HILO, Hawai'i – For the Chaminade University men's basketball team, the previous 33 days have been agonizing unlike any other year.
Add Friday to the mix.
The Silverswords, in the midst of their longest losing streak in 26 years, once again came close. But yet, victory was oh, so far as they fell to the University of Hawai'i Hilo, 72-70, at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) poured in a game-high 25 points for the 'Swords, who fell to 8-17 overall and 6-13 in the Pacific West Conference. Chaminade also suffered its ninth straight loss, the program's longest since losing 11 in a row during the late 1996-97 through the early part of the 1997-98 seasons. Amaral-Artharee also tied a career-high with seven rebounds and set another five assists.
Despite the defeat, the Silverswords are still in contention for the eighth and final spot in next week's PacWest Championships in Fresno, Calif. Either a Holy Names loss Saturday at Point Loma or a 'Swords win Sunday at Hawai'i Pacific University will clinch them the final spot.
Raazhel Watkins (Concord, Calif./Sacramento State/College Park HS) added 13 points and four rebounds for Chaminade while
Zach McIntire (Delaware, Ohio/Mercyhurst University/Delaware Hayes HS) chipped in with 12 points and five boards.
Joseph Smoyer (Portland, Ore./Columbia University/Franklin HS) had nine points and a career-best nine rebounds while picking up two blocked shots.
UH Hilo (14-12, 10-9 PacWest) was led by Max Kunnert and Donald McHenry with 13 points each in the Vulcans' regular season finale. Aniwaniniwa Tait-Jones, one of the conference's top scorers, had six points and 12 boards but was held in check for most of the game by Smoyer. Tait-Jones missed his first 10 shots but got both of his field goals in key situations down the stretch.
Chaminade played like a desperate team early, building leads of 12-2, 14-4 and 16-6 in the first eight minutes. But UH Hilo chipped away at the deficit and eventually took its first lead of the game at 36-34 with 93 seconds left in the half. Amaral-Artharee drilled a 3-pointer on Chaminade's next possession to give them a 37-36 halftime lead.
The Vulcans went ahead on their first possession of the second half but from there, the lead see-sawed for the next three minutes. Consecutive baskets by Watkins and McIntire gave CUH a 48-43 advantage before UH Hilo tied it at 48 at the 14-minute mark. From there, it essentially came down to who would blink first.
Over the next 10 minutes, there were four ties and 12 lead changes. Chaminade's took a 66-65 edge on Smoyer's put-back with 4:06 left but Kunnert answered with a 3-pointer 12 seconds later which put the Vulcans ahead for good. Down 72-70 inside of a minute left, the 'Swords twice had chances to either tie or take the lead but could not convert a shot. They were also gifted two missed front ends of missed 1-and-1 foul shots but also could not get the ball to drop.
Chaminade made 29-of-77 shots and 7-of-22 from long range. They pulled down 50 rebounds to UH Hilo's 39 and had nine assists with just seven turnovers.
The Vulcans were 28-of-64 from the floor, 8-of-19 from long range and had 13 assists to a mere five giveaways.
The Silverswords will finish the regular season Sunday against HPU where their postseason hopes may still be on the line. Tipoff at The Shark Tank is scheduled for 3 p.m.
