Written by Dale Strode:
January 16th, 2009. Durango, CO. - David Kanyinda came off the bench and hit eight 3-pointers to help the Fort Lewis College men's basketball team pull away from Colorado Christian University 74-57 on Friday night at Whalen Gymnasium.
Kanyinda, a junior from Albuquerque, hit all five of his 3-point shots in the second half, when the Skyhawks ballooned a seven-point halftime lead into a 23-point advantage with six minutes to play.
“I was encouraged by the coaches and the other players to keep on shooting," Kanyinda said after he finished 8 of 11 from the 3-point line on the way to a game-high 28 points.
“Every single one of the guys … it was their effort that got me the ball," he said.
He started his second-half scoring spree right after Fort Lewis' DeAndre Lansdowne went end-to-end for an acrobatic layup. Kanyinda followed with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
One possession later, he hit a long 3 from the right side after taking an assist from freshman Bryse Velasquez.
A minute later, Daniel Steffensen hustled to control an offensive rebound, and he passed to Kanyinda on the left side for another crowd-pleasing 3.
“I've seen that since I was little," said Lansdowne, who grew up with Kanyinda on the basketball courts of Albuquerque.
“We're a quick team. We really want to run the ball and get out on the break," he said, adding that the FLC offensive pressure then opens outside shots for the likes of Kanyinda, who finished with a career high.
“He's got really good range," FLC head coach Bob Hofman said. “And we need his offense."
Hofman said Kanyinda suffered a sprained ankle the first week of the season.
“That really set him back," Hofman said. “But he's been getting better and better and better every week."
Lansdowne added 18 points as FLC improved to 11-3 overall, 5-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. He also had six rebounds.
“I thought Danny Steffensen did a really good job guarding Jobi Wall," Hofman said. “He didn't score like he can, but he did a really good job on defense."
Steffensen held Wall, the explosive 6-7 sophomore from Faith Christian High School, to only five points.
Steffensen also led FLC with eight rebounds.
Matt Morris, the Durango High School product, had 10 points and four rebounds for the Skyhawks. He opened the second half with three consecutive baskets to start the FLC charge.
Justin Neuhaus, Colorado Christian's 6-11 senior center, led the Cougars with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Daniel Lemberg added 11 points, as did Abram Ziemer.
The Skyhawks limited the Cougars to 35.7 percent shooting from the field.
Fort Lewis, meanwhile, shot 48.3 percent, including a gaudy 10 of 22 from 3-point range.
“I was really pleased with Connor Drumm off the bench (Friday night)," said Hofman, citing his defensive effort against the Cougars, 4-8 overall, 3-3 in the RMAC.
Fort Lewis is back on its home court tonight for a 7:30 p.m. start against Colorado School of Mines. The start time is 30 minutes early.
Box Score
dstrode@durangoherald.com
