SAN FRANCISCO – With 1:01 remaining, senior forward
Chris Salas drove into the paint to make a layup, cutting the Urban Knights' deficit to just eight points. However, despite their efforts, Chaminade (10-6, 6-3 PacWest) was able to pull away in the remaining 60 seconds, defeating Academy of Art (4-8, 3-3 PacWest) 82-70.
The final minute epitomized ART U's contest against the Silverswords on Tuesday. For the game's first 14 minutes, neither team led by more than five points and the Urban Knights even held a four-point lead of their own with 9:59 on the clock. However, a minute and a half later, Chaminade regained the lead, which this time they would not relinquish. In the final 10 minutes of the first half, the Silverswords slowly built upon their advantage, eventually taking an 18-point, 48-30 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Academy of Art continued to play evenly with Chaminade to open the second half, despite slipping into a 24-point deficit with just 9:01 remaining. However, ART U's determination never faltered, as was proven by responding with a 15-3 run over the next five minutes. Their streak was highlighted by six points off of two 3-pointers from junior guard
Victor Nwaba. For the remainder of the night, the Urban Knights trailed by no more than 14 and continuously kept themselves within striking distance.
As a team, Academy of Art saw four Knights score in double-digit figures for the second-consecutive game and third time in four contests. Junior guard
Uchenna Okeneme led the with 15 points and five rebounds. Okeneme has scored at least 10 points in each of the last four games, averaging 13.3 points during that time. The other three players to reach the double-digit mark included: freshman forward
Luka Radovic (13), Nwaba (12, nine rebounds), and junior guard
Kendall Brown (10, nine rebounds).
ART U will now head to southern California for a two-game road trip, taking on Azusa Pacific and No. 4 California Baptist on Saturday and Monday respectively.