HONOLULU – There is an old saying: There's nowhere to go but up.
That certainly sums up the mantra of the Chaminade University women's basketball team.
The COVID-19 pandemic certainly took its toll the past two seasons. With gathering restrictions in place for most of 2021, the team was unable to build cohesiveness and could never find consistency and chemistry. And like a multitude of college basketball programs nationally, the Silverswords lost four games due to health and safety protocols during the 2021-22 season.
But now with a return to normalcy, the team appears to be ready to make that next step forward as they prepare for the start of the 2022-23 season.
The 'Swords open their campaign Friday when they host the Malika Sports PacWest/GNAC Challenge against Simon Fraser at McCabe Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. followed by Hawai'i Pacific University facing Montana State Billings at 3 p.m. The round-robin tournament concludes Saturday with Chaminade and HPU switching opponents.
The Team:
The loss of five key seniors from last year's squad will pose some challenges including Ellyonna Bankofier, Arianna Blowe and Michaella Dean. However, the cupboard isn't necessarily bare for first-year head coach
Michael Edwards as he looks to turn around the fortunes of a program that has had more than its share of struggles.
Guard
Dallas Martinez (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Whittier College/Sacred Hearts Academy), who led the team in scoring a year ago at 9.3 points per game, returns. The junior had a solid first year, shooting a respectable 45.2 percent from the floor, before injuries forced her to miss three of the 'Swords' final six games.
The Silverswords also have the benefit of guard
Mary-Lee Mitchell (Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis) back. Mitchell was having a promising start to her freshman year but an injury just six games into the year forced her to the sidelines for the remainder of the season.
Guard
Lile Hina Oyama (Honolulu/Kalani) is the only returnee who played all 20 games for the 'Swords last season and is coming off a sophomore campaign where she finished third in assists (26) and steals (19).
Emma Morris, who struggled from the floor last season, will look to regain the form that helped her make 22 3-pointers her freshman year.
Mia Ming provides backcourt depth.
Sasha Phillip (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Baptist),
Paige Relph (Las Vegas/Waianae, Hawai'i) and
Taeya Blakeney (Honolulu/Kaiser) are the team's frontcourt veterans with Relph finishing the season as one of the PacWest's top shot blockers with 19.
One aspect the 'Swords will look to improve is their offense. Last season, the team averaged just 48.9 points per game while their perimeter game made just under 14 percent of their 3-point shots, hitting just 41 the entire season. Sixteen were by Bankofier.
Chaminade has six newcomers who could help bolster the team's scoring.
Olivia Crigler (Hebron, Ky./Pacific Union College/Holy Cross HS) is a proven scorer at the collegiate level, having led Pacific Union College in scoring last season at 20 points per game. The other five are promising freshman.
Dezaray Carter (Honolulu/Sacred Hearts Academy),
Juliana Losalio-Watson (Ho'okena, Hawai'i/Konawaena) and
Lishae Scanlan (Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Pearl City) were some of the top high school players in Hawai'i last season while
Selena Buttery (Brockway, Pa./Brockway) and
Destiny Piekarski (Littlefork, Minn./Littlefork-Big Falls) were prolific prep scorers at their respective schools.
The Schedule:
Following this weekend's PacWest/GNAC Challenge, the Silverswords will remain home to face their third straight opponent from the GNAC in Alaska Anchorage on Monday. The Seawolves are traditionally one of the top Division II squads in the nation. Chaminade then meets Multnomah on Wednesday, Nov. 16, the last opponent they defeated back on Nov. 17, 2021.
After a 13-day layoff, the 'Swords open PacWest action on Tuesday, Nov. 29 when they face HPU at the Shark Tank, followed by their conference home opener against the University of Hawai'i Hilo at McCabe Gym. In mid-December, they make their first mainland trip of the year to the conference's Northern California region then return home for contests against Hope International Dec. 17 at McCabe Gym then Dec. 19 versus Western Washington at the Shark Tank.
Chaminade opens the 2023 calendar year against Champion Christian at McCabe then resumes conference action on Jan. 5 against Concordia Irvine.
Wednesday, Feb. 15 is Senior Night against Fresno Pacific, their final regular season home game. Chaminade then hosts the PacWest Basketball Championships at McCabe Gym from March 2-4 where the top six men's and women's teams qualify.
