of 3s to help Chaminade go in front, 77-72, although the 'Swords could not deliver the knockout blow. The Sharks eventually knotted the score at 77 but Villa's bucket at the 4:12 mark put Chaminade ahead for good.
With the Silverswords nursing an 84-82 lead with 1:10 left, Young hit two free throws to maintain a two-possession lead.
Of Chaminade's 31 made baskets, 22 were assisted. The 'Swords hit 14 triples, three each from Storms, Villa and Kremer, out-rebounded the Sharks, 48-40, and out-blocked them 7-to-3.
The Silverswords and Sharks tangle again on Friday for a back-to-back set at McCabe Gymnasium, HPU's only two visits to the Kalaepohaku campus in this unique 2021 season where Chaminade, HPU and Hawai'i Hilo will face each other six times. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
