Go
Saints!

Friday
March 29th, 2024

leehatcherLee Hatcher takes a shot against Garden City Tuesday. Hatcher scofed 10 points in a 52-46 win. L&T photo/Earl WattBy EARL WATT

Leader & Times

When Liberal ended the first half tied with Garden City 22-22, many who have seen Liberal struggle in the second half may have thought the Redskins were in trouble.

Instead, the Redskins had a quick start in the third quarter and was able to maintain a lead the entire second half to earn a critical Western Athletic Conference win over the Buffaloes, 52-46.

Liberal trailed the entire first half until tying the score with 3.1 seconds to play in the second quarter.

Zac Warren provided a spark for the Buffaloes with two threes in the first quarter, and AJ Ramirez knocked down a three for the Redskins early, but the Buffaloes had a 10-7 lead after the first quarter.

Azavier Williams took over for the Buffaloes and dropped five straight points early in the second quarter to give the Buffaloes a 15-9 lead.

Ramirez and Lee Hatcher answered with back-to-back baskets to cut the lead to two before Garden City built the lead back to 21-17 late in the second quarter.

Alex Lopez knocked down a three to cut the lead to one, and after a Garden City free throw, Ramirez made a last-second shot for a 22-22 tie.

Ramirez and Lee Hatcher opened the second half with baskets and Hunter hatcher later added a three to push Liberal to a 29-23 lead.

But Garden City kept the Liberal lead within striking distance, and a three by Tae Rosales cut Liberal’s lead to two.

But Lee Hatcher scored four and Hunter Hatcher added another basket, and the Redskins built the lead back to 37-31 at the end of three quarters.

Liberal might have ran away with the game in the fourth if not for Williams. The Buffalo scored 13 points in the period, and the Redskins had to answer when Williams sparked a 9-2 run to cut Liberal’s lead to one, 41-40.

Liberal responded with a 6-0 run for a seven-point lead, and after Garden City cut the lead back to three, the Redskins made five of six free throws in the final 35 seconds to secure the 52-46 win.

Ramirez scored 15 points, and Lee Hatcher had 10.

“We felt very fortunate to be tied at halftime,” Liberal coach Ryan Petty said. “We didn’t close the second quarter very well. We haven’t played good third quarters, we talked at half about rebounding. We got out-rebounded in the first half 15-8.”

But the second half was a different story.

“We got a run to give us a cushion,” Petty said. “They fought back, but Lopez banked a three. We’ll take it. We should get those bounces in our home gym. That gave us the separation we needed to secure the victory.”

Liberal (5-4) will host Dodge City (2-6) for Homecoming Friday.

EARL WATT • Leader & Times

 

Two first round upsets busted brackets early in the Bracketbuster [ ... ]

Read more...

Taylor Harding (4) gets a high five from Lexi Miller after scoring a run against Bucklin Friday. Harding [ ... ]

Read more...

Special to the Leader & Times

 

The swimming season kicked off at the Northwest Invitational [ ... ]

Read more...