Written By: Ryan Owens
February 28, 2010. Durango, CO. - Fort Lewis College men's basketball coach
Bob Hofman said before Saturday's contest with Western New Mexico he was hoping the team would rally around lone senior
Mark Jeranko and dedicate the game to him on senior night.
If Saturday's game was for Jeranko, what a going-away gift it was.
The Skyhawks bolted to a 50-18 halftime lead, coasting to an 89-51 victory over the shorthanded Mustangs at Whalen Gymnasium.
The victory, coupled with New Mexico Highlands' 83-75 loss at Mesa State, set up a date between Highlands and Fort Lewis at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Whalen Gym in the opening round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Shootout.
DeAndre Lansdowne led Fort Lewis with 21 points, and David Kanyinda chipped in 17 of his own.
But, in his first collegiate start, perhaps it was Jeranko who was the most impressive Skyhawk on Saturday night.
The senior scored 10 points in 25 minutes and looked impressive doing so. He opened the scoring for FLC with a nice baseline cut and layup, and punctuated a memorable night with his first dunk of the year with 1:21 left, much to the delight of his teammates on the bench.
“It could not have been any better," Jeranko said of his last regular-season home game. “I just expected to go out and play as hard as I can and have some fun."
Hofman had nothing but praise for Jeranko after his career night.
“We use that term 'you get what you deserve,' and Mark Jeranko deserved this senior night," the coach said.
The festivities were assuredly as fun for the rest of the Skyhawks as they were for Jeranko.
Fort Lewis used a 13-0 run late in the first half to help build a nearly insurmountable halftime lead, allowing the Skyhawks to get every able body into the game in a second half that saw seldom-used freshman Louie Labate score two points, and back-to-back crowd-pleasing dunks from Jeranko and the usually perimeter-oriented Taylor Faust.
“That just capped the night for me," the senior said of his dunk. “It felt great to finally get a dunk, especially on my senior night."
The rout, exacerbated by the fact that Western New Mexico suited up just eight players, was a welcome sight for the Skyhawks after Tuesday's disappointing loss at Adams State.
Hofman said he was glad to rest a lot of his regulars, not because of fatigue, but because no more players were injured for FLC after the earlier loss of Matt Morris (broken hand). The Skyhawks could ill-afford the loss of another playmaker.
“Fatigue at this time of year should never be a factor," Hofman said. “I was glad we came out of it uninjured."
While Hofman said he was glad to be playing still, Highlands is a team he knows presents a tough challenge for a team likely fighting for its NCAA Division II Tournament life.
Highlands, led by the RMAC's leading scorer in Roman Andrade, swept Fort Lewis this season, including a 95-93 win at Whalen.
“I like all their team … they have great post presence," he said. “They're really, really well coached."
Regardless of the outcome against New Mexico Highlands, Jeranko will have a senior night memory that he said will last a lifetime.
The night opened with Jeranko and his parents, Stanley, aka Skip, and Kathy, taking the floor together during the announcement of the starting lineups. It ended with a standing ovation and a story Jeranko likely will be telling for years to come.
Stan Jeranko, who played for FLC from 1976-1979, was inducted into the FLC Hall of Fame in 2005.
“It was very humbling," Mark Jeranko said. “I get a lot of support from the fans, and it means a lot to me.
“It's something I'll remember for the rest of my life."
Box Score
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