The Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team took down the defending conference champs, Black Hills State University, for a third time this season on Friday. Playing the Yellow Jackets in semifinals of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, the Skyhawks overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to score an 83-78 win and advance to the championship game.
“Tonight was an incredible win for our guys,” said head coach Bob Pietrack. “Black Hills State is such a strong team, tough to guard, incredible defense, but our defensive effort in the second half was outstanding. I can’t express how proud I am for the toughness we showed tonight to battle all 40 minutes and pull it back at the end. Now we have to remain focused on the task at hand and get right after it tomorrow night.”
Akuel Kot scored 32 points for FLC and Junior Garbrah added a career-high 22 with a huge second-half effort that kept the Skyhawks close to the Yellow Jackets.
FLC took an early 17-10 lead, but Black Hills then took over and built a 12-point lead on the back of Joel Scott, 40-28. Brenden Boatwright responded with five points on two shots for FLC. Then Kot scored nine in short time to cut Black Hill’s lead to 49-42 at the half.
The Skyhawks offense dominated the second half outscoring the Yellow Jackets 41-29. While BHSU out-rebounded FLC 41-29, FLC added 11 points on 11 turnovers by Black Hills State and was given an additional 27 points off the bench to Yellow Jackets 11.
Black Hills, however, remained ahead until Obi Agbim hit a pair of free throws with 7:25 remaining that tied the game 67-67. With the game on the line, Kot got hot and scored FLC’s last 10 points, including a dagger of a trey that put the Skyhawks up 76-71 with 3:30 left.
Dunnell Stafford scored 12 for FLC and had a trio of steals. JaQuaylon Mays had three steals and five points while Boatwright and Agbim also finished with five points.
Scott led Black Hills State with 29 points.
After the win, FLC advances to Saturday night’s championship game against the Colorado School of Mines. Mines beat the tournament hosts, Colorado Mesa University, 64-53 in Friday’s other semifinal.
Mesa and Black Hills, who reached the Final Four last season, still have a good shot at qualifying for the national tournament when the brackets are released on Sunday. Depending on Saturday’s championship outcome, the Skyhawks could host the South-Central Region.