By RAEGAN NEUFELD
Tiger Media Network
It took an extra 10 minutes of basketball, but the Fort Hays State University men’s basketball team emerged victorious in their first MIAA contest on Thursday, beating the University of Central Missouri 70-67.
The Tigers (4-2, 1-0) and the Mules (4-4, 0-1) battled all game long, exchanging the lead 26 times and tying an additional 17 times. FHSU’s biggest lead of the game came with just under five and a half minutes left in regulation, 51-44. However, UCM chipped away and pulled ahead 55-53 with 57 seconds to go. Graduate student Kaleb Hammeke scored the basket that sent the game to the first overtime, and then junior Lucas Hammeke hit his first field goal of the night with 11 seconds left in the extra period to tie the game at 59 and force a second overtime.
“I tried to throw the game away a few times with a couple late turnovers, but unbelievable effort by my teammates,” Kaleb Hammeke said. “They helped me. Lucas saved me tonight, and all around, Shaun (Riley) and Traejon’s (Davis) efforts and RJ (Crawford) fighting through injury, it was just unbelievable.”
The Tigers scored 11 points and took a 64-63 lead midway through the second overtime, and stayed on top for the rest of the game. A steal from senior Shaun Riley led to another basket from Lucas Hammeke to seal the game, and Kaleb Hammeke scored the last point on a free throw.
“I think we had three turnovers in the last four and a half minutes, maybe two missed layups and gave up two offensive rebounds,” Head Coach Mark Johnson said. “So, we did a lot to screw it up, but to our guys’ credit, instead of getting their heads down and going away, we just kept fighting in overtime and double overtime and found just enough to win the game.”
After shooting over 50% in the last three games, the Tigers shot just 39.6% against UCM. However, FHSU held the Mules to 35.2% from the field, forced 16 turnovers and scored 23 points as a result. They also had 18 points from their bench and went 23-27 from the free-throw line.
Kaleb Hammeke led FHSU with 19 points, followed by Riley who had 15 points in addition to eight rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Dan Mukuna went 2-3 from three-point range and made 6-6 free throws to finish with 12 points. Sophomore Kyle Grill was the fourth Tiger to finish in double figures with 11 points and had seven rebounds.
“Everybody is able to create their own shot,” Riley said of the team’s even scoring. “So once we can create our own shot, we give it to others and others will be able to score.”
The Mules also had four players in double figures, led by Kyran Tilley who scored 21 points. Though he fouled out of the game, he also drew 10 fouls from the Tigers. Elijah Farr scored 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds, followed by Jack Chapman with 12 points and DeAirius Barker with 10.
The Tigers will return to Gross Memorial Coliseum on Saturday to take on the No. 3 Washburn Ichabods, who are 8-0.
“Washburn’s really good,” Johnson said. “I think they’re a national championship-caliber team. They can really shoot it and they’ve got the best big in the league so we’re going to have to play really well.”
Tipoff on Saturday is set for 4 p.m. following the women’s game.
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