Editor's note: Added Kelton Samore as a member of the All-Tournament Team which was announced on Dec. 20.
HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team turned a close game into a decisive finish Monday thanks to its defensive performance in the final 20 minutes, wrapping up the Hoops in Hawai'i Holiday Classic with an 88-61 win over the University of Texas Tyler at the Hawai'i Pacific University Shark Tank.
Scott Ator (Murphy, Texas/College of the Sequoias/Wylie HS) had a career-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, pulling in four rebounds with three assists and three blocks to help the Silverswords win consecutive games for the first time this season and improve to 5-8 in their final non-conference game of the season.
Chaminade outscored UT Tyler 47-21 in the second half, holding them to just 8-of-29 shooting for a percentage of 27.6 in the stanza.
Kelton Samore (Portland, Ore./Seattle Pacific University/Grant HS) added 16 points and nine rebounds,
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) contributed with 13 points, five boards, three assists and three steals while
Jamir Thomas (Berkeley, Calif./City College of San Francisco/Berkeley HS) had 12 points and three boards.
Samore was named to the all-tournament team after totaling 29 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Chris Bready (Milwaukee, Wis./New Mexico Military Institute/Waukesha West HS) came off the bench, knocking down a career-high-tying four 3-pointers, for a season-high 14 points.
Khalik Gardner led UT Tyler with 15 points as the Patriots fell to 1-9 on the year in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Three was the magic number early with eight of the game's first 17 combined made baskets all from beyond the arc with both teams hitting four.
A highly contested first half, neither team could establish more than a five-point differential with eight ties and eight lead changes and the 'Swords clinging to a 41-40 halftime edge.
It wasn't until early in the second half that Chaminade began to pull away thanks to the 3-ball. Bready buried back-to-back treys followed by Thomas' driving layup and 3-pointer, giving them a 66-53 lead with 10:05 left.
After the Patriots drew back to within single digits at 66-58, the Silverswords went on their decisive surge, outscoring them 22-3 and allowing just one field goal in the final nine minutes. It included an 18-0 run during a six-minute span with Ator accounting for seven points and Reeves six, putting Chaminade up 84-58 with 3:55 left.
Chaminade shot a season-high 54.4 percent from the floor and, in addition to holding the Patriots to 27.6 percent in the second half, shot 64.3 (18-of-28) themselves during the same span. CUH made six of its 10 triples in the final 20 minutes while UTT was just 1-of-9. In all, Chaminade made 11 3-pointers to UT Tyler's five.
Like they did the previous evening against Lincoln University, the 'Swords had plenty of opportunities at the free throw line, making 15-of-18 while the Patriots made six of 11. Chaminade held the rebounding advantage by a 35-to-32 count and committed nine turnovers to UT Tyler's 13.
The Silverswords will take the mandated Division II Christmas break off then resume Pacific West Conference action at Point Loma on Dec. 30 at Golden Gymnasium.
