Jackets home for the tournament with momentum

Richard Anderson photo

BHSU sophomore Adam Moussa, 10, passes the ball to senior Sindou Cisse Tuesday against New Mexico Highlands in Spearfish.

It wasn't easy, but the Black Hills State University men's basketball team fought its way to hosting the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference postseason tournament.

The Jackets earned the first seed outright with a 16-4 league mark, winning their final three games after two disappointing road losses to New Mexico Highlands and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.

As it turned out, those teams are the Yellow Jackets first two opponents in the RMAC Tournament.

That's one down and two to go if Black Hills State wants to win the tournament.

The good news is the Yellow Jackets can do that by winning on their home court, as after throttling Highlands Tuesday night 102-76, Black Hills State earned the right to host the men's semifinals and Finals at the Donald E. Young center in Spearfish.

BHSU head coach Ryan Thompson said after the win Tuesday night that the regular season is a grind and after those two road losses, they were able to get their momentum back. He said he told the team the 22-game regular season is a marathon.

“I think our guys were a little rejuvenated to be done with that and accomplish our goal to win the league,” he said. “Now it is a fresh start and it is the playoffs. You just have to go bring your A game and I think our mentality was good, and obviously we shot the ball well and that makes it easier on everyone.”

Richard Anderson photo

BHSU senior Sindou Cisse goes up for a shot against New Mexico Highlands Tuesday in Spearfish.

The Yellow Jackets face a Colorado Springs team that knocked off Colorado Mines 74-71 and a team that thumped BH 92-63 early in the month in Colorado Springs. The RMAC is no cake-walk and certainly the tournament is not, although the Jackets ran roughshod over Highlands.

Are the Yellow Jackets playing their best basketball of the season at the right time? Senior guard Sindou Cisse thinks so.

“When it mattered the most, we all came together. We locked in and stayed focused the whole game,” Cisse said Tuesday night.

BH was more than locked in offensively, shooting 56% from the field (39-of-70) and 54% from 3-point land (19-of-35).

Thompson rested his regulars with about four minutes remaining at about 99 points. The way the Jackets were scoring, of Highlands had stayed a little closer and the starters played a little more of the game, BHSU might have hit 115 for the game.

“Obviously it doesn’t work out this way tonight if we don’t shoot it like we did,” Thompson said.

“Our crowd was great tonight; what a great atmosphere, a great student section, great support. They really impacted the game,” Thompson said.

Cisse led the way with 29 points, followed by RMAC Player of the Year Joel Scott’s 22 points and senior guard Sava Dukic with 20.

Scott led the RMAC in scoring and rebounding at 22.8 points and 10.6 rebounds a game. Cisse averaged 14.9 and sophomore Adam Moussa 14.2 points a game. As a team, the Jackets scored 79.8 and gave up 75.3.

Having three players score at least 20 points makes it easier to coach, Thompson said. Ironically, on Wednesday, he was named the RMAC Coach of the Year, based on his coaching ability during the regular season.

“When it is all clicking, we’re a fun team to watch,” said Thompson, whose team had 27 assists out of its 39 field goals. “The ball was moving and we were creating good shots for each other. That makes it easier.”

The 102 points and as effective as the BHSU offense was made it a little deceptive, as the jackets defense was also outstanding for much of the game against Highlands , led by Sammy Barnes-Thompkins, who burned the Jackets in the last game they played with 34 points.

It was looking that way early as he scored 10 of the team’s first 12 points before the Jackets started slowing him down. Barnes-Hopkins would finish with 22 points, but 12 came after the game was basically decided. The Cowboys shot just 38 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the 3-point line. BH had a 41-35 rebounding edge and forced 18 turnovers.

Dukic said that defense wins championships and that is what they are trying to do.

“It all comes down to that, especially with teams like this that can score. You have to buckle down and you have to play defense,” he said. “When you are as talented as us offensively, if we play defense, it is going to be hard to beat us.”

The first game of the tournament is out of the way successfully, but it won’t get any easier for the Jackets with Colorado Springs, Regis and Colorado Mesa left in the tournament. Regis will face Mesa in the first semifinal game at 5 p.m.

BHSU was 3-2 against those teams in the regular season, splitting with Mesa and Colorado Springs, going 1-0 against Regis with the second game not played.

“Playing Colorado Springs, the last time we played down there we had one of our worst performances of the year, so I think we’ll have a little revenge factor for our guys,” Thompson said. “I expect to have a great crowd, and that will certainly help us. We’ll feed off that energy here.”

Colorado Springs is 21-8 on the season. They were seeded fourth after a 15-7 RMAC campaign. As of Feb. 25, the Mountain Lions are led by Alijah Comithier at 20.4 points a game and Jon’il Fugett at 13.6 per contest. Colorado Springs is averaging 82 points a game, giving up 71.

In the win over Colorado Mines, Bobby Martin led the way with 17 points, followed by Fugett with 16 and Comithier with 13.

“Colorado Springs has great length; they are one of the longest teams in the conference, a really good rebounding team,” Thompson said. “So our ability to negate that with some things and be able to be physical inside, trey to limit their rebounding will be key.”

Cisse said for the Jackets to win Friday and on Saturday, they have to play like a team and just stay together.

“We have to stay focused, bring in the intensity on defense and stay locked in as a team,” he said. “We just have to play together.”

BHSU Sixth Man

Richard Anderson photo

BHSU junior Adam Moussa brings the ball down the court against New Mexico Highlands Tuesday in Spearfish.

The Highlands game drew an announced 2,520 fans, which despite being a Tuesday, wasn’t really surprising to the Jackets. BHSU led the league in home attendance at 1,750 per game.

“We’ve gotten great support all year, we led the league in home attendance,” Thompson said. “Tonight (Tuesday), being a weird time, it was so great to see all of the people that we did, especially all of the students. It felt good walking in here.”

Even after the game, the BHSU student sections stayed and sat and stood on the court watching the Black Hills State women’s team facing CSU-Pueblo on the big screen. A good 300-400 fans stayed and watched the final couple of minutes in the 59-52 Pueblo win.

Cisse said the BH crowd is amazing.

“So many people came out and I appreciate all of the fans that came out,” he said.

The future is still very bright

Richard Anderson photo

BHSU junior Tommy Donovan looks to get past a New Mexico Highlands player Tuesday in Spearfish.

The good news for the Jackets is that Cisse and Dukic, despite being listed as seniors, will be back for the 2022-2023 season because of their extra Covid year that is being allowed by the NCAA. Michael Russell is the only other senior listed on the roster.

For the Jackets to win the tournament and earn an NCAA berth, it is extra special for those players who are at the end of their careers.

“I’ve played with seniors before, I know how important it is to them,” he said. “Even now, I have been here four years, it just feels so good to win; it feels so good to win with a group of guys that you love. Going out on top is the best feeling ever. For us, it is about doing it every day. It is not about waiting until Saturday where we can hopefully win. It’s about the next practice, let’s do it then, let’s give it our best effort. You can’t look back if you know you have given it 100 percent.”

Ticketing

Doors to the gym will open at 4 p.m. on Friday and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are now available at RMACSports.org or can be purchased at the door.

Friday's tickets will allow access to both games. Tickets are only good for the day of the game.

This is an RMAC event and tickets will be all general admission on a first-come, first-serve basis. Season passes or BHSU discounts will not be honored in postseason play.

Adult general admission tickets will be $10 and youth/senior general admission will be $5.

All students will be admitted to this weekend's games free of charge with a BHSU student ID card. Other college students from outside institutions can purchase a ticket for $5 with the presentation of a school ID.

Additionally, for all students attending the games, a BHSU student pre-game event will be held in the Young Center Fieldhouse on Friday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.