HONOLULU – On Friday, the Chaminade University men's basketball team survived a furious rally before hanging on against the University of Alaska Anchorage.
On Saturday, it was the Silverswords who found themselves down by double-digits against the University of Alaska. And similarly to Friday's outcome, their rally fell shy in the waning minutes in their 82-77 loss to the Nanooks in the final day of the PacWest/GNAC Challenge at the Hawai'i Pacific University Shark Tank.
For the second straight night,
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) put on an impressive offensive display with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting including five 3-pointers while
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) added 25 points.
The 'Swords, who had not lost to either of the Alaska programs since 2015, saw their 11-game winning streak in the Challenge snapped.
Reeves also had five rebounds and six assists for Chaminade, who fell to 1-1 on the season.
Raazhel Watkins (Concord, Calif./Sacramento State/College Park HS) chipped in with 10 points and also pulled down five boards.
Bryan Nguyuen led Alaska (1-1) with 17 points.
Neither team was able to take control of the game with the largest first half lead going in favor of UAF (24-17) at the 8:27 mark of the first half. The 'Swords were able to take a brief 27-26 edge thanks to an Amaral-Artharee bucket but the Nanooks teetered back ahead to own a 41-35 halftime lead.
Alaska was able to build on its lead to 52-39 four minutes into the second half and with 7:37 left, went up 68-58. Chaminade rallied behind Amaral-Artharee's triple and five Reeves points which was part of a 10-2 run which got them to within a deuce. Amaral-Artharee sank a free throw following a Nanook technical foul and with 4:06 left, the 'Swords trailed by a single point at 72-71.
However, the Silverswords came up empty on their next three possessions which could have tied or given them the lead. In all, Chaminade went without a field goal over the next four minutes while Alaska was able to get key baskets to give them separation as the clock ticked away.
Chaminade shot 38.8 percent from the floor while Alaska Fairbanks made 56.3 percent of its field goals including a gaudy 17-of-26 (65.4 percent) in the second half. The Nanooks also went to the free throw line 28 times, making 25, while CUH was 12-of-15. The 'Swords were out-rebounded, 40-to-23, but were able to force 24 UAF giveaways.
The Silverswords have nearly two weeks off and will return to action in the Hoops in Hawai'i Thanksgiving Classic presented by Outrigger Hotels Hawai'i at the HPU Shark Tank. They open the tournament on Nov. 25 against Cal State San Bernardino at 7 p.m.
