Grant Dressler swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 8.3 seconds left to help Chaminade erase a 19-point second-half deficit and earn a 77-75 victory at Azusa Pacific on Tuesday in Azusa, Calif.
The Silverswords (19-5 overall, 13-5 PacificWest Conference) moved a half game ahead of APU for third place in the conference and also clinched a spot in next month’s PacWest tournament.
Dressler finished the game with 29 points and teammate Tyler Cartaino added 22.
Chaminade plays at Biola on Thursday.
>> The UH Hilo women’s basketball team knocked down nine 3-pointers en route to a 56-48 win at Biola on Tuesday in La Mirada, Calif.
Allie Navarette recorded her sixth straight and 14th double-double for the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds for UH Hilo (8-15, 5-14).
Mandi Kawada and Sara Shimizu each scored 11 points for the Vulcans, who led for the entire game.
Jazz Been led Biola (7-11, 9-15) with 17 points.
The Vulcans end their four-game road trip on Thursday at Azusa Pacific.
>> Larry Bush scored 18 points, while Kupaa Harrison added 14 points and seven rebounds as Hawaii Hilo fell 79-63 at Biola on Tuesday in La Mirada, Calif.
Playing their third straight road game, the Vulcans (11-12, 9-10) shot 40 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 42-26 by the Eagles (13-11, 9-9).
UH Hilo fell into a tie for the sixth and final spot of the PacWest Conference tournament race with three games remaining.
The Vulcans finish the road trip on Thursday at Azusa Pacific.
>> Destiny Castro poured in 25 points, but it wasn’t enough as Chaminade fell 72-45 to 25th-ranked Azusa Pacific on Tuesday in Azusa, Calif.
Castro set the Chaminade single-game record with eight steals.
Savanna Hanson led the Cougars (21-4, 18-1) with 20 points, while Laura Pranger set the APU single-game record with 10 blocks. The loss eliminated the Silverswords (5-17, 4-14) from PacWest tournament contention.
Slezak earns PWC tennis award
UH Hilo senior Vaclav Slezak was named the Pacific West Conference men’s tennis player of the week on Tuesday.
Slezak began 2019 with two wins over the weekend and is ranked 28th nationally.
The Vulcans are off until a five-day tournament in San Antonio, Texas, March 11-15.
UH Hilo golf finishes 14th
The Vulcans women’s golf team finished 14th in the 14-team field on Tuesday at the SEU Women’s Golf Invitational in Austin, Texas.
Monday’s first-round of 337 was followed by Tuesday’s 368 team score.
Carli Shimokihara led UH Hilo with an 84, followed by Andi Igawa’s 87. Arkansas Tech won the team title with a 603 two-day score.
The team next competes March 14-15 at the Spring Fling Invitational in Palm Desert, Calif.
