EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
For the second straight game, the Liberal Redskins overcame a large second half deficit, and for the second straight game, the Redskins came up just short in a 52-47 loss to the Dodge City Red Demons Friday in The Big House.
Like the Garden City game three days earlier, the Redskins started cold while the Red Demons built a lead, and by the end of the first quarter the Redskins trailed 12-4.
The Redskins cut the lead quickly in the second quarter before the Red Demons recovered with strong drives to the basket by Ty Scheck that sent him to the line. Scheck made six of 10 free throws in the quarter to go along with a basket and a three pointer, and the Red Demons had a 27-16 halftime lead.
Prince Collins hit a three in the third to spark a torrid rally by the Redskins, and the Angry Red defense forced turnovers and limited the Red Demons to one-shot possessions, and the Redskins outscored Dodge City 16-8 in the period to cut the lead to 35-32 heading in to the fourth quarter.
Liberal continued to whittle away at the Red Demon lead, and midway through the period Liberal tied the game 39-39.
But the Red Demons answered with a pair of shots to push the lead back to four, and Scheck added four more free throws in the fourth quarter to keep the Redskins from cutting the lead any further. Juan Diego added a three in the fourth quarter, but the Redskins could not get any closer in a 52-47 loss.
James Fieser led the Redskins with 13 points. Collins and Adrian Moreno each had 10.
Scheck led Dodge with 21 points.
“We have to have better starts,” Liberal coach Joel Plummer said. “We can’t put ourselves in a hole early. I’m proud we have been able to dig out, but we have to get better starts and play without fouling. That’s gong to be a big key moving forward.”
Liberal’s second half surge overcame an 11-point deficit.
“We need to come out with that intensity,” Plummer said. “If we had that effort to start we would be in any game. We had them on the ropes but couldn’t put them away.”
Liberal traveled to Syracuse Saturday and fell to 1-10 with a 66-49 loss.
