HONOLULU – After having already played five games at the Hawai'i Pacific University Shark Tank and three at the Hawai'i Convention Center, the Chaminade University men's basketball team taking the McCabe Gymnasium floor might have felt like stepping onto another team's court.
After suffering several agonizing losses on the road, the return to McCabe on Monday was what the Silverswords needed as they opened the 2023 calendar year with a 117-61 non-conference demolishing of Champion Christian College, just their second true home game of the season.
Six Chaminade players hit the double-digit scoring column, led by
Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./Gannon University/West Linn HS) who had 17 points, along with eight rebounds and six assists while making all four of his 3-point attempts.
Patrick Renane (Havdrup, Denmark/Dublin, Calif., HS) also had 17, a career high, 15 of which came in the second half with the game well decided.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) added 16 points followed by
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) with 15,
Jalen Brattain (Shallowater, Texas/Lubbock Christian Univ./Shallowater HS) with 12 and
Raazhel Watkins (Concord, Calif./Sacramento State/College Park HS) with 10.
Jessiya Villa (Laurel, Md./University of Hawai'i/Kahuku HS, Hawai'i) added eight points and seven rebounds, all season highs.
All 11 'Swords who were in uniform had at least four points and one field goal on the afternoon.
Amaral-Artharee, who was honored prior to tipoff for reaching the 1,000-point plateau last month, tied his career high with eight rebounds while dishing out four assists to help Chaminade improve to 6-8 on the year.
The 117 points is the eighth highest in program history while the 56-point margin of victory is the third largest.
Ariyon Williams had 11 points for the Tigers from Hot Springs, Arkansas. Champion Christian is affiliated nationally with the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) but not with either the NCAA or NAIA. CCC fell to 0-11 against NCAA competition.
After a short getting-to-know-you phase in the first four minutes with CCC leading 9-8, Chaminade ramped up the pace on a 15-3 run which up them up 23-12. The 'Swords did not allow the Tigers to get consecutive baskets until the 10:30 mark which saw their lead whittled to 23-18.
But the 'Swords closed the first half on a 31-12 run in the final nine minutes, making 13-of-19 shots from the floor during the stretch which included five triples. The surge allowed them to enter halftime up 54-30.
Olsen, Watkins and
Scott Ator (Murphy, Texas/College of the Sequoias/Wylie HS) combined for the first eight points to open the second half, giving the 'Swords their first 30-point lead of the game. Their lead stretched to 40 on Renane's three-point play while
Dorian Harris (Cerritos, Calif./Cerritos College/Cerritos HS) buried a wing 3-ball to put the 'Swords at the century mark on the scoreboard with 6:25 left.
Chaminade hit 44 of its 79 attempts for a 55.7 shooting clip while making 12 of 24 from long distance. They also made 17 of 20 trips to the charity stripe. The 'Swords had 52 rebounds, 23 assists with just 11 turnovers.
Champion Christian was held to a 34.3 shooting percentage and made just 4 of 20 from 3-point range and 11-of-20 free throws. The Tigers grabbed 33 boards with 11 assists and 19 turnovers which the 'Swords recycled to 25 points.
The Silverswords resume Pacific West Conference action Thursday against Concordia University Irvine at McCabe Gym. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
