The Chaminade men’s basketball team closed out its final home game of 2025 by taking down Western Washington 107-98 on Wednesday.
The Swords returned on Monday from their Alaska-Hawai’i Challenge presented by Alaska Airlines, where they finished 1-1. To kick off the tournament, Chaminade defeated the University of Alaska Fairbanks 102-86. Transfer Senior Nathan Medina led the Swords to victory, scoring 34 points in 34 minutes. The Swords then fell to the University of Alaska Anchorage 53-57, before returning home.
Before traveling to the Maui Invitational hosted by Chaminade, the Swords faced Western Washington University in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Vikings came into the game off a three-game winning streak and now sit at 3-3.
Chaminade came out strong in the first half, setting the tone early with intense defensive pressure and scoring. Seven minutes into the game, the Silverswords had already built a 25-12 lead, forcing Western Washington into turnovers and rushed shots. Chaminade’s full-court press immediately caused problems, with the Vikings struggling just to get the ball past halfcourt.
“Western Washington is a great team,” said Chaminade head coach Eric Boivard. They’re gonna win a lot of games, but I think we really shook them up with our press.”
The energy continued to build when Roland Banks II stepped in and drew a crucial charge with 6:52 remaining in the half, rallying the bench and keeping momentum on Chaminade’s side. Moments later, both teams hit 10 fouls, slowing the pace, but the Silverswords stayed in control.
As the half wound down, Medina sliced through the defense with a layup, sending Chaminade into the break up 60–44 and firmly in command entering the second half. The King brothers combined for 21 of Chaminade’s 60 first-half points.
After a slower start to the second half, Chaminade’s defense picked up. Their intense halfcourt pressure shut down Western Washington’s offense, preventing the Vikings from attempting a shot and forcing a turnover. But Western Washington refused to back down, raising their intensity as it tried to get out of a 20-point deficit with 13 minutes left in the game.
Kris King answered immediately, knocking down a 3 that ignited the crowd and the Chaminade bench so much that it resulted in a technical foul for the bench. With 7:46 remaining, Nate Sasser delivered one of the plays of the night, with a mid-air put-back dunk off of a missed 3, bringing fans to their feet.
Banks kept the energy high, drawing a charge and helping force a shot-clock violation. Despite the Vikings closing the gap to 10 with one minute left, Chaminade held strong and secured a nine-point victory. The Swords had all five starters finish in double digits, with Kris King leading the team with 22.
Chaminade will next face Division I Washington State University on Monday in the Maui Invitational tournament at the Lahaina Civic Center. The Swords hope to carry the energy of this win on Wednesday to move on in the tournament.
“I think this victory will lead us strongly into the Maui tournament because it was a real team victory today,” Medina said.