UH-Hilo tops 13th-ranked BYU-Hawai'i

Advertiser Staff

Brady Hyde scored a game-high 23 points and Ryan Abrahams added 21 as Hawai'i-Hilo celebrated Senior Night by upsetting 13th-ranked Brigham Young-Hawai'i, 71-61, in a Pacific West Conference basketball game last night at Hilo's Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

The Vulcans salvaged a split with the Seasiders after losing 83-78 on Friday. The Vulcans moved into a second place tie with Montana State-Billings and improved to 16-8 overall and 8-4 in the PacWest. The first-place Seasiders had their five-game winning streak snapped and fell to 14-3 and 8-2.

BYUH played its second game without all-conference center Scott Salisbury who suffered a fractured larynx in a Feb. 12 game and will be out for the remainder of the regular season.

In the first half, UH-Hilo grabbed a 19-12 lead on guard Ryan Abrahams' 3-point basket. BYUH responded and closed to 23-20 on guard Spencer Lynn's 3-point shot, but the Vulcans went on a 7-1 run for their biggest lead of the first half at 30-21. At halftime, UH-Hilo led 34-28.

UH-Hilo contained PacWest Player of the Year Alexus Foyle in the first half, holding the 6-foot-6 senior forward to three points. Foyle was averaging 26.7 points coming into the game.

In the second half, UH-Hilo increased its lead to 59-42 with 7:23 remaining. Abrahams contributed 12 points and Hyde added eight points during the UH-Hilo run.

BYUH pulled to within 68-59 on Foyle's 3-pointer, but that was as close as the Seasiders would get.

Foyle finished with 14 points on 4-of-17 shooting for BYUH. Both Hyde and Abrahams scored 13 second half points.

Chaminade 95, Hawai'i Pacific 87: Byron Sykes and Leon Ballard combined to score 46 points as Chaminade overcame Nic Walters' game-high 31 points to defeat Hawai'i Pacific, in a Pacific West Conference victory at McCabe Gym.

The Silverswords improved to 6-6 overall and 11-13 in the PacWest. The Sea Warriors fell to 14-8 and 3-7.

Chaminade shot 50 percent (21-of-42) in the first half and took a 54-34 halftime lead. HPU stormed back in the second half, shooting 51.4 percent (19-of-37) and outscored Chaminade, 53-41.

Sykes made half of Chaminade's 10 3-pointers. Chaminade shot 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from 3-point range. Mike Donegan scored 15 and Roy Stigall III 12 for Chaminade. Aaron Abrams scored 15 and Nate Block and Leandro Maruoka each had 14 for HPU.