Chaminade stuns Texas in Maui Invitational quarterfinal
LAHAINA >> Senior guard De’Andre Haskins scored 32 points to carry Chaminade to an 86-73 upset of Texas in the first round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational today.
It was the Division II Silverswords’ seventh all-time win in their signature event. They last advanced to the semifinals in 2003 with a win over Villanova. Chaminade (3-1) plays Illinois (4-0) at 5:30 Tuesday for a shot at the championship game at the Lahaina Civic Center.
“We’re ecstatic,” second-year Chaminade coach Eric Bovaird said. “That’s an incredible win for our program. We believed all along that we could play with these guys over here.”
Despite an 0-for-10 start from the field and an 8-0 Texas lead to open the game, the Silverswords battled back.
Chaminade was money at the free-throw line, going 34-for-39 (87.2 percent). Haskins was 14-for-15. And the guard made all four of his 3-pointers in the second half as CUH led by as many as 19 before Texas tried to make a run with ball pressure.
“Glory to God, man,” Haskins said. “All day every day. He inspires me.”
Perhaps most impressively, Chaminade ? with no player taller than 6-feet-8 ?outrebounded much larger Texas 43-35.
Texas of the Big 12 Conference entered the day just outside the AP Top 25.
“We played scared. I don’t feel sorry for us,” Texas coach Rick Barnes said. “We got what we deserved.”
Freshman Kevin Hu added 16 points for the ‘Swords, who sank 10 3-pointers to four for the Longhorns (2-1).
The Silverswords led 47-33 on a drive by Hu with 14:10 to play, then 50-35 on Haskins’ third 3-pointer of the half with 11:43 left.
Haskins hit his fourth 3 for a 62-44 lead.
Texas (2-1) used pressure to go on a 7-1 lead and pull within 65-54 with 3:40 to play. The Longhorns got to within 71-62, but no closer, as Chaminade put it away at the free-throw line.
Chaminade led 31-27 at halftime.