GOLDEN, CO—The Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team arrived in Golden, Colorado, this week with the goal of a third consecutive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament title. But poor shooting and a lack of forced turnovers led to a 69-62 loss to Regis in the RMAC tournament semifinals to end the Skyhawks’ season.
The No. 6 seed Skyhawks never led; No. 2 Regis used its guards to get in the paint and break FLC’s pressure. FLC forced a season-low 10 turnovers.
“It’s obviously never fun to be on the losing end of these games,” FLC head coach Jordan Mast said. “But it was a hard-fought battle with two teams that had a lot to play for with the chance to move along. The effort was there … they got us on a few ball screen coverages that we couldn’t figure out for a while and the ball bounced their way. So credit to Regis. But overall, just super proud of this team in year one.”
FLC finished Mast’s first season as head coach 18-12 overall after the Skyhawks shot 33% from the field, 29% from 3-point range and 71% from the free-throw line in the loss.
Skyhawks senior guard Biko Johnson finished his collegiate playing career with 17 points on 5-15 shooting from the field, 3-9 from 3-point range and 4-4 from the free-throw line. Forward Chuol Deng finished with 16 points on 6-13 shooting from the field, 1-3 from 3-point range and 3-4 from the free-throw line. Deng also pulled in an incredible 21 rebounds; the third most in FLC men’s basketball history.
Regis improved to 19-12 overall after it shot 46% from the field, 29% from 3-point range and 54% from the free-throw line.
Olafur Styrmisson led the Rangers with 20 points on 7-9 shooting from the field, 4-6 from 3-point range and 2-4 from the free-throw line. Jalen Brown added 13 points and Trey Bryant had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Styrmisson had 11 points in the first four minutes to push Regis ahead 14-6 with 15:30 left. The Rangers found him open on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and he started the game 4-4 from the field and 3-3 from 3-point range. Styrmisson only played seven games before this one and scored 10 points in the season before this matchup with the Skyhawks.
“He started last few games, but he hadn't played a whole lot before that … we had a big plan to help a lot off him,” Mast said about Styrmisson. “We didn't feel that they were looking for him a whole lot and credit to him, he career night on a night that they needed it.”
FLC got back into the game with its guards. Freshman guard AJ Riggs and Johnson both hit tough 3-pointers before Johnson ripped the ball out of a Ranger player. That steal led to a slam by junior guard Malachi Coleman and FLC trailed 21-17 with 11:20 left.
The teams had opposite approaches on offense for most of the first half. Regis got into the paint and either finished or was fouled. FLC shot from beyond the 3-point arc. The Skyhawks made a couple but crashed the glass and finished some putbacks. A putback from Deng cut Regis’ lead to 27-24 with 8:40 left in the first.
FLC finished the half with some better interior defense to stay within striking distance. A Deng 3-pointer cut Regis’ lead to 35-32 at half. Seventeen of FLC’s 32 first-half shots were 3-pointers.
Turnovers plagued the Skyhawks early in the second as Styrmisson had five early second half points to give the Rangers a 42-34 lead with 17:30 left.
The Skyhawks looked to junior forward Keither Florence with a lot of post touches in the middle of the second half. He didn’t convert many. Regis got inside the paint in transition and led 55-44 with 10:20 left.
FLC missed a lot of layups inside in the middle of the second half that could’ve really helped close the gap.
Riggs was the reason FLC stayed within striking distance in the middle of the second half. He found space from beyond the 3-point arc; Riggs scored six points in two minutes as the Skyhawks trailed 61-55 with 6:40 left.
The Skyhawks really struggled to make shots as they got stops late in the second. A lot of contested layups were missed and 3-point shots weren’t falling. FLC’s saving grace was how it was crashing the offensive glass. A putback by redshirt freshman guard Stewart Erhart cut Regis’ lead to 64-59 with 2:58 left.
“All season, we played a hectic pace on defense; we like to trap and press. Sometimes it’s really hard to switch that on offense, be patient and look for a great shot. Sometimes you're playing so fast that you get on the other end and play that way. We played that way.”
Regis continued to find its way in the paint and it cost the Skyhawks any chance of taking the lead. The Rangers got key offensive rebounds and finished inside. The Skyhawks were desperate late and had a few sloppy turnovers to seal the game.
FLC will have to replace its starting backcourt of Johnson and fifth-year guard Tru Allen. Johnson said he’ll cherish the practices this year and Allen is thankful for all the relationships he’s developed off the court.
The Skyhawks could have a strong senior class, depending on if anyone enters the transfer portal, with Deng, Coleman, Florence and Cassius Carmichael, along with a strong sophomore class with Erhart, Riggs, Jude Brideba, Aiden Gibson and Nathan Penny.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
