LAHAINA » Chaminade’s fireworks show was rained out against another ranked foe.
No. 11 Gonzaga deluged the Silverswords 113-81, splashing down shot after shot in the EA Sports Maui Invitational consolation semifinals on Tuesday.
The Zags shot nearly 70 percent from the field and marginalized ‘Swords senior guard Christophe Varidel, who scored 42 points while making 10 3-pointers in a 93-77 loss the night before against No. 18 Baylor. The Florida Gulf Coast transfer was face-guarded by various defenders from the opening tip Tuesday and finished with eight points on 3-for-7 shooting.
Gonzaga’s loss to Dayton on Monday was its first opening-round loss on Maui in four trips here.
The Bulldogs (5-1) came out Tuesday morning inspired. Seven players scored in double figures and they hit 13 of 23 3-point attempts.
"I guess there’s a reason they’re ranked No. 11 in the country, at least coming into this tournament," Chaminade coach Eric Bovaird said.
Chaminade point guard Lee Bailey hit seven of his first nine shots on his way to 29 points as the Division II hosts hung with the Bulldogs for about five minutes. Forward Tyree Harrison added 10 for the ‘Swords.
Chaminade (2-2) takes on Minnesota (5-2) in the seventh-place game at 9:30 a.m. today. The Silverswords will try to notch a win over a Division I foe on Maui for the third time in four years.
Varidel hit his first shot of the game, a 3-pointer, and press row braced for another Christophe waltz.
But the pony-tailed native of Switzerland, who impressed many with his shooting barrage and dribbling prowess on Monday, picked up some early fouls and was a nonfactor.
"Our guards did a great job understanding how good a player he is and how much freedom he has," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "When you play against somebody that has that amount of freedom, that’s really, really hard. He can pull up for 3 at any time over halfcourt and use as many dribbles as he needs to, and as many screens."
Bovaird defended his guard’s off night.
"It’s a combination of things," he said. "The poor kid is suffering from some severe tendinitis right now, and he obviously, at least to me, wasn’t quite as quick in his movements and everything, and that plays a factor. But Gonzaga played great defense … they came out and denied him the ball, and any time we set a ball screen for him they were really trying to get the ball out of his hands as much as possible."
Gonzaga faces Arkansas (4-1) in the consolation championship at noon.
No. 18 Baylor 67, Dayton 66
Cory Jefferson had a go-ahead putback with 16 seconds left and the Bears (6-0) rallied to beat the Flyers (5-1) in a semifinal game.
After trailing nearly the entire game, Baylor whittled a 10-point deficit over the final seven minutes.
Arkansas 87, Minnesota 73
Alandise Harris scored 15 points and the Razorbacks scored 52 second-half points to beat the Golden Gophers.
Arkansas started the second half on a 10-0 run, with Anthlon Bell and Fred Gulley hitting consecutive 3-pointers to give the Razorbacks a 45-40 lead.
Arkansas then pulled away even further, pushing for transition shots and dunks and keeping its fullcourt pressure defense on the rest of the game.
Austin Hollins led Minnesota with 17 points.
Frazier declines interview
Former Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier was on hand for Syracuse’s 92-81 victory over Cal on Tuesday.
Frazier, who was fired from UH in early 2008 after UH’s appearance in the Sugar Bowl — and subsequent loss of coach June Jones to SMU — has been the Orange’s deputy athletic director since July 2011.
He declined an interview with the Star-Advertiser outside the Lahaina Civic Center after the Orange’s win.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.