Salt Lake City, UT – In an RMAC showdown for the ages, the Westminster Griffins Men's Basketball team emerged victorious in a nail-biting 113-108 triple-overtime classic against Fort Lewis College on Saturday night at Behnken Field House. The dramatic win was capped by clutch performances and critical plays in the closing minutes, including a game-tying shot by Chase Potter in regulation and key contributions from Jake Sampson, Simon Akena, and Jonah El-Farra in overtime.

Trailing by two points with 17 seconds left in regulation, Chase Potter drove to the basket for a crucial layup that tied the game at 71 and forced overtime. In the first overtime period, both teams struggled to find their rhythm offensively, with Fort Lewis holding a narrow three-point lead late. However, Simon Akena cut the deficit to one before Jonah El-Farra hit one of two free throws in the closing moments to knot the score at 85, sending the game to a second overtime.

In double overtime, the Griffins built a seven-point lead with two minutes remaining, but the Skyhawks stormed back. Keither Florence converted a layup with 14 seconds left, tying the game at 99 and forcing a decisive third overtime.

The Griffins found their stride in the final extra period. Jake Sampson buried a three-pointer to break a 99-99 tie, and a critical defensive stop allowed Tommy Ball to knock down another clutch three-pointer, extending the lead to five with under two minutes to play. Fort Lewis managed to trim the deficit to four, but Westminster's defense and composure sealed the thrilling victory.

Player Highlights:

• Chase Potter: Back-to-back 30-point games, finishing with 30 points, eight rebounds, and two steals.
• Simon Akena: 29 points and five assists, delivering key plays in overtime.
• Jonah El-Farra: A double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, anchoring the Griffins in the paint.

For Fort Lewis, Chuol Deng led the way with 23 points and eight rebounds, while Tru Allen added 19 points in the Skyhawks' valiant effort.

Game Highlights:

• Lead Changes: 13 times.
• Points in the Paint: 58 for Westminster.
• Bench Contributions: 39 points for the Griffins.

UP NEXT: Westminster wraps up their three-game homestand with a matchup against Western Colorado University on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 PM. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at WestminsterGriffins.com and stream all conference action on the RMAC Network.