HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University made a valiant charge late, but could not contain 20th ranked Chaminade who claimed a 68-55 PacWest Conference victory Tuesday afternoon at McCabe Gym.
 
The Sharks (3-3, 1-2) whittled a 14-point second half deficit to three before the 20th ranked Silverswords (6-0, 3-0) went on an 11-1 run in the last 3:18 to win the game.
 
"We made a great comeback in the game, we just didn't finish it," said HPU head coach Darren Vorderbruegge. "We shot poorly in the first half and let Chaminade get hot at the end."
 
Sophomore Lorenze Gordon-Haynes of Columbus, Ohio/Africentric, kept the Sharks in the game early scoring 11 of his 13 points in the first half, while senior Spencer Vering of San Diego/Mater Dei Catholic helped lead the comeback with eight of his 13 in the second half. Junior Ronald Blain of McDonough, Ga./Union Grove added 10 points with a block and two steals. Junior Scott Ulaneo of Rome, Italy/St. George's International led the Sharks with seven rebounds, as Vering and senior Jonathan Janssen of Noosa Heads, Australia/Mountain Creek each pulled down six.
 
Chaminade was led by Grant Dressler with 17 points to go with six rebounds, with Andre Arissol collecting 12 points and two steals and Tyler Cartaino adding 10 points with four assists. Erik Sheive just missed a double-double with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds. Masa Swain pitched in nine points for the Sharks off the bench.
 
HPU shot 32 percent from the floor (19-of-60) and just 24 percent in the first half. The Sharks hit 6-of-24 (25 percent) from the 3-point arc and made 11-of-16 free throws (69 percent). The Swords shot 42 percent from the field (24-of-57), including 6-of-21 (29 percent) from the 3-point arc. CUH connected on 14-of-16 foul shots (88 percent). HPU outrebounded CUH 38-36, but the Sharks turned the ball over 16 time to the Swords 14.
 
HPU opened the game on a 5-0 run with a Vering 3-pointer and two free throws from Bain, but the Swords answered with a jumper and triple by Dressler. The teams tied the game three more times, the last at 11-all on a jumper in the paint by Gordon-Haynes with 11:44 to play. He was fouled on the play and missed a free throw coming out of an official timeout. CUH got the rebound and dished to Swain who drained a 3-pointer and the Swords never trailed again.
 
The Swords got a 10-4 run in the final two-and-a half minutes of the first capped with a Dressler triple with six seconds left to take an 11-point 35-24 lead into the half.
 
Chaminade got its largest lead to start the second half, with Arissol nailing a 3-pointer to go up 14 on the opening possession of the half.
 
HPU got a 3-pointer from junior Neema Namdar of Sandy, Utah/Alta to start a 10-3 run and cut the lead to seven at 45-38 on a Gordon-Haynes jumper with 13:31 to play. After allowing another Arissol 3, sophomore Tavon Tarpley of McLean, Va./Langley answered with a triple that cut the lead to six at 47-41.
 
The teams swapped scores for the next six minutes and the Sharks again were down six following a Janssen runner in the lane with 6:53 to go. HPU forced a turnover, missed a shot and forced a shot clock violation by the Swords to set up a Vering 3-ball from the top-of-the key with 5:03 to play that cut the deficit to three at 57-54.
 
After both team's defenses forced misses and turnovers by the other, Chaminade scored nearly two minutes later with a Dressler jumper that keyed a 9-0 run shifting the momentum back to the Swords. HPU scored a free throw by Vering with a minute left, the Sharks only tally in the last five minutes as CUH closed on an 11-1 run to win the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge contest 68-55.
 
The Sharks can't dwell on the contest long as they welcome Holy Names to Oahu for a PacWest meeting on Thursday evening. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Moanalua High School Gym, following the women's game between the schools.