HONOLULU – A 30-2 run by host Chaminade University opened the game and set the tone Monday night at McCabe Gym, as the Montana State University Billings men's basketball team suffered a 100-88 setback.
 
The Yellowjackets fell behind 16-0, as they did not score during the first six minutes of the game. Meanwhile the Silverswords made 16 of 22 shots including 6 of 7 threes over the first 13 minutes of action. It was a run that defined the game, although the 'Jackets got as close as 11 points late in the second half.
 
Hafeez Abdul and Kobe Terashima led five double-figure scorers for the 'Jackets with 19 points apiece, and Zharon Richmond and Daniel Shedden each had 17 points. MSUB fell to 8-5 overall on the season with the loss.
 
"I was extremely proud of how our guys fought back, and I'm not sure if we have ever been down 30-2 before," said MSUB head coach Jamie Stevens. "We had several chances to get it to single digits, but couldn't get that one shot to fall that we needed. Overall I am really pleased, and that's a game that's going to help us moving forward. A lot of credit goes to Chaminade, as that is one of the more offensively talented teams that we have faced."
 
Austin Pope and Erik Scheive each had 23 points to lead all players, and Dantley Walker had 16 points on 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range for the host team. Chaminade improved to 7-4 with the win, and out-rebounded MSUB 40-31. Justin Bridges and Brett Reed tied for the team lead with seven boards apiece.
 
A layup by Reed kept Chaminade's advantage at 29 points with 7:23 left to go in the first half, but the 'Jackets put on a run of their own to chip away at the 40-11 deficit. MSUB out-scored Chaminade 29-16 for the rest of the half, thanks to nine points during the run by Abdul and six turnovers created by the 'Jacket defense.
 
Leading 56-40 at halftime, the Swords upped the advantage to 19 points with a scoring burst in the first minute of the second half. The deficit hovered around 20 points and peaked at 22 on a layup by Braden Koelliker with 13:04 to go.
 
A key 11-0 run over the next three minutes got MSUB back within striking distance, during which Terashima scored eight points and Richmond contributed a three.
 
Perhaps the highlight of the night for the 'Jackets was a monstrous dunk by Shedden midway through the second, who blasted through his defender down the center of the lane and slammed the ball home with authority. The loud dunk was met by an equally impressive play on the Swords' next possession however, as Walker pulled up from 30 feet and found nothing but net to quiet MSUB's rally
 
The Swords finished the game 10-for-21 from 3-point range, against a Yellowjacket team that entered the day allowing just 3.8 threes and an opponents shooting percentage of 28.1.
 
MSUB couldn't quite get over the hump and reach a single-digit margin, as Chaminade kept control down the stretch to close out the game. The 'Jackets finished the game shooting 47.8 percent from the field (32-for-67), 29 percent from 3-point range (9-for-31), and made 15 of 19 free throws.
 
Chaminade shot 55.1 percent from the field (38-for-69), but made only 14 of 24 free throw attempts. The Swords cooled off from their red-hot 7-for-10 start from the arc in the first half, and made just 3 of 11 threes in the second.
 
THE BUZZ: Abdul was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Abdul's previous scoring high this season was 11 points against Yellowstone Christian on Nov. 14…Terashima also had a season high Monday, topping his previous best of 10 points also against YCC…Richmond had two blocks, to record his fifth-straight game with multiple denials…the 'Jackets are now 20-14 all-time against Chaminade and are 4-14 in road contests…the 100 points were the most MSUB allowed to an opponent this season.
 
NEXT UP: The 'Jackets finish their trip to Hawaii on Tuesday afternoon against Hawaii Pacific University. The Hoops in Hawaii Holiday Classic resumes with a 3:30 p.m. tipoff at the Hawaii Convention Center, and live video and live statistics will be available online here.