FLC men blow by Metro to clinch RMAC share

Saturday, Feb 25, 2023 10:19 AM Updated Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 10:20 AM

Skyhawks win program-record 25 games Friday

Junior Garbrah of Fort Lewis College puts up a shot Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

In a flash, the Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team had taken control of its contest against Metropolitan State University of Denver on Friday night.

The Skyhawks jumped out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back, eventually winning 80-61 to improve to 25-2 overall and 19-2 in the RMAC. The victory set a new program record for wins and also clinched at least a share of the RMAC regular-season championship for FLC, plus at least the No. 2 seed in the upcoming RMAC Tournament along with Colorado Mesa (24-4, 19-3). The Skyhawks need to defeat Colorado School of Mines (23-4, 17-4) in order to clinch the championship outright. The teams will play at 7 p.m. Saturday in Whalen Gymnasium.

JaQuaylon Mays of Fort Lewis College plays above the rim on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, the Skyhawks will host a first-round RMAC Tournament game at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

“Great focus from our guys from the start,” said head coach Bob Pietrack. “Credit to Metro, they have a bunch of young guys and a first-year coach. As the years go on, I believe they’ll be a really great team. Tonight, we were just really focused on being able to guard well and let the offense come, but that tidal wave at the beginning was a real difference-maker.”

Akuel Kot began the game by scoring a reverse layup and then blocking a Roadrunner shot at the other end. Brendan La Rose followed with a 3-pointer. After Kot sunk two free throws, Junior Garbrah hit a jumper. JaQuaylon Mays then sunk a trey and, after Sekou Dembele tipped a Metro pass away, Obi Agbim knocked down another 3-pointer.

Agbim picked up a steal and Dunnell Stafford assisted Dembele in the paint to give FLC a 17-0 lead.

Metro eventually scored its first bucket 6:52 into the game, but Garbrah answered almost immediately by sinking a step-back 3-pointer.

One of the game’s early highlights came after Mays got a steal and at the other end he lobbed a pass up to La Rose, who snatched the ball out of mid air and dunked it. The alley-oop put FLC up 27-4 and gave the already loud crowd at Whalen Gymnasium another reason to howl.

Agbim, Mays and Garbrah all knocked down their second 3-pointers in the half to help FLC take a 35-11 lead.

Later in the half, Stafford got a steal and then spun free from a defender for a bucket. Mays hit a third three and FLC went into halftime leading 45-24.

The Roadrunners picked up their intensity in the second half and were able to hit some more shots, but FLC continued working hard at both ends of the court and maintained a 20-point lead for most of the half to finish comfortably on to.

Nine different Skyhawks scored in the contest, led by four players in double digits.

Kot scored a team-high 17 points and also blocked two shots and had one steal.

Mays scored 13 points, blocked two shots and had three steals.

Garbrah scored 15 and also had a steal.

Agbim added 10 points and two steals.

Stafford scored eight. Dembele scored seven and had three steals. La Rose scored five and blocked two shots. Ra’Shjon Martinez sunk a trey to finish with three points. Brenden Boatwright scored two while grabbing a team-high nine rebounds.

Tyrei Randall scored 14 to lead Metro while Quave Propst-Allison added 11.

Pietrack has now led FLC to three regular-season conference championships and six trips to the RMAC Tournament in his eight seasons as the team’s head coach.

The Skyhawks are ranked No. 5 in the nation by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and No. 6 by the Division II College Sports Communicators.

Brendan La Rose of Fort Lewis College slam dunks the ball on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Junior Garbrah of Fort Lewis College puts up a shot on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Bob Pietrack, Fort Lewis College men’s basketball head coach, front, and Tyler Danielson, assistant coach, along with the bench get fired up on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Jerry McBride

Dunnell Stafford of Fort Lewis College pulls back a shot and finds the open man on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Akuel Kot of Fort Lewis College puts up one of his several three-pointers on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

JaQuaylon Mays of Fort Lewis College steals the ball on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Brendan La Rose of Fort Lewis College blocks a shot on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Akuel Kot of Fort Lewis College puts up a shot on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Sekou Dembele of Fort Lewis College looks to pass the ball inside on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

JaQuaylon Mays of Fort Lewis College plays above the rim on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Brendan La Rose of Fort Lewis College goes up high on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Dunnell Stafford of Fort Lewis College puts up a shot on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Lanae Billy of Fort Lewis College plays tough defense on Friday against Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

The Fort Lewis College bench cheers on their teammates on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Kate Gallery of Fort Lewis College puts up a shot on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Sadie Misner of Fort Lewis College scores a basket on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Kelsey Sorenson of Fort Lewis College battles to get to the net on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Lanae Billy of Fort Lewis College puts up a shot on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Taylor Harris, Fort Lewis College women’s head basketball coach, shouts instructions to his team on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck of Fort Lewis College looks to pass the ball inside on Friday while playing Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald

The Durango High School Red Pride Band plays during the Fort Lewis College basketball games on Friday against Metropolitan State University of Denver at FLC. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald