The Fort Lewis men’s basketball killer B’s were at it again Tuesday in Alamosa.
After the program’s first weekend sweep of Colorado Mesa and Western State in more than a decade, No. 18 Fort Lewis had the tough task of visiting a fast and physical Adams State team. Though the Grizzlies nearly pulled off an impressive second-half comeback, Rasmus Bach and Joshua Blaylock were too much, as Fort Lewis won its 10th consecutive game 95-91.
Bach and Blaylock each had 26 points and were nearly unstoppable in the second half, scoring 41 of FLC’s 53 points in the final 20 minutes.
“We were tired, and I did a bad job subbing, but we rode our horses as far as we could,” Fort Lewis head coach Bob Pietrack said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “They’re as good of a one-two punch as there is in Division II college basketball and, boy, did they step up when we needed them most.”
Fort Lewis (10-1, 5-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) came out hot, shooting 53 percent in a first half in which the Skyhawks never trailed and led by double figures for the majority.
FLC held a 42-33 lead at the half and stretched the lead after the break behind an explosive Blaylock.
The senior guard came out of the break to score nine points in the first 2 minutes of the half to push the Skyhawks’ lead to 16. He scored 21 points in the half, but, after playing three rivalry games in five nights, Blaylock understandably slowed down as the half progressed – and that’s when Bach took over.
In an incredible display, the junior scored all 17 FLC points in the final 6:09, single-handedly fighting off a fierce Grizzlies’ comeback effort.
With the energy reserves running dry and Adams State furiously charging, Fort Lewis needed one last defensive stop in the final seconds with a two-point lead.
The Grizzlies (5-6, 2-3 RMAC) tried to drive the lane, in search of a foul or a game-tying basket, but FLC center Brandon Wilson and company were waiting. The ball squirted out of bounds, Bach buried two final free throws, and the Skyhawks walked to the bus with three road wins over a rough five-day stretch.
“They weren’t just three road games,” Pietrack said. “These were three rivalry games against really good programs. Our guys were clearly gassed and we had every reason to give in. They’ve been studying for finals and fighting through injuries, but they were tough enough to get it done.”
Wilson and Alex Semadeni both had 10 points and eight rebounds in the win, while Daniel Hernandez scored 11 points off the bench.
The Skyhawks have one more game before a much-needed holiday break. They’ll face Westminster at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in search of their 21st consecutive RMAC win.
jfries@durangoherald.com
