Alex Semadeni, a 6-foot-5 senior, had the game of a life Saturday night while leading Fort Lewis to a 100-88 overtime victory win over Chadron State College in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference clash in Chadron.
The guard from Fort Collins, Colorado, sank three three-pointers in the final 32 seconds of regulation, including one at the second half buzzer, to send the game into overtime, then tallied 10 of his team’s 19 points in the extra session to finish with 37 points.
He entered the game averaging 11 points after hitting just two of nine field goal shots and finishing with only five points Friday night during Fort Lewis’s 77-67 loss to Metro State in Denver.
The Skyhawks are now 6-6 for the season and 2-5 in the conference after losing three RMAC games in overtime in December. Chadron State is 6-7 overall and 4-3 in the conference.
Although Fort Lewis led most of the first half, once by 14 points, and 40 to 30 at halftime, it looked as if Chadron State was going to come from behind and win in the stretch phase of the second half.
The Eagles slowly but surely caught up and owned their biggest lead, 78-72, with 45 seconds remaining in the game. Semadeni hit the first of his late three-pointers with 32 seconds showing to cut his team’s deficit in half.
Chadron State’s Colby Jackson made one of two free shots with 31 seconds left, but Semadeni nailed another trey with 20 seconds remaining. The Skyhawks fouled Jackson again with 11 seconds left and he made both free throws to put the Eagles ahead 81-78.
Once the Skyhawks reached the other end of the court, Kireed Johnson launched a three-pointer from the left side with about four seconds showing. The shot missed, but Semadeni got the rebound, dribbled into the right corner of the floor to get behind the three-point arc, turned and fired. The ball went through the nets as the buzzer blared.
The officials reviewed the tape of the action to make sure the game-tying shot had gotten off in time to count. They said it did, tying the score at 81 and sending the game into overtime.
Fort Lewis scored first in overtime on AJ Sparks’ three-point play and the Eagles never caught up.
The Skyhawks’ Brendan Boatwright hit a pair of field goals and two free throws for his only points of the game and Semadeni meshed 10 of 12 charity shots in overtime to wrap up the visitors’ scoring at 100 points.
All told, Semadeni was 10 of 14 from the field, including five of five on 3-pointers, and 12 of 14 from the free throw line for his 37 points. Sparks added 15, Marquel Beasley 14 and Otas Iyekekpolor 13 for Fort Lewis.
Chadron State was led by center Adoum Mbang’s 21 points while Diontae Champion scored 19 and Jackson 14. The trio combined for 56 points Friday night when the Eagles defeated Adams State 93-86.
Fort Lewis was 31 of 59 from the field, including 10 of 16 on three-pointers, and was 28-39 at the free throw line. Chadron State was 30 of 63 from the field, made seven of 19 treys, and made 21 of 30 fouls shots. Fort Lewis outrebounded the Eagles 40-33.
Fort Lewis–Alex Semadeni 37, AJ Sparks 15, Marquel Beasley 14, Otas Iyekekpolor 13, Brenden Boatwright 6, Kireed Johnson 5, Wyatt Hayes 5, Will Wittman 5. Totals: 31-59 (10-16) 28-39 100 points, 40 rebounds, 16 turnovers.
Chadron State–Adoum Mbang 21, Diontae Champion 19, Colby Jackson 14, Michael Sparks 9, Jeremy Ruffin8, Jacob Jefferson 6, Brady Delimont 5, Charles Gavin 4, Walker Andrew 2. Totals: 30-63 (7-19) 21-30 88 points, 33 rebounds, 13 turnovers.
Fort Lewis 40 41 19 —-100
Chadron State 40 51 7 —–88
Three-pointers: FLC–Semadeni 5, Johnson, Beasley, Hayes, Wittman and Sparks, all 1. CSC–C. Jackson 3, Jefferson 2, Sparks 1, Delimont 1