COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Chaminade University men's basketball team opened their exhibition season Tuesday with a 101-57 loss to Ohio State at the Value City Arena.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) and
Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./Gannon University/West Linn HS) each had team-highs of 12 points for the Silverswords, who are making their first appearance in the United States Midwest since December 1999.
Dorian Harris (Cerritos, Calif./Cerritos College/Cerritos HS) and
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) each had nine for the 'Swords.
Chris Bready (Milwaukee, Wis./New Mexico Military Institute/Waukesha West HS) added seven for Chaminade.
Chaminade's trip to the region is part of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational agreement that has them playing select Maui participants at their venues during even years where the Silverswords are not participating in Lahaina.
The Buckeyes, among those teams receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll, were led by Tanner Holden, who had 25 points off the bench.
Chaminade was held to just 6-of-33 from 3-point range and shot 27.6 percent from the floor. By contrast, Ohio State made 55.4 from the field and hit 12-of-23 from long range including 9-of-16 in the second half.
The 'Swords were able to keep up on the glass, being out-rebounded by their taller and physical counterparts by just 49-to-41. They also out-crashed the Buckeyes, 16-to-9, on the offensive boards.
Amaral-Artharee got the game's and season's first points, knocking down a triple a minute into the game while Olsen's layup gave Chaminade a 5-4 lead nearly three minutes in.
Ohio State went ahead on its next possession but the 'Swords got two scores each from Harris and Olsen, the latter with a 3-pointer, to tie the score at 15 with 10 minutes, 40 seconds left in the half. Chaminade would hang around and with 7:19 left, trailed just 24-20 following two Amaral-Artharee free throws.
However, the 'Swords went cold from the floor, being held without a field goal during a four-minute span as OSU closed the half on a 22-3 run in the final seven minutes.
Harris and Amaral-Artharee had Chaminade's first two field goals to start the second half but the Buckeyes would build their lead to 30 four minutes in.
Olsen grabbed a team-high six rebounds with he and Amaral-Artharee both hit a pair of 3s.
Ohio State had 24 assists on the night to Chaminade's four. The Buckeyes also had 54 paint points to CUH's 22 while their bench outscored the 'Swords, 57-13.
The Silverswords' exhibition road trip continues Thursday at Louisville. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. Hawai'i time and will shown on ACCNX.
