HONOLULU – In the first meeting between the Chaminade University and Academy of Art women's basketball teams back on Dec. 10, the Silverswords opened up a sizable lead only to see the Urban Knights take control in the game's final 35 minutes.
In what can only be described as a carbon copy from that match-up in Belmont, California, Chaminade built a first-quarter lead in Tuesday's rematch, only to see it vanish into the vog-filled air during the final 30 minutes in Academy of Art's 66-52 win at McCabe Gymnasium.
A 17-0 ART U run spanning the first and second quarters helped drop Chaminade to 1-14 overall and 1-8 in the Pacific West Conference.
Olivia Crigler (Hebron, Ky./Pacific Union College/Holy Cross HS) returned to the lineup after a two-game absence and posted a team-high 19 points, hitting five 3-pointers which tied her season high. She also pulled down six rebounds.
Taeya Blakeney (Honolulu/Kaiser) came off the bench and added eight points, a new career high, while pulling down four boards.
Alisha Wilson powered the Urban Knights (4-10, 4-4 PacWest) with 27 points and 18 rebounds. The forward was a one-woman wrecking crew, adding four assists, four blocks and five steals.
With ART U fielding just six players along with Chaminade's injury-depleted roster, the game got off to a ragged start. In the first seven minutes, the teams combined for an equal number of turnovers and field goal attempts (10 each). The Urban Knights were particularly mistake-plagued with seven giveaways and just three shots during the stretch.
ART U's 30-second timeout late in the quarter seemed to help them right the ship but Chaminade still held a 14-5 lead thanks to five points from Crigler while
Selena Buttery (Brockway, Pa./Brockway) added three more. However, Wilson's layup to beat the first quarter horn was the start of the Urban Knights' rally.
Chaminade went without a point for nearly six minutes in the second quarter as ART U scored 17 straight go up, 22-14. Blakeney finally ended their scoreless drought with two quick baskets, on a layup followed by a put-back off a missed and-one chance in a span of five seconds. Later in the quarter,
Mary-Lee Mitchell (Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis), playing in her first game after missing the first 14 due to an injury, made her first field goal of the season with 46 seconds left in the half to put the 'Swords down 27-20 at the half.
However, ART U out-pointed Chaminade 23-11 in the third quarter to help them pull away.
The 'Swords shot 32.3 percent from the floor and made 7-of-27 from long range but only got to the free throw line five times. They also had 36 rebounds with 13 assists, five coming from
Dallas Martinez (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Whittier College/Sacred Hearts Academy).
Sasha Phillip (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Baptist) had three of the team's eight steals.
Academy of Art shot 44.6 percent from the floor with Jadence Clifton making all three of their triples. The Urban Knights also went to the foul line 25 times with 13 makes, pulling down 42 boards with 10 assists.
The Silverswords home stand continues Friday against Dominican University of California at McCabe Gym. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
