HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team will play their first home game of the 2025-26 season Friday when they host Nobel University at McCabe Gymnasium.
Friday's exhibition, which tips at 7 p.m., is the second straight year the Silverswords will face the Knights out of Buena Park, California. Last December, Chaminade won a convincing 110-66 decision at McCabe Gym in which three 'Swords hit the 20-point plateau.
Eric Bovaird enters his 15th year as head coach and may have the pieces to get the Silverswords back to the Pacific West Conference Championships, which they have missed the past two seasons, and even beyond.
Fans got to see what the current Silverswords squad looks like after the Oct. 26 exhibition at the University of Hawai'i. The 'Swords led by as many as seven midway through the second half before falling, 93-87, against their Division I counterparts.
Despite losing their top three scorers and assists leader, the Silverswords have plenty of experience returning with six returnees, four of whom made 11 or more starts.
Guard
Kent King (Washington, D.C./Vincennes University/Fork Union Military Academy), whose 12.5 points average last season makes him the team's top returning scorer, and twin brother
Kris King (Washington, D.C./Vincennes University/Fork Union Military Academy) help to anchor the Chaminade attack on both the offensive and defensive ends. Kris was fifth in steals a season ago with 31 but added 11.0 points per outing. Kent was a standout against the Rainbow Warriors with a 23-point, nine-rebound performance.
Roland Banks II (Bakersfield, Calif./Fullerton College/Cathedral HS) returns at another guard spot and was second on the team in both assists (76) and steals (13). He also blocked 13 shots.
Also back is forward
Fletcher MacDonald (Wollongong, Australia/Lubbock Christian Univ./Newington College HS), the 'Swords' blocked shot leader with 30 while shooting at a 51.5 percent clip.
Brycen Shackelford (Folsom, Calif./Folsom) and
Mykiah Wyche (San Jose, Calif./Foothill College/Piedmont Hills HS) complete the returners and help solidify the team's press defense.
There are a lot of promise with the newcomers. Transfer
Nathan Medina (Long Beach, Calif./Biola University/Valley Christian HS), who two years ago was the only underclassman voted to the All-Pacific West Conference First Team at Biola University, was lost for the season last January due to an injury. However, the senior picked up right where he left off, posting 17 points against UH including three 3-pointers.
Nate Sasser III (West Palm Beach, Fla./Casper College/Suncoast HS) showed an inside-outside effort against Hawai'i, hitting 5-of-8 shots including a triple.
Pejan Slater (Lancaster, Calif./Citrus College/Santa Clarita Christian HS) adds power in the post position and
Brandon Haddock (Southlake, Texas/University of Utah/Carroll HS) flashed speed and quickness especially defensively with six steals in his exhibition effort.
The 'Swords are hoping to get
Quadry Adams (Piscataway, N.J./Sacramento State/St. Thomas Aquinas HS) and
Bruce Carpenter (Fayetteville, Ga./Gannon University/McIntosh HS) on the court soon. Both have been dealing with injuries during the preseason.
Jett Lehmann (Minden, Nev./Douglas), who redshirted last season, and
Payton Lambrecht (Milwaukee, Wis./Sauk Valley CC/Whitefish HS) add depth in the backcourt.
Chaminade opens regular season action on Saturday, Dec. 15 in Anchorage, Alaska at the PacWest/GNAC Challenge which involves fellow O'ahu school Hawai'i Pacific University and Alaska programs, University of Alaska and the University of Alaska Anchorage. This season marks the 10th year of the event.
The 'Swords return to McCabe Gym on Wednesday, Nov. 19, for a meeting against Western Washington University and will be their final home game until Jan. 13.
In between, Chaminade will make their return to the Lahaina Civic Center for the first time in six years when they open the Southwest Maui Invitational against Washington State on Monday, Nov. 24. They will then face either Arizona State or Texas in Tuesday's pairing before concluding the tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
The team will be on the road for all of December including games against island rivals HPU on Dec. 2 and the University of Hawai'i Hilo on Dec. 6. That will be followed by pre-holiday PacWest games at Vanguard, Azusa Pacific and Westmont.
After the Christmas holiday off, the Silverswords are home for five straight then three more in Southern California to end January. A six-game February home stand follows – their final home games of the year – before ending the regular season with three in Northern California.
The PacWest Championships will be hosted by Point Loma in San Diego from March 5-7.
