The Super Bowl was on Sunday, but the UH-Hilo women’s basketball team had a game to win against Chaminade, the league’s perennial bottom-dweller.
The Vulcans needed to protect home court after dropping 2 of 3 games during their four-game homestand and falling down the conference standings.
UHH got the job done with a 62-55 win over the Silverswords at Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium, snapping a two-game skid.
Allie Navarette scored 31 points on 12 of 18 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Mandi Kawaha added 13 points and dished six assists for the Vulcans (7-12, 6-9 PacWest), who shot just 36 percent, including 5 of 16 from 3-point range.
“It was a tough win. It wasn’t always pretty,” UHH coach David Kaneshiro said. “I’m happy for our players. We had good execution down the stretch to keep a distance from them. We’re trying to get better and ready for the road.”
The Vulcans vaulted into sixth place in the standings, holding the last spot for the conference tournament. UHH next plays at Dominican on Saturday.
Destiny Castro scored 24 points on 9 of 24 shooting, and Breann Nueku added 10 points for the Silverswords (4-17, 4-11), who converted 45 percent from the floor, including 3 of 16 from 3-point range.
“We knew what Destiny is capable of. She’s done it to us before,” Kaneshiro said.
The Silversword made it a bit interesting when Navarette picked up her fourth foul with 8:08 remaining. At the time, UHH led 48-37.
Castro hit a pull-up jumper, Jamia Bailey swished a 3-pointer, and Castro scored two more baskets. UHH’s lead got trimmed to 48-45 with 4:51 left, and Navarette came back into the game.
Navarette immediately scored on a putback, but Castro answered with a 3-pointer. It was suddenly 50-47, UHH ahead.
Nueku tied it 53-53 with 1:51 to play, but Navarette scored and got the ball back in the post again. She was doubled, sliced to her left and banked a shot in for a 57-53 lead.
Then the Silverswords fell into familiar habit, beating themselves. They had two straight turnovers, twice fouled Kawaha, who sank 4 of 4 free throws for a 61-53 cushion with 26.1 seconds remaining.
Chaminade outscored UHH 24-11 in the first quarter to grab a 27-26 lead at halftime.
The Silverswords shot 10 of 18 from the field while UHH hit just 3 of 11 shots.
Things turned in the second quarter. The Vuls picked up their defensive intensity and started to hit shots. The Silverswords saw their Cinderella run come to a conclusion after 10 minutes. UHH made 5 of 10 shots while Chaminade converted just 1 of 10 shots.
Navarette, who was coming off a career-high 34 points against Academy of Art, had 14 points in the first half on 5 of 7 shooting.
Kawaha had five assists in the first half. When she got the ball in the post to Navarette, she easily scored and made 5 of 7 shots.
Shimizu drilled a pair of 3-pointers, and Mikayla Tablit swished a pair of free throws to cut Chaminade’s lead to 27-26 at the break. Shimizu and Tablit finished with six and five points, respectively.
