Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Dec. 17) -- Junior Humberto Perez (Yakima/A.C. Davis HS) led a balanced offensive attack with a career-high 16 points, and three others scored 15 apiece, in leading Central Washington to a 91-82 men's basketball victory over Fort Lewis College at the Great Western Shootout in Las Vegas on Thursday evening.

The win was the second straight for Central, which improved to 4-3 on the season. Fort Lewis, from Durango, Colo., and listed among "others receiving votes" in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, suffered just its second loss of the season to fall to 8-2.

Central had season-highs for field goal and three-point percentage in Thursday's victory, shooting 57.7 percent from the floor overall and 72.7 percent on 11 three-point attempts (eight made).

The Wildcats surrendered the game's first five points but kept the game close with the Skyhawks before taking the lead with 9:16 remaining in the first half on a basket by sophomore Ted Nelson (Hoquiam). Central did not trail again, but was tied once early in the second half. After that deadlock, the Wildcats went on a 21-9 run over the next four and a half minutes to post their largest lead of the night -- 67-55 -- with 13:12 remaining.

Fort Lewis chipped away at Central's lead and closed to within one with 6:14 remaining on a fastbreak dunk by DeAndre Lansdowne. However, the Wildcats, who entered Thursday's game shooting just 63 percent at the free throw line on the season, made all 12 of their foul shots the rest of the way and outscored the Skyhawks 16-8 overall to win going away.

Perez and junior Toussaint Tyler (Kent/Kentwood HS) helped ice the game for the Wildcats at the foul line, making four free throws apiece down the stretch. Tyler finished the game with 15 points -- one shy of his career-high -- while starting guards Jon Clift (Spokane/Joel E. Ferris HS) and JC Cook (Canby, Ore.) also scored 15. Senior Riley Sivak (Ellensburg) added 10 points.

Lansdowne led all players with 28 points for Fort Lewis, adding team-highs of eight rebounds and four streals. David Kanyinda (16 points) and Matt Morris (12 points) also scored double figures in a losing effort for the Skyhawks.

Central Washington will face Washburn (Kan.) at 3 p.m. on Friday in its final tournament game. The Wildcats will then take the next 10 days off from games before returning to action Dec. 29 at Seattle against Colorado Christian. Central's next home game is its Jan. 7 conference opener against Western Oregon.