HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team's struggles in close games during the 2023-24 season have been well documented; 1-7 in Pacific West Conference contests decided by four points or less with a 1-3 mark in those coming on the final possession.
On Tuesday, their penultimate home game of the year, the Silverswords had yet another game that came down to the wire. Unlike in previous situations, they found a way to overcome that trend.
Isaac Amaral-Artharee (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) tied his season-high with 26 points including a 22-foot baseline jumper with 1.6 seconds left to lift the 'Swords to a 66-64 win over Concordia University Irvine at McCabe Gymnasium.
The fifth-year redshirt senior was 7-of-10 from the field and made all 11 free throws while also pulling in five rebounds.
Ross Reeves (Orem, Utah/Snow College/Orem HS) had 19 points, ending his streak of 20-point games at six.
Kelton Samore (Portland, Ore./Seattle Pacific University/Grant HS) added nine points and a team-high six rebounds.
Chaminade swept the season series, its fourth-straight win over the Golden Eagles, improving to 8-16 overall and 4-12 in the PacWest, keeping their slim hopes for a conference tournament berth alive.
Kobe Sanders led CUI (10-10, 7-7 PacWest) with 20 points.
Less than five minutes in, the game had the makings of a Silverswords' rout. They hit their first six shots from the field including three-point plays from Reeves and Amaral-Artharee and owned a 15-3 advantage.
CUI would slowly chip away at the deficit and with 4:40 left in the first half, grabbed its first lead of the game at 24-23 on a Connor Gleason jumper. The Golden Eagles would enjoy a 29-25 halftime edge.
Concordia's lead swelled to as many as nine midway through the second half before Amaral-Artharee gave the 'Swords their first lead since the opening half with a pull-up jumper that made it 51-50 with 6:30 left. The lead changed hands four times and, with CUH nursing a 64-60 lead, Sanders made baskets on consecutive possessions to tie it at 64 with 17 seconds left.
On the ensuing Chaminade possession, Amaral-Artharee worked the clock, took a staggered dribble towards the left and pulled up from 22 feet out for the go-ahead score with 1.6 seconds left. It was his second career game-winning shot, the first just a few feet from where he had his first buzzer-beater on Jan. 10, 2023 against Academy of Art.
The 'Swords, who got just their second final possession win this season, shot 45.8 percent from the floor, including 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half. They made just two triples, but were 20-of-22 from the free throw line. The Golden Eagles shot 39.2 from the field, made six 3-balls and was 18-of-22 at the charity stripe.
Chaminade had a 30-to-27 edge on the boards, had 10 assists and 15 turnovers while Concordia dished out eight helpers with 11 giveaways.
The Silverswords will play their final home game of the season on Monday against Biola with tipoff scheduled around 7:30 p.m. Amaral-Artharee,
Scott Ator (Murphy, Texas/College of the Sequoias/Wylie HS),
Chris Bready (Milwaukee, Wis./New Mexico Military Institute/Waukesha West HS) and
Wyatt Lowell (Gilbert, Ariz./University of Portland/William Fields HS) will be honored after the game.
