HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team on Friday opened their regular season with a 104-96 overtime win over the University of Alaska at the PacWest/GNAC Challenge at the Shark Tank.
Jackson Last (Hurricane, Utah/Robert Morris University/Hurricane HS) scored 18 of his 25 points in the final 25 minutes to help the Silverswords rally from a six-point deficit late in regulation to force the extra session.
Amound Anderson (Los Angeles/Fullerton College/Leuzinger HS) added 24 points, knocking down six 3-pointers.
The new-look Silverswords, with 12 newcomers to the roster, are 1-0 and also 13-4 all-time in the Challenge which is being played for the ninth consecutive year (excluding the spring 2021 COVID-shortened season).
Jamir Thomas (Berkeley, Calif./City College of San Francisco/Berkeley HS) popped for 17 points off the bench while
Kameron Ng (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Univ. of Hawai'i Hilo/Saint Francis HS) had 14, his most in a Chaminade uniform.
Last hauled in eight rebounds with Ng dishing out eight assists.
Paul Johnson had 29 points for the Nanooks (0-1).
The 'Swords led by as many as 11 early in the second half before UAF mounted a comeback, eventually taking a 79-73 lead with 6:46 left. Anderson and Last both hit 3-pointers to knot the score at 79.
The final minute was a flurry as the team exchanged 3-balls, the last giving the Nanooks an 89-88 edge with eight seconds left. With six seconds left,
Roland Banks II (Bakersfield, Calif./Fullerton College/Cathedral HS) was hacked an sank a free throw to send the game into overtime.
UAF sank a bucket to start the extra period but Last answered with the tying score. On Chaminade's next possession,
Fletcher MacDonald (Wollongong, Australia/Lubbock Christian Univ./Newington College HS) put the 'Swords up, 93-91, with a basket. Those were followed by an Ng layup, followed by a triple from Anderson to put them up 98-91.
UAF closed to within two but Thomas and Last hit 3-pointers to put the game out of reach.
Chaminade shot 47.6 percent from the field and hit 16 3-pointers. Despite being out-rebounded, 58-to-38, they forced 17 Nanook giveaways and turned them into 13 points.
Alaska shot 45.8 from the floor with nine triples.
The Challenge moves to McCabe Gymnasium on Saturday with the Silverswords facing the University of Alaska Anchorage at 5 p.m. Hawai'i Pacific University and Alaska will be in the 7 p.m. nightcap.
