HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University overcame a slow start then rolled in the second half as HPU defeated cross-town rival Chaminade 71-44 on Tuesday morning at McCabe Gym.
 
The defending PacWest Conference Champion Sharks (4-4, 3-0) allowed the Silverswords (2-4, 1-2) an early four point lead before going on a 5-0 run. HPU never trailed after the opening quarter.
 
"I'm proud of how we adjusted early and then got going," said HPU coach Reid Takatsuka. "We got some strong play from the bench and Starr (Rivera) rallied us and had a nice game."
 
Rivera, a junior from Honolulu/Roosevelt, came off the bench to lead HPU with 15 points, while senior Samantha Lambrigtsen from Oregon, Ill./Oregon HS posted 14 points. Senior Breanna Mackenzie of Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill saw action for the first time this season with 11 points. Freshman Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary scored eight points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
The Swords were paced by Hunter Liftee off the bench with 14 points and six rebounds. Diamond Carter scored 12 points, while Destiny Castro was held to 10 points with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.
 
HPU shot 41 percent from the floor (26-63), including 7-of-24 (29 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks also connected on 12-of-16 (75 percent) of its free throws. The Silverswords were held to 30 percent from the field (15-of-50), and 5-of-13 (39 percent) from the arc. CUH shot 9-of-17 (53 percent) from the foul line. HPU outrebounded the Swords 41-35, and suffered 10 turnovers while forcing 19 CUH giveaways.
 
The first quarter saw the teams trade the lead five times with four ties. Chaminade posted its last lead at 17-16 on a Liftee jumper in the lane, only to have the Sharks answer with a Baum 3-pointer and a Lambrigtsen jumper for a 5-0 run to close the quarter with a 21-17 lead. HPU would not trail again.
 
The Sharks opened the second quarter with a layup and free throw by sophomore McKenzie Alton of Sammamish, Wash./Bellarmine Prep for a traditional 3-point-play to start an 8-2 run capped by a Rivera triple. CUH chipped back but a jumper in the paint by Mackenzie gave HPU a 34-29 lead at intermission.
 
The Sharks sealed control of the game with a 7-0 run to start the third quarter that became a 12-3 run for a double-digit lead the Sharks when sophomore Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion buried a 3-pointer and a corner jumper on consecutive shots.
 
The fourth quarter found Chaminde trimming the lead to nine on a Castro jumper, that was followed by a Rivera jumper that keyed a 19-1 run over the last seven-and-a half minutes of the game. HPU held the Sword scoreless for the final 7:05 to win 71-44 and claim points in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge.
 
The Sharks completed their second of four games in seven days with the win. HPU faces Holy Names in PacWest play on Thursday evening. Tipoff at Moanalua High School Gym is slated for 4:30 p.m.