Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Donald Bangham, Jr. vs. New Mexico Highlands
Kaitlyn Silva
Donald Bangham, Jr. (12) dribbles up the floor against the Cowboys in Whalen Gymnasium (Dec. 9, 2025)

Men’s basketball to close calendar year at River City Holiday Classic

12/15/2025 11:30:00 AM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
Fort Lewis College vs. No. 14 St. Edward's University
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 10 a.m. MST | Northside ISD Sports Gymnasium | San Antonio, Texas
Watch (MIAA Network) | Live Stats | River City Holiday Classic
Fort Lewis College vs. No. 7 St. Mary's University
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 10 a.m. MST | Northside ISD Sports Gymnasium | San Antonio, Texas
DURANGO, Colo. – Fort Lewis men's basketball (5-4, 4-0 RMAC) looks to ride on momentum from an unbeaten start in conference play into a pair of pivotal top-25 non-conference regional tests against No. 14 St. Edward's University (11-1, 2-1 LSC) and No. 7 St. Mary's University (7-1, 2-1 LSC) on Tuesday and Wednesday morning at the River City Holiday Classic down in San Antonio, Texas at the Northside ISD Sports Gymnasium.
 
2025 River City Holiday Classic
Hosted by Pittsburg State University, this year's classic features 16 different programs from the Rocky Mountain Athletic, Great Lakes Valley, and Lone Star Conference's as well as the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association, with eight teams each at both the St. Mary's and Northside ISD sites. Fort Lewis is the only program from the RMAC, with 14 teams coming from the LSC and MIAA. The Skyhawks will be the designated home team against St. Edward's and the visitors against St. Mary's. All games will be streamed pay-per-view on the MIAA Network.
 
Smooth Start in the Rocky Mountains
Fort Lewis has jumped out to a 5-4 overall record and an unblemished 4-0 in RMAC action, rifling off three-straight wins over Metropolitan State University of Denver (3-7, 2-2 RMAC), New Mexico Highlands University (2-9, 2-2 RMAC), and Adams State University (6-5, 1-3 RMAC). The Skyhawks also picked up a 2-0 conference win over Regis University (1-6, 0-3 RMAC) after the game was declared a no-contest. No. 19-ranked Black Hills State University (9-1, 4-0 RMAC) is the only other unbeaten team in the league. Through four games, the Skyhawks rank first in offensive rebounding (19.0 offensive rebounds per game), first in turnover margin (+6.0 turnovers), third in offensive output (87.7 points per game), third in rebounding (39.7 rpg), third in turnovers forced (17.3 turnovers per game), ninth in defense (80.3 ppg),
 
Early Leaders
To no surprise, redshirt sophomore guard Stewart Erhart has been causing havoc on the defensive end yet again, leading the RMAC and ranking sixth nationally in Division II with 3.43 steals per game. Even while handling opponents on the defensive side, Erhart is also leading the Skyhawks and ranks seventh in the league in scoring at 17.0 points per game on 49.4 percent (39-79) shooting, including 19.0 ppg in conference play. Senior forward Chuol Deng trails closely behind, averaging 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game on 44.5 percent (49-110) shooting. Jaxon Smith and Donald Bangham, Jr., pour in another 14.1 points and 10.4 points per game, respectively, to round out the four Skyhawks to average double-figures. Junior guard Yorgio Golesis sits just outside the group with 9.8 points per game, but has supplied 4.0 assists per game and the league's fourth-best assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.0, as well as 10 steals and 24 rebounds (2.7 rpg).
 
Top Skyhawks
  • Stewart Erhart (R-So., G) (17.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 24 steals, 19 assists, 2 blocks, 49.4% FG percentage, 45% 3-FG percentage, 78% FT percentage)
  • Chuol Deng (5th, F) (15.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 16 steals, 13 assists, 6 blocks, 44.5% FG percentage, 25.7% 3-FG percentage, 79.5% FT percentage)
  • Jaxon Smith (R-So., G) (14.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 11 assists, 7 steals, 37% FG percentage, 40.3% 3-FG percentage, 89.5% FT percentage)
  • Donald Bangham, Jr. (Jr., G) (10.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 12 steals, 4 assists, 50.8% FG percentage, 34.6% 3-FG percentage, 63.3% FT percentage)
  • Yorgio Golesis (Jr., G) (9.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 36 assists, 10 steals, 1 block, 38.5% FG percentage, 12.5% 3-FG percentage, 83.7% FT percentage)
 
Hustlin' Hilltoppers
Tuesday's meeting will mark the third all-time between the two programs, with the series tied up at 1-1 and Fort Lewis owning the most recent win, 83-73, back on Dec. 5, 2008. St. Edward's, picked to finish fourth in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll, reeled off 10-straight wins to begin the year before Western New Mexico University (6-2, 1-1 LSC) handed the Hilltoppers its first loss on its home hardwood, 87-84 (Dec. 6).
 
 The Hilltoppers have eclipsed 100+ points on four occasions, and currently boast the 22nd-best scoring defense and 20th-best defensive field goal percentage, surrendering 63.9 points per game on 38.8 percent shooting. SEU most recently topped the University of Texas at Tyler (4-3, 0-3 LSC), 70-55, and owns a pair of top-25 wins over No. 18 Central Washington University (6-6, 0-2 GNAC), 68-47, and No. 3 Dallas Baptist University (7-4, 3-0 LSC), 73-70.
 
Top Hilltoppers
  • Blake Nielson (Gr., G) (18.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 31 assists, 6 steals, 2 blocks, 45.7% FG percentage, 30.6% 3-FG percentage, 79.4% FT percentage)
  • Ryder Bradley (Fr., G) (14.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 48 assists, 28 steals, 3 blocks, 48.8% FG percentage, 30.6% 3-FG percentage, 75% FT percentage)
  • Jamison Kay (Sr., F) (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 20 assists, 8 steals, 6 blocks, 48.4% FG percentage, 40.6% 3-FG percentage, 61.1% FT percentage)
  • Robert Conrad (So., G) (9.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 20 steals, 16 assists, 1 block, 53% FG percentage, 30.4% 3-FG percentage, 81.8% FT percentage)
  • Sam McKinney (So., F) (8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 10 steals, 8 blocks, 4 assists, 55.7% FG percentage, 15.4% 3-FG percentage, 91.7% FT percentage)
 
Stingy Rattlers
Wednesday morning will mark the third meeting overall between the Skyhawks and Rattlers, with the series all tied up at 1-1 after Fort Lewis won the last matchup, 70-57, back on Nov. 14, 2014. St. Mary's will be playing with a chip on its shoulder this week, having suffered a 73-67 loss to Dallas Baptist last Thursday. While the Skyhawks take on the Hilltoppers on Tuesday, the Rattlers will take on the Broncos from the University of Central Oklahoma (7-5, 1-2 MIAA).
 
The Rattlers are one of the most disciplined teams in the country, ranking 13th in defensive scoring (62.4 ppg), 35th in scoring margin (+14.0), 31st in turnovers forced (17.25 turnovers per game), and 41st in turnover margin (+3.8). On the offensive end, St. Mary's ranks 168th, putting up 76.4 points on an efficient 47.7 percent shooting, with just one Rattler averaging double figures.
 
Top Rattlers
  • Damani Claxton (Sr., G) (14.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 19 assists, 9 steals, 2 blocks, 47.6% FG percentage, 43.8% 3-FG percentage, 90.9% FT percentage)
  • Justin Britt (Jr., G) (9.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 7 assists, 6 steals, 6 blocks, 57.4% FG percentage, 16.7% 3-FG percentage, 74.1% FT percentage)
  • Eddie McPhee (Sr., F) (8.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 19 assists, 12 steals, 4 blocks, 43.4% FG percentage, 25% 3-FG percentage, 84% FT percentage)
  • Olaverr Camacho (Sr., F) (7.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 11 blocks, 4 assists, 4 steals, 57.1% FG percentage, 71.4 FT percentage)
  • Wayne Wiggins (Sr., G) (7.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 15 assists, 9 steals, 36.2% FG percentage, 22.2% 3-FG percentage, 80.6% FT percentage)
 
Looking Ahead
Fort Lewis will enjoy the holiday break before returning to action in the new year with a pair of home games back in Whalen Gymnasium. The Skyhawks will host Western Colorado University (5-5, 3-1 RMAC) on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7:30 p.m., followed by Westminster University (6-4, 1-3 RMAC) on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 3 p.m.
 
Print Friendly Version