HONOLULU – If close only counted in horseshoes and hand grenades, the Chaminade University men's basketball team would be the phrase's ultimate poster child.
For the fifth time this season, the Silverswords had a chance for a victory in the final seconds, only to fall short. Saturday, it came to nationally-ranked and conference-leading Point Loma, 84-80, at McCabe Gymnasium. The 'Swords rallied from a seven-point deficit with three minutes left but the potential game-winning 3-pointer was off the mark in the final second.
Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./Gannon University/West Linn HS) poured in a season-high 30 points for Chaminade which fell to 7-9 on the season and 2-6 in the PacWest. Olsen tied his career scoring high which he set as a member of Gannon University last February against Edinboro. The graduate transfer made 10-of-15 shots from the floor, 9-of-10 free throws and also dished out five assists.
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) added 19 points and seven rebounds for Chaminade while
Raazhel Watkins (Concord, Calif./Sacramento State/College Park HS) had 12 points and eight boards.
Luke Haupt had 26 points for the Sea Lions, who won their 10th straight. Point Loma, ranked No. 21 in the D2SIDA Media Poll, improved to 14-3 overall and remained the PacWest's lone conference undefeated at 9-0. They also defeated Chaminade for the third straight meeting and the eighth time in the past 10.
PLNU's Kaden Anderson, the current PacWest Player of the Week and two-time conference Player of the Year, had 20 points and 11 rebounds but was held to just 6-of-16 shooting including just 1-of-6 from 3-point range.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic), Chaminade's leading scorer, was held to just six points, his fewest scoring output since November 2021.
The 'Swords took their first lead at 16-14 on a basket from
Jessiya Villa (Laurel, Md./University of Hawai'i/Kahuku HS, Hawai'i) with 13:08 left in the first half. The lead teeter-tottered over the next 11 minutes but PLNU scored the final six points of the half to take a 41-36 edge at halftime.
The Sea Lions managed to build their lead to as many as eight midway through the second half but the 'Swords would not go away. With 2:56 left, Point Loma led 77-70 but that's when the Olsen Show began. The West Linn, Ore., native didn't miss, hitting both field goals tries and all six free throws, accounting for all of Chaminade's final 10 points.
Trailing 82-80 with 15 seconds left, Anderson missed a free throw, opening the door for Chaminade. But Reeves' potential game-winning 3-pointer with five seconds left was off the mark. The Sea Lions grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws to ice the game.
The 'Swords made 49.2 percent of their shots while the Sea Lions made 48.4. Both squads didn't shoot the 3-ball particularly well (6-of-24 for Chaminade; 7-of-25 for Point Loma) but the Sea Lions made 17-of-21 from the free throw line with the 'Swords making 10-of-11. Chaminade grabbed 31 rebounds to PLNU's 35 while both teams had 10 assists and nine turnovers.
The Silverswords will play the third game of their six-game conference home stand Tuesday against defending PacWest Tournament champion Academy of Art. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
