Metro guard Reggie Evans celebrates tying the score at 72 in the final minutes of the championship game of the RMAC Shootout held March 6 at the Colorado State Fairgrounds Events Center in Pueblo. Metro won the game 83­79 after scoring 50 points in the second half against New Mexico Highlands University. Photo by Cora Kemp • Special to The Metropolitan

The Metro men’s basketball team won the 2010 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Shootout by defeating New Mexico Highlands University, 83-79. March 6 at the Colorado State Fairgrounds Event Center Metro overcame a 19-point deficit to win the title game.

“We’ve grown closer together,” Head Coach Brannon Hays said. “They are understanding each other and they’re communicating better. I see them competing for one another.”

After being down 58-39 with 15:44 left in regulation, their biggest deficit this season, Metro clawed back to tie the game at 75 with a three-pointer by senior guard Brian Minor as part of a 36-17 run.

“I think that was a timely shot,” Metro guard Donte Nicholas said. “We definitely needed it.”

With 1:13 left, Metro guard Reggie Evans made a crucial layup and Metro took their first lead of the second half, 77-75.

“I was like ‘it’s go-time’,” Evans said. “We were ready to play, [getting] positive feedback from the guys on the bench. It was a clutch basket. We had to make a play, so it was what I had to do.”

NMHU cut Metro’s lead to one, 79-78, with nine seconds left, but it wasn’t enough. Metro won the game, 83-79, clinching the RMAC Shootout.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this team,” Hays said. “Their composure, them hanging in there and just staying with it. We talked about it at halftime, chipping away one possession at a time. We were down [by] 19, we set some goals, [such as] ‘at the eight minute mark, we want to be this far back.’ The four-minute mark was a two-possession game. The guys just stepped up, made plays on defense, made plays on offense, hit free-throws, it was a battle.”

In the first half of the RMAC Shootout Championship game, it was all NMHU. From rebounding to shooting, NMHU outplayed Metro. NMHU went on a 32-19 run with 6:49 left in the first half, eventually extending their lead to 17, 45-28, with 1:26 remaining. Metro finished the half strong, but NMHU maintained the lead at halftime, 47-33.

In the first half, Metro shot 10-31 from the floor, including 11-15 from the free-throw line and a dreadful 2-10 from the perimeter. Metro also had six turnovers and 21 rebounds. Meanwhile, NMHU shooting was outstanding. They shot 17-37 from the floor, including 7-7 from the free-throw line and 6-18 from beyond the arc. They grabbed 22 rebounds and had only three turnovers.

Despite Metro’s poor first half performance, the second half was the best half they played all season. Three of NMHU’s five starters fouled out, giving Metro momentum.

In the game, Metro shot 25-63, including 15-32 in the second half. Metro also shot 4-18 from the perimeter and 29-41 from the free-throw line. Metro did not have any turnovers in the second half and had nine steals, four blocks and 46 rebounds.

Nicholas was named MVP of the 2010 RMAC Shootout. Nicholas, Evans and Metro guard Jonathan Morse were selected to the All- RMAC Shootout Team.

Metro enters the Central Region Tournament as the No. 5 seed and will take on St. Cloud State, the No. 4 seed, March 13 in Mankato, Minn.