HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team opened their final non-conference stretch Sunday, downing Lincoln University 70-67 in the Hoops in Hawai'i Holiday Classic at the Hawai'i Pacific University Shark Tank.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) led a group of four Silverswords in double-digit scoring with a game-high 20 points to help them snap their two-game slide.
Scott Ator (Murphy, Texas/College of the Sequoias/Wylie HS) followed with 15 points, hitting seven of his nine shots from the field, while also getting five rebounds and three blocks.
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) had another solid all-around performance with 14 points, six assists, four boards and two steals while
Kelton Samore (Portland, Ore./Seattle Pacific University/Grant HS) added 13 points and 10 rebounds, his first double-double of the season.
Chaminade improved to 4-8 on the year. Lincoln, an unaffiliated program from Oakland, California with no ties to the NCAA or NAIA, fell to 0-2 against NCAA foes this season. Goodnews Kpegeol led the Oaklanders with 17 points. Lincoln is coached by pro basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton.
This year marked the third straight season the two teams have met in Honolulu. The Silverswords won the 2022 matchup at the Hoops in Hawai'i Thanksgiving Classic while the 2021 meeting was never completed due to an unsafe playing floor after the first 20 minutes.
Taking what the Oaklanders were giving them, which were open perimeter shots, nine of the 'Swords first 13 field goal attempts were from beyond the arc with three makes, resulting in a 17-13 lead at the second media timeout. A highly competitive start, no more than five points separated the two teams before Chaminade extended to a 32-22 lead with 3:18 remaining, thanks to Ator and Reeves who each had four during a 10-2 run.
Right before the half, Lincoln scored six straight to chop its deficit to three but
Chris Bready's (Milwaukee, Wis./New Mexico Military Institute/Waukesha West HS) putback pushed Chaminade's edge back to 36-31 at halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Oaklanders drew to within 40-39 but an 11-2 run keyed by Amaral-Artharee's seven points including his four-point play upped the Silverswords' lead to 51-41 with 12:54 left.
Lincoln battled back and took its first lead of second half at 57-56 on Melvin Ely's layup at the six-minute mark. The teams then traded leads until Ator's layup with 4:51 left put CUH ahead for good at 61-59. A Reeves triple put Chaminade up, 68-63, with 1:09 remaining but the Oaklanders would make things interesting, closing to within four.
With four seconds left, Reeves converted one of two free throws, putting the 'Swords up 70-67. On the ensuing possession, Lincoln had one final shot for the tying bucket but Jorren Edwards was called for stepping out of bounds along the sideline to give possession, and the win, to Chaminade.
The 'Swords made 41.7 percent of their shots including 7-of-24 from 3-point range and 13-of-17 free throws. They pulled in 36 rebounds, dished out 14 assists to 15 turnovers. Lincoln was 42.6 percent from the floor with four triples, making five free throws with 40 boards and 14 turnovers.
The Silverswords will face the University of Texas Tyler in Tuesday's Classic finale with tipoff at 5:45 p.m.
