When his team needed him the most on the road in the second half of a close game, Alex Herrera answered once more.
The Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team came out firing after a nearly two-week break. The Skyhawks started the game 5-of-5 from the 3-point line, including three from junior guard Cade Kloster, en route to an early 13-point lead. But Chadron State senior guard Christopher Smith shot the ball as well as anyone, as he propelled the Eagles to a 43-41 halftime lead.
But Herrera and the Skyhawks (9-3, 4-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) were too much for the Eagles (3-8, 2-5 RMAC) to bottle up in the second half, as Herrera matched a career high with 33 points to help FLC secure a 93-76 win in Nebraska.
“He was dominant in the second half,” FLC associate head coach Bob Pietrack said of Herrera, who scored 23 of his 33 points in the second half. “He didn’t shoot the ball his best from the free-throw line, but he was a dominant force. He’s an All-American and played like one.”
FLC used Herrera’s size advantage inside to outscore the Eagles 50-24 in the paint. His 13-of-19 shooting helped pace FLC to a 61.4 shooting percentage as a team. Rasmus Bach (17), Austin Haldorson (10) and Kloster (12) all reached double-digit scoring to join Herrera.
Herrera, a native of Ignacio, also added to his career blocked shots record at FLC with seven more Friday night. He now has 44 blocked shots this season and ranks in the top three in all of Division II. He also entered the game 20th in scoring.
“What do you say about Alex? He’s a two-time RMAC Defensive Player of the Year. He’s a really good player, and we’re all really glad he is on our team,” Pietrack said. “But he’ll tell you this wasn’t his best game.”
The game remained tight early in the second half until Herrera and company got hot again. With the game tied at 52, Bach made two baskets, Herrera hit a jumper and Kloster made his first shot since his three early 3s.
Finally, FLC had a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Another Herrera bucket gave FLC an 11-0 run during the span of three minutes, and the Eagles never got closer than nine points again.
Smith finished with 26 points for the Eagles, and Evan Brooks added 22.
“Defensively, we have to stay focused the whole 20 minutes of each half. Give Chadron credit, Smith was like 4-for-4 from 3 in the first half, but we guarded better in the second half,” Pietrack said.
FLC finished 7-of-18 from 3 after the hot start, while the Eagles went 9-of-17. Both teams committed 13 turnovers, while FLC had 21 assists to 10 for Chadron State.
The Skyhawks will look to extend their winning steak to three games Saturday night on the road at Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota.
“All the road games are brutally tough. We expect a great game,” Pietrack said.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
