HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's basketball team wrapped up their first weekend of competition Sunday with a 79-76 defeat to Adelpi University in the seventh-place game in the Hoops in Hawai'i Tip-Off Classic at McCabe Gymnasium.
The Silverswords, with a practically brand-new team, saw four players reach the double-digit scoring mark, led by
Sam Sivulich's (Ogden, Utah/Snow College/Northridge HS) 23 points.
Casey Steadmon (Louisville, Ky./Hawai'i Pacific University/Bethlehem HS) added 17 off the bench for the 'Swords along with 10 each from
Logi Gudmundsson (Kopavogur, Iceland/Breidablik Kopavogur) and
Nate Law (Houston/Oklahoma Wesleyan University/St. Thomas Episcopal HS).
Steadmon also added five assists and four steals.
The total margin of defeat over the weekend was just 14 points for the group still trying to develop chemistry against more established teams who competed in the tournament.
The Hoops in Hawai'i Tip-Off Classic, run this year by College Tournaments Hawai'i, is one of just three early season exempted dual-gender basketball events in NCAA Division II that can start before Nov. 9, the first full competition date allowed in D-II. The women's Tip-Off Classic was held next door to McCabe Gym at Saint Louis School's Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Center.
Vlad Popa led the Panthers with 20 points.
The 'Swords owned as many as a 13-point lead early in the second half but Adelphi used a 21-0 run, part of a span that saw CUH held without a field goal for over a 10-minute stretch.
Chaminade hit 47.5 percent of its shows with 27 rebounds and 11 assists. Adelphi shot 53.6 percent, pulled down 35 boards with 16 assists.
Sivulich totaled 59 points during the tournament, the second-highest total in the field only behind tournament most valuable player Jayse Boatwright of Minot State, who had 61.
The University of Tampa captured the tournament title, defeating Minot State, 74-73.
The Silverswords return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 10 against Northwest Indian College at McCabe Gym with tipoff at 7 p.m.
