HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team on Sunday suffered their first defeat of the season, dropping an 86-85 decision to Adelphi University at McCabe Gymnasium.
Amound Anderson (Los Angeles, Calif./Fullerton College/Leuzinger HS) came off the bench for a team-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including four 3-pointers, along with seven rebounds for the Silverswords who fell to 5-1 on the season.
Jackson Last (Hurricane, Utah/Robert Morris University/Hurricane HS) added 17 points and
Roland Banks II (Bakersfield, Calif./Fullerton College/Cathedral HS) another 13, seven boards and four assists as the 'Swords had their lowest scoring output of the season.
Kent King (Washington, D.C./Vincennes University/Fork Union Military Academy) and
Fletcher MacDonald (Wollongong, Australia/Lubbock Christian Univ./Newington College HS) tallied seven points each while
Kameron Ng (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Univ. of Hawai'i Hilo/Saint Francis HS) had six and four assists.
Dayshaun Watson led the New York state-based Panthers (6-4) with 22 points.
An entertaining game with 13 ties and 18 lead changes, which got rather physical with 53 total personal fouls as well as four technical fouls, the ending proved to be as wild as anyone could imagine.
Trailing by as many as 10 in the second half and down 79-70 with 1:49 left to play, Chaminade mounted a furious comeback. Last hit a pair of free throws and, following a Panthers' turnover on a five-second inbound violation,
Jamir Thomas (Berkeley, Calif./City College of San Francisco/Berkeley HS) buried a triple to chop the deficit to 79-75.
A 3-pointer from Last and two Ng layups kept the 'Swords within striking range but Adelphi answered with free throws for an 86-82 lead with eight seconds left. Thomas' put-back off a miss narrowed it to 86-84 with a second left. Last stole the ensuing inbounds pass but could not get a half-court desperation shot off in time as the buzzer sounded to end the game.
Or so did everyone in McCabe Gym thought.
Adelphi head coach Dave Duke was then assessed a technical foul for continuously berating the officials, giving the Silverswords two free throws and a chance to tie the game. However, the 'Swords could not hit the first technical free throw that was needed to send the game into what could have been an improbable forcing of overtime.
Chaminade hit 37.5 percent of its shots, made seven triples and was 24-of-36 from the free throw line. The 'Swords grabbed 35 rebounds, had 11 assists and 12 turnovers. They also forced 24 Adelphi giveaways.
The Panthers shot at a 47.4 percent clip, including 58.3 in the second half, sinking six 3-pointers and was 26-of-31 at the charity stripe. AU grabbed 44 boards and had 13 assists.
The Silverswords will open Pacific West Conference action Saturday when they host the University of Hawai'i Hilo at McCabe Gym. Tipoff is at 1 p.m. The Vulcans have won 10 of the last 11 meetings including the last six.
