HONOLULU – The past two seasons have been challenging for the Chaminade University men's basketball team. A squad that has enjoyed having on-court success over the years posted consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the 2014-15 and 2015-16 campaigns, going a combined 14-22 the past two years including an 8-19 record in '21-22.
But with a solid core of returnees plus the additions of 10 newcomers, the Silverswords are poised to return to their status as one of the Pacific West Conference's top teams as they prepare for the '22-23 season which begins Tuesday in an exhibition at Ohio State. It marks the first time since December 1999 that the program has been in the Midwest, playing a single game at Ball State.
Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Hawai'i time and can be viewed on the Big Ten Network Plus.
Much of the 'Swords' struggles the last two years can be attributed to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team, like many others at Chaminade, had to adjust to being together in limited groups and minimal close contact procedures at practices.
With activities returning to normal, the team has finally been able to get back to its regular routine with
Eric Bovaird entering his 12th year as head coach.
The Team:
Key veterans return including
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic), a two-time All-PacWest guard,
Raazhel Watkins (Concord, Calif./Sacramento State/College Park HS) with forwards
Kobe Young (Honolulu/Kamehameha-Kapalama) and
Patrick Renane (Havdrup, Denmark/Dublin, Calif., HS).
Amaral-Artharee is coming off a 15.4 point per game campaign and was one of the conference's top 3-point shooters at 36.4 percent and triples made per game. Watkins had a solid rookie year for the 'Swords, with a 10.4 scoring average while leading the team with 74 assists. Young has seen improved strides since being a raw prospect as a freshman and has become one of the team's top defenders. Renane adds depth to the frontcourt.
Bovaird will also have the benefit in the return of
Jessiya Villa (Laurel, Md./University of Hawai'i/Kahuku HS, Hawai'i) as well as the addition of guard
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS). Villa, who scored nearly 13 points per game as a redshirt freshman in the spring 2021, was injured early last year and was lost for the season. Reeves sat out as a redshirt to satisfy NCAA eligibility requirements but showed tremendous ability at team practices last year.
Although Amaral-Artharee was a 3-point threat, the Silverswords have struggled as a team from the perimeter, shooting under 32 percent the past two years. Last season, they shot just 31.4 from beyond the arc, which resulted in the team averaging just 66.6 points per game, the fewest in program history.
To help alleviate their scoring woes, Bovaird brought in 10 newcomers to help return to the style of play that produces points, a contrast from last year's team whose system was based on their height.
Five of the newcomers have previous collegiate experience.
Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./Gannon University/West Linn HS) is a graduate transfer and played two seasons each at Seattle Pacific and Gannon.
Jalen Brattain (Shallowater, Texas/Lubbock Christian Univ./Shallowater HS) is familiar with McCabe Gymnasium, transferring from Lubbock Christian University which played the 'Swords last November. LCU was ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II for much of the 2021-22 season.
Chris Bready (Milwaukee, Wis./New Mexico Military Institute/Waukesha West HS) was an all-conference performer at New Mexico Military and one of the top junior college prospects in the nation.
Dorian Harris (Cerritos, Calif./Cerritos College/Cerritos HS) brings scoring and rebounding after arriving from Cerritos College while
Scott Ator (Murphy, Texas/College of the Sequoias/Wylie HS) was an all-conference defensive player at College of the Sequoias. Another transfer,
Kameron Ng (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Univ. of Hawai'i Hilo/Saint Francis HS), will sit out this season after spending the previous three years at the University of Hawai'i Hilo and UH Manoa.
The freshmen include
Lloyer Driggs (Idaho Falls, Idaho/Thunder Ridge),
Nikolas Fotopoulos (Seattle, Wash./St. Thomas More Prep, Conn.),
Carson Frawley (Camas, Wash./Camas) and
Brycen Shackelford (Folsom, Calif./Folsom).
The Schedule:
Following Tuesday's Ohio State game, the 'Swords continue their exhibition schedule Thursday at Louisville. Fans of yesteryear will likely remember the upsets of the Cardinals in consecutive seasons (1983, 84) which are among the program's "Giant Killer" status. The trip concludes next Monday at Cincinnati, which will actually be a regular season game for the Bearcats.
The exhibition series is part of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational agreement which has the 'Swords playing against select tournament participants in every even years. In 2018, they ventured to Arizona and San Diego State. In 2020, they were scheduled at Stanford and UNLV but the pandemic caused the canceling of those games.
Upon their return home, the Silverswords open their regular season in the annual PacWest/GNAC Challenge against the Alaska programs and will face the University of Alaska Anchorage to start. The round-robin tournament will be played at the Hawai'i Pacific University Shark Tank, where Chaminade will play its first five games of the year. The 'Swords have won the last 10 straight in the field with their last loss coming in the 2015 event in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The team returns to the Shark Tank on Nov. 25 in the Hoops in Hawai'i Thanksgiving Classic against Cal State San Bernardino and Lincoln University. Lincoln is coached by NBA Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton and were in Honolulu last season for a two-game series with Chaminade before poor court conditions caused the games to be canceled.
The 'Swords open the PacWest season on Nov. 29 at HPU and will host UH Hilo in their first home game of the year on Dec. 3. They leave for their Northern California road swing on Dec. 10 then return home in the Hoops in Hawai'i Holiday Classic at the Hawai'i Convention Center. They open the 2023 calendar year on Jan. 2 against Champion Christian then resume conference action on Jan. 5 against Concordia University Irvine, the start of a six-game PacWest home stand.
Senior Night will be on Wednesday, Feb. 15 against Fresno Pacific. Chaminade will also be hosting the 2023 PacWest Basketball Championships at McCabe Gym from March 2 to 4.
