HONOLULU – Playing several time zones away, the St. Edward's Hilltoppers men's basketball team never quite found the timing and rhythm of its offense in an 84-70 loss to the Chaminade Silverswords.
UCHE DIBIAMAKA returned from injury after a one-game absence to lead the Hilltoppers with 15 points. However, he was the lone St. Edward's player to shoot better than 50 percent from the field, finishing 6-for-11 and 3-for-6 from beyond the 3-point line. The Hilltoppers shot 25-for–70 (35.7 percent), including 9-for-30 (30.0 percent) on 3-pointers.
St. Edward's opened the game well enough, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from SEAN ELKINTON and MASON HIX. Elkinton followed with an offensive rebound and score off a Hix jumper, giving the Hilltoppers an early 8-7 lead.
The Silverswords responded with a 14-6 run to take a nine-point lead, getting into the paint at will for six layups over the run, capped off by a Braden Olsen score off a turnover.
Chaminade's relentless pursuit into the paint was too much for St. Edward's, outscoring the Hilltoppers 50-22 from there. Isaac Amaral-Artharee led five Silverswords in double figures, scoring 21 points on 12 shots with seven rebounds. Olsen set the table with 14 points and 11 assists. Raazhel Watkins and Jalen Brattain scored 13 each, with the latter adding 10 rebounds for the double-double, and Scott Ator scored 10 points on seven shots.
St. Edward's stayed within arm's length for most of the half, taking a 27-26 lead on a BLAKE NIELSEN layup with 8:25 remaining in the first half. However, Chaminade reeled off a 12-0 run near the end of the first half, taking a 43-30 lead at the break.
Amaral-Artharee led Chaminade with 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from deep. Hix and JEFF GARY had nine points each for the Hilltoppers, with Hix also hitting all three of his 3-point attempts. Chaminade outscored St. Edward's 22-12 inside and 13-0 from points off turnovers.
Chaminade built on the lead throughout the early part of the second half, extending it to as much as 21, capitalizing on a six-point scoring blitz by Brattain inside. However, St. Edward's showed resilience, answering with an 11-0 scoring binge of its own sparked by back-to-back layups from BENNETT MOHN, a 3-pointer from Dibiamaka, a technical free throw hit by Gary, and three free throws by Hix to bring the Hilltoppers back within 10 at 69-59 with 10 minutes remaining.
The Silverswords regained their composure with a 7-0 run to put the game away for good. They got eight points from three players in the second half, including identical 4-for-5 shooting performances from Ator and Brattain.
Hix and Gary joined Dibiamaka in double figures, scoring 12 points each, with Gary adding five assists. Elkinton contributed nine points and 13 rebounds.
St. Edward's drops to 9-2 with the loss. The Hilltoppers will remain in Hawaii and play Simon Fraser University at midnight.
