The Skyhawks men’s basketball team was in unfamiliar territory Tuesday night inside Whalen Gymnasium.
Fort Lewis allowed Colorado State University Pueblo to shoot its way to a 40-21 lead with 6:58 left in the first half. It was the largest deficit Fort Lewis had faced in the past two seasons.
The Skyhawks were slow in their rotations and foul-prone with little energy. But Fort Lewis rallied with improved defense and led for most of the second half in its 102-96 win over CSU Pueblo in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals.
Fort Lewis improved to 26-3 overall after it shot 56% from the field, 44% from 3-point range and 88% from the free-throw line in the win.
CSU Pueblo fell to 14-15 overall after it shot 49% from the field, 41% from the 3-point line and 95% from the free-throw line in the win.
“I’m proud of our guys, we had a really tough stretch the first 12 minutes of the game,” Fort Lewis head coach Bob Pietrack said. “We have not been in that position all year. So credit Pueblo, they played really well during that stretch, they made a ton of shots so they were very well prepared, well coached... It's one thing to have to be tough and together when things are going on easy street it's another thing to be able to dig deep when you're in the mud and get out of it.”
Junior guard Obi Agbim led the Skyhawks with a season-high 29 points on 11-22 shooting from the field, 4-9 from downtown and 3-3 from the free-throw line along with seven rebounds.
Agbim had been shooting 29% in his last four games before Tuesday night’s contest.
“The last few games, I've been dealing with my thumb,” Agbim said. “When I go out there, I don't want to have any excuses. I’m continuing to get in the gym outside of practice to help me find the rhythm.”
Senior guard Junior Garbrah had 19 points on 6-8 shooting from the field, 2-4 from 3-point range and 5-6 from the free-throw line in his last game in Whalen Gymnasium in his Skyhawks career.
CSU Pueblo was led by Corbin Garver’s 27 points off the bench after he shot 8-13 from the field, 5-8 from 3-point range and 6-6 from the free-throw line along with seven rebounds. Brevin Walter had 24 points on 9-19 shooting from the field, 4-10 from downtown and 2-2 from the free-throw line.
Fort Lewis got out to a poor start and trailed 19-12 with seven minutes left. CSU Pueblo was able to shoot a high percentage and connect from outside and inside the 3-point arc.
The Skyhawks got things going on the offensive end but were fouling too much early. Garver hit two free throws after the Skyhawks’ sixth team foul and then senior center Sekou Dembele picked up the team’s seventh foul with 10:25 left.
De’Shaun Cooper hit a midrange jumper with 9:25 left to put the ThunderWolves up 31-19. An Armon Muldrew 3-pointer pushed the CSU Pueblo lead to 40-21. Fort Lewis looked disjointed on offense and lacked crisp ball movement.
“We weren't five guys out there moving as one,” Pietrack said about the first-half defense. “The way we play if we're not moving as one all the time we're susceptible.”
The Skyhawks then woke up and had their run.
Fort Lewis was once again looking like its best self on defense. The Skyhawks were aggressive again without fouling and had an intensity they didn’t have early in the game. Junior guard Jhei-R Jones forced another turnover and junior guard Samier Kinsler was fouled going to the basket. He made one free-throw and it was a 17-0 run.
Agbim cut the lead to 44-43 with a 3-pointer which Pietrack hated in the air but shrugged off with a shake of the head when it went in.
But CSU Pueblo found its touch from outside and kept its lead at 50-46 at halftime with two late 3-pointers.
Jones gave the Skyhawks their first lead since of the game with a 3-pointer from the wing to give Fort Lewis a 53-52 lead. Jones then drew an offensive foul to get Skyhawks fans on their feet.
After a Skyhawks 9-0 run, CSU Pueblo responded with two free throws after redshirt sophomore Amondo Miller Jr. was called for a technical. Muldrew hit a 3-pointer and Garver had a layup to cut the deficit to 65-63 with 12:31 left in the second half.
The Skyhawks began to look a step too slow in their rotations like they did in the first half. Makiah Morris hit a 3-pointer to cut the Fort Lewis lead to 74-73 with 9:39 left.
“We're going to give up some 3-pointers,” Pietrack said. “That's part of the way we play and in return, we're going to normally get some turnovers.”
Fort Lewis responded with a run which was capped off with a Garbrah corner 3-pointer after a beautiful drive and kick from Agbim to put Fort Lewis up 84-79 with 6:45 left.
Another 3-pointer and two dunks by Cooper gave CSU Pueblo a 93-92 lead with 2:27 left.
After a Jones miss, Dembele somehow came down with a rebound and kicked it out again to Jones, who this time made it to put the Skyhawks up 95-93 with 1:49 left.
On the other end, Cooper picked up a flagrant one foul which allowed Jones to hit two free throws and the Skyhawks got the ball back up 97-93.
With Fort Lewis up 99-96 after some ThunderWolves free throws. CSU Pueblo decided not to foul and played it out. Agbim drove baseline and found Whitaker who tried to slam it home. He was fouled and made one free-throw. On the other end, Whitaker stripped Corbin Glover and was fouled and sealed the game at the line.
Second-seed Fort Lewis will play in the RMAC semifinals on Friday at Colorado Mesa at 7:30 p.m. against the third-seed Colorado School of Mines.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
