With the game tied, Brenden Boatwright came up big.
In the final second, Boatwright sunk a 3-pointer to give the Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team an 84-81 win in its season opener on Friday against Eastern New Mexico University.
Akuel Kot scored 22, JaQuaylon Mays added 20, and Boatwright scored 12 with his buzzer-beater to help FLC complete a comeback in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference-Lone Star Conference Challenge.
“Hats off to Eastern New Mexico, I thought they really outplayed us tonight,” Fort Lewis College head coach Bob Pietrack told FLC Athletics. “We chased them uphill nearly all game. What gave us the edge is our program's history of success, grit, and toughness to play through and understand games are won in the final two minutes. They missed some shots, and we made a few, but it was really Boatwright who sealed the deal.”
Fort Lewis jumped out to a quick 13-5 lead, but the Greyhounds started clicking and took a 41-33 lead into halftime after leading by as many as 12.
Coming out in the second half, Fort Lewis still could not find any holes in Eastern New Mexico’s defense. Dunnell Stafford sank a layup in the post down the stretch that cut ENMU’s lead to seven and breathed life into the Skyhawks.
JaQuaylon Mays hit a pair of clutch free throws just outside of the two-minute mark to tie the game at 77-77.
The Greyhounds attacked and pulled away by four points, but Boatwright grabbed his own rebound off the glass for a tip-in layup that tied the game 81-81.
Moments later with the game on the line, a missed Greyhound shot left Fort Lewis with just six seconds left. Junior Garbrah took the ball up court and kicked it to Boatwright just beyond the 3-point line. Boatwright split through two defenders and found nothing but net for the 84-81 win with zeros on the clock.
“I'm so proud of Boatwright,” Pietrack said. “He's a six-year veteran who has bought in and given so much to this program. To see it all come to fruition and have a moment like that, those don't come very often in life.”
Kot shot 5-15 from the floor, 3-9 from the 3-point line, and 9-11 at the free-throw line to lead FLC with 22 points. Mays added 20 while Boatwright secured a double-double with 10 rebounds and 12 points.
“Kot and Mays were instrumental in tonight's win,” Pietrack said. “While they might have missed some shots here and there, it was ultimately their performance that put us in the position to win it at the buzzer.”
Grehlon Easter led the Greyhounds with 14 points while Greg Johnson provided 13 and Blazej Czerniewicz 11.
Eastern New Mexico dominated Fort Lewis under the basket, leading in both rebounds 36-32 and also points in the paint 30-16.
The Skyhawks will return to New Mexico Highlands University’s court at noon Saturday to face the Angelo State Rams in another RMAC/LSC Challenge contest. Angelo State beat Highlands 71-60 on Friday.
