GRAND JUNCTION – For the first time in Fort Lewis men’s basketball history, the Skyhawks are back-to-back Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament champions.
After being down 17-2 five minutes into the game, junior guard Obi Agbim carried the Skyhawks offense back into the game and eventually past Colorado Mesa 86-75 Saturday night at Brownson Arena.
Fort Lewis captured its sixth RMAC tournament championship in program history and its third since 2016.
“I’m just incredibly proud of the fight and our team, down 17-2 in Brownson, I think it was sold out and it was hard,” Fort Lewis coach Bob Pietrack said. “They hit us fairly big. Then you saw the resolve, the toughness and the togetherness of our team and our program. Last Saturday we got our hearts completely ripped out when in the regular season we lost at Colorado Mines, a very good team. For us to flip it a week later, digest it, have to live with it and then be able to come here tonight, it's a great win for our program.”
Second seeded Fort Lewis improved to 28-3 overall after shooting 61% from the field, 50% from 3-point range and 78% from the free-throw line.
Top-seeded Colorado Mesa fell to 27-4 overall after shooting 44% from the field, 31% from 3-point range and 55% from the free-throw line.
Agbim finished the game with 33 points after he shot 10 of 12 from the field, 4 of 4 from the 3-point line and 9 of 11 from the free-throw line. The 33 points was a season-high. For the RMAC tournament, Agbim averaged 27.3 points per game on 56% shooting from the field, 60% from 3-point range and 86% from the free-throw line. He was named tournament MVP.
“We've had a lot of incredible players, a lot of great moments,” Pietrack said. “But in that moment, in that performance, you would have to say it's with the tallest peaks and that's outstanding. He’s a very good player and sometimes when you're a player of his caliber, you need a moment or an opportunity. He had an opportunity tonight that he seized and he was outstanding. Not only did he play well, but he also was making his teammates better.”
Senior guard Junior Garbrah was the other Skyhawk in double figures with 14 points on 6 of 8 shooting from the field and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line.
Colorado Mesa was led by RMAC Player of the Year Trevor Baskin. He finished with 23 points on 9 of 10 shooting from the field, 4 of 5 from 3-point range and 1 of 4 from the free-throw line along with nine rebounds. Christopher Speller also had 16 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the field, 1 of 2 from downtown and 3 of 4 from the charity stripe for the Mavericks.
The Skyhawks got off to another slow start. The Mavericks got transition buckets then made two 3-pointers and raced ahead 12-0 with 16 minutes left in the first half.
Fort Lewis then got aggressive, got to the basket and made its free throws when fouled. But the Mavericks started out the game 5 of 10 from deep and led 23-13 with 12:25 left.
The Skyhawks then ripped off a 10-0 run with turnovers by the Mavericks and paint touches. A layup by senior center Sekou Dembele tied the game at 23 with 9:50 left.
Colorado Mesa cooled off from the 3-point line and the Skyhawks continued to attack the paint. A layup by junior guard Samier Kinsler and an Agbim 3-pointer gave the Skyhawks a 31-30 lead with 4:40 to go.
Agbim then took over. Two free throws plus a transition midrange bucket put the Skyhawks up 37-30 with 3:10 left.
Fort Lewis was able to get out in transition much better to end the half after both turnovers and long rebounds from Mavericks’ missed 3-pointers. Junior guard Jhei-R Jones easily got the basket after going full-court with five seconds left and finished to give the Skyhawks a 47-34 lead at half. Fort Lewis finished the half on a 14-3 run.
“Our team for whatever reason, seems to ignite when we're down and then once we got the fire lit, it raged,” Pietrack said.
Agbim got things going again early with two jump shots but the Mavericks made three 3-pointers early and the Skyhawks led 57-45 with 14:30 left.
Garbrah started to get into the paint and finished on multiple possessions. A lob and finish by Baskin cut the lead to 64-54 with 9:33 to go.
The Mavericks started to make some 3-pointers but Agbim had the answer with some midrange jumpers. He got to the free-throw line and Fort Lewis led 71-59 with 7:42 left.
Fort Lewis’ offense slowed as it wasn’t getting the same calls as it did earlier in the game. But Agbim once again had an answer with a long jump shot that was just inside the 3-point line to put Fort Lewis up 78-70.
Up 80-72, redshirt sophomore forward Amondo Miller Jr. stepped in and took a big charge. On the other end, Agbim drove hard to hole and was fouled. He made both free throws, then drew a foul on a 3-pointer. He made all three to put the Skyhawks up 86-74 with 59 seconds left and to seal the win.
After the game, in addition to Agbim winning tournament MVP, junior forwards Isaiah Thompson and Brayden Carter made the all-tournament team, as well as Miller Jr.
Next up for the Skyhawks is the NCAA Division II tournament selection show on Sunday night, starting at 9 p.m. It will be livestreamed on ncaa.com.
Fort Lewis should be in the driver’s seat to host the NCAA South Central region of the bracket for the first time in the men’s history.
“We have earned it,” Pietrack said about hosting regionals. “We're 28-3 and we had big road wins. We've had great home success and what happens tomorrow, who knows? But that won't take away at all, or diminish even a little the season we have … I do know this: Our institution as a whole, our athletic department and our community are ready to have that opportunity.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com
