HONOLULU – In 2022-23, the Chaminade University men's basketball team had several instances of bad luck in outcomes that resulted in their third straight under-.500 season.
The Silverswords, 14-15 last season, had eight losses of five or fewer points including four in final-possession games.
The 2023-24 version is hoping to turn those fortunes around to help them return to being one of the elite squads in the Pacific West Conference.
The Silverswords will look to see how far they have come after a few weeks of organized practices when they open the season this Friday against the University of Alaska Anchorage at the annual PacWest/GNAC Challenge in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic), a three-time All-PacWest selection who was selected to the conference's all-preseason team last week, is one of four returnees who saw playing time last year. Amaral-Artharee has led the 'Swords in scoring in each of the last three seasons including a career-best 16.1 points per game in '22-23. The redshirt senior is in his fifth year of playing eligibility, thanks to the season-of-competition waiver granted to student-athletes who had playing seasons affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21.
Also back is
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS), who with Amaral-Artharee, makes up one of the top backcourt tandems in the conference. Reeves, the PacWest Freshman of the Year, averaged 15.6 points and was a capable rebounder at just over four per outing. While capable of knocking down a long-range shot (63 triples, 46.5 percentage), Reeves can also find teammates with 84 assists a year ago.
Senior forward
Scott Ator (Murphy, Texas/College of the Sequoias/Wylie HS), who started all 29 games last season, also returns after leading the team with 38 blocks last year while
Chris Bready (Milwaukee, Wis./New Mexico Military Institute/Waukesha West HS) is back for his senior season in a versatile wing position.
In the backcourt, redshirt junior guard
Jessiya Villa (Laurel, Md./University of Hawai'i/Kahuku HS, Hawai'i) hopes to return to his spring 2021 form before an injury slowed him down the past two years.
Eric Bovaird, entering his 13th year as head coach surpassing the legendary Merv Lopes as the longest-tenured coach in program history, will also have
Carson Frawley (Camas, Wash./Camas),
Kameron Ng (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Univ. of Hawai'i Hilo/Saint Francis HS) and
Brycen Shackelford (Folsom, Calif./Folsom), all of whom sat out at redshirts last year. Ng is the most accomplished of the trio, having played at both the University of Hawai'i Manoa and Hawai'i Hilo before arriving at Chaminade last year.
There are six newcomers to the team this season, five with previous collegiate experience.
Wyatt Lowell (Gilbert, Ariz./University of Portland/William Fields HS) and
Kelton Samore (Portland, Ore./Seattle Pacific University/Grant HS) are both graduate transfers with
Jamir Thomas (Berkeley, Calif./City College of San Francisco/Berkeley HS) coming in from one of the top junior colleges in California. Also arriving are two other transfers in
Matt Fegurgur (Sinajana, Guam/Long Beach State/Father Duenas HS) and
Lennon Lindholm (DuBois, Pa./Univ. of Pittsburgh-Bradford/DuBois HS). The other new addition is freshman
Alec Peterson (Sydney, Australia/Rolling Hills Prep, Calif.).
Following the trip to Alaska, the Silverswords will get an early start to the PacWest slate with a Nov. 16 home date against UH Hilo. That will be followed by the Maui Invitational, which this year will be played at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center starting Monday, Nov. 20. The 'Swords will open against the No. 1-ranked squad in Division I in the University of Kansas.
Following a non-conference date against Slippery Rock on Nov. 27, the 'Swords will host PacWest newcomer Westmont College on Nov. 30 and Fresno Pacific on Dec. 2, all at home at McCabe Gymnasium. The 'Swords will then hit the road for three games in the conference's northern California pod then return to O'ahu with matchups against Lincoln University and the University of Texas Tyler at the Hoops in Hawai'i Holiday Classic at Hawai'i Pacific University's Shark Tank in mid-December prior to the Christmas break.
The team returns to post-holiday action on Dec. 30 at two-time defending PacWest champion Point Loma to open their southern California swing.
Other notable contests include a Jan. 18 home date against rival HPU, which has won the last three meetings in McCabe.
The PacWest Tournament will be in San Diego from March 7-9, where the top six qualifiers will again play for the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA West Regional.
