It only took 23 games into the season, but Fort Lewis College men’s basketball finally had every player healthy for a full week of practice, aside from the season-ending injury suffered early in the year by forward Riley Farris.
Head coach Bob Pietrack said the Skyhawks are much healthier than two weeks ago when they were on the road in Utah to face Dixie State and Westminster and suffered a pair of losses to go winless on a four-game road trip. Junior point guard A.J. Sparks, who exited early in a 63-53 loss at Dixie State and didn’t play the next night of a 74-59 loss at Westminster, will be available this weekend when FLC hosts the same two teams.
“We’re deep into the season now, but our health and mental sharpness are the best that it’s been in a long time,” Pietrack said. “We’re healthier this time around than the last time we played these teams. They’re well-coached, but we’re excited to play them.”
FLC (10-13, 5-12 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) will host Westminster College at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Dixie State at the same time Saturday in Whalen Gymnasium, where the Skyhawks are 7-5 this season.
The Skyhawks are led into the final five games of the season by senior forward Marquel Beasley. His 17.2 points per game rank sixth in the RMAC. He has also averaged 5.5 rebounds per game along with senior forward Otas Iyekekpolor, as they rank 21st in the RMAC. FLC senior Alex Semadeni’s six rebounds per game lead the Skyhawks.
“Marquel has been an absolutely great player for us the last two years,” Pietrack said of his senior who transfered from Iowa Western Junior College and helped lead the Skyhawks to an RMAC regular-season championship last season. “He’s left a lasting impression on our program through his play and by the type of teammate he’s been to everybody. We need him to continue to play well for us to have a chance to be successful.”
Westminster (9-12, 7-10 RMAC), which is two games back of eighth place in the RMAC in a chase for the final spot in the RMAC tournament, is led by the 13.7 points per game from Brandon Warr. He had 15 points to match teammates Jake Connor and Joonas Tahvanainen in the Griffins’ win against FLC two weeks ago.
Dixie State (13-8, 11-6 RMAC) sits in a tie for fourth in the RMAC and has won eight games in a row. Pietrack called them the hottest team in the RMAC aside from first-place Colorado School of Mines (20-3, 17-0 RMAC), which has won 19 consecutive games.
The Trailblazers are led by Matt Conway’s 17.1 points per game. Conway is also an excellent rebounder at 6.5 per game. The 6-foot-7 sophomore forward will go to work against Beasley and Iyekekpolor along with FLC redshirt freshman Brenden Boatwright, who had a career game last Friday against Colorado Christian with 28 points.
Saturday’s game is a benefit game for women’s basketball assistant coach Orlando Griego and his family, as they welcomed daughter Lana on Dec. 16, nine weeks before her expected delivery date.
“We played Dixie tough the last time, and we’re excited to play them again,” Pietrack said. “Saturday night is an awesome opportunity for our community to come out and help the Greigo family. We’re thankful to be part of it and to support Orlando, Katherine and Lana 100 percent.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
