HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University men's basketball team nearly pulled out an improbable comeback Saturday but in the end, it still counted as a loss.
The Silverswords trailed the University of Hawai'i Hilo by seven with a minute left, got to within three with 10 seconds left and were a defensive rebound away from getting a chance for a tying score in their 69-65 defeat to the Vulcans at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) had 21 points for Chaminade, his sixth consecutive 20-point game and eighth in his last nine. He also had a team-high seven rebounds.
The Silverswords fell to 7-16 and 3-12 in the Pacific West Conference, putting them on the brink of elimination from the PacWest Tournament. They also dropped their sixth straight to UH Hilo including nine of the last 10.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) had 17 for the 'Swords, along with six rebounds and four assists.
Scott Ator (Murphy, Texas/College of the Sequoias/Wylie HS) and
Chris Bready (Milwaukee, Wis./New Mexico Military Institute/Waukesha West HS) had seven points each.
Charles Elzie III had 16 points for UH Hilo (13-9, 7-6 PacWest).
The 'Swords started off well, leading by as many as 11, the last at 32-21 with 2:39 left in the first half. But an 18-2 run spanning the final two minutes of the first half and first three of the second was the spark the Vulcans got as they reassumed the lead.
With a minute left, UH Hilo led 66-59 and seemingly had put the outcome to bed but Amaral-Artharee knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers which got the 'Swords to within 68-65 with 10 seconds left.
Chaminade put the Vulcans on the free throw line for a one-and-one bonus free throw trip. UH Hilo missed the front end but the 'Swords could not secure the rebound for an opportunity for the game-tying shot. Instead, Elzie got the board, was fouled again and hit the insurance free throw.
The 'Swords shot 41.9 percent from the field, hit nine 3-pointers, grabbed 45 rebounds but committed 17 turnovers.
UH Hilo was 40.3 percent from the floor, with eight triples and 38 boards wit 10 giveaways.
The Silverswords return home to McCabe Gymnasium on Tuesday for their penultimate home game of the season when they meet Concordia University Irvine. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
