HONOLULU, Hawai`i—Chaminade's Destiny Castro scored six points in the final minute and had 26 overall to lead her team to a comeback win over Hawai`i Hilo on Saturday night at McCabe Gymnasium, 69-67.
It was the first win of the year for a hungry Silverswords team (1-4\1-3 PacWest). The Vulcans fell to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Pacific West Conference.
Safia Sheikh and Allie Navarette had 21 points each to lead the Vulcans.
UH Hilo led for most of the contest, including holding a 65-62 margin with a minute and a half left in the game.
The Vulcans trailed only once in the first half, for one possession in the second quarter. They began the contest by scoring on their first three possessions and taking a 12-3 lead on a Sheikh trey with 5:35 to go in the first quarter.
The Silverswords would battle back, pulling to within two points at the end of the quarter. The home team would take a 22-20 lead moments into the second period on a three-pointer by Breann Nueku. The Vulcans would get the lead back on another trey by Sheikh (her third) to go up 25-22. They would maintain a lead through the rest of the half, by no more than six points, eventually settling on a 37-33 margin at the break.
Sheikh hit four treys in the first half for 14 points, and she also had four rebounds and three assists. Destiny Castro countered with 10 first-half points and six boards. Both teams took care of the basketball with only three turnovers apiece.
The Vulcans held their lead into the third quarter until another Castro bucket tied it at 45-45 halfway through the period. Chaminade then took the lead on a Kali Benavente trey (52-49) right before the end of the 10 minutes, and took a 52-51 margin into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter began as a three-point fest. Alyssa Movchan and Sheikh connected for UH Hilo, but Nueku would answer with back-to-back long range shots to put the Silverswords up 60-57 with 5:45 left. The Vulcans battled back on free throws and two baskets by Navarette to lead 65-62 with 1:37 remaining, during a run when Chaminade would miss on three straight possessions.
But a Castro steal and basket made it a one-point game (65-64), and after a pair of Sheikh free throws, Castro would add two of her own. UH Hilo missed two charity tosses on their end, and after Castro was fouled she tied the game with two free throws with 12 seconds left .
The Vulcans then missed on their end and Castro rebounded and was fouled. She made one of two with nine seconds left (68-67) and the Vulcans still had a chance, but they turned the ball over on a play where they thought they had drawn the foul, but instead the foul was called on them. Diamond Carter hit one free throw with one second left to account for the final count of 69-67.
Sheikh was 7-of-9 from the field and 5-of-7 from three-point range (21 points). She also had eight rebounds and four assists. Navarette hit 7-of-9 free throws on her way to 21 points.
Castro had 14 rebounds to go with her 26 points and she also had four assists. Nueku added 16 points.
The Vulcans return home to play one non-conference game on Tuesday night against Douglas College (Canada) before shutting down for the rest of the calendar year. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at the Civic Auditorium.
