EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
Pratt’s Arley Morrell may be a standout tight end as indicated by his signing with the Kansas State Wildcats, but news flash — he’s pretty good at basketball, too.
Morrell provided a problem the Redskins could not solve Friday night in The Big House by scoring 33 points and leading the Green backs to a 55-38 win.
The Redskin defense did a good job early on Morrell and only allowed him to score three points in the first quarter. But the Redskins couldn’t capitalize on the offensive side and missed several short jumpers and lay-ups.
Still, the Redskins stayed close with Pratt in the first quarter with a pair of baskets from sophomore Adrian Moreno, and a basket and two free throws from senior standout James Fieser, and the Redskins trailed 12-8. But the Redskins shot out to start the second quarter and took a brief lead before the Greenbacks responded.
The Redskins used the long ball in the second quarter with three pointers from senior Alan Olvera, Fieser and junior Juan Diego.
But the Morrell started to take over, driving to the basket for lay-ins and scoring 12 points in the quarter to help the Greenbacks maintain a 26-21 halftime lead.
The Redskins couldn’t keep pace in the third quarter. Fieser scored seven of Liberal’s nine points in the period, but Morrell had his second double-digit quarter of the night with 10 more points in the third, and Prat took a double digit lead, 41-30.
Scoring continued to be a problem for the Redskins in the fourth quarter. Fieser connected on a three and made one of three free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt, and Ethan Olmstead came off the bench to cut to through the lane for a basket to go along with a jumper form Moreno, but that’s all the offense the Redskins could muster.
Morrell continued to push to the lane at will, adding eight more points in the fourth in a 17-point period for the Greenbacks, and the Redskins fell 55-38.
Fieser continued to lead the Redskins with 21 points, but Morrell had 33 for the Greenbacks as the only two players to reach double digits for either team.
“We weren’t in the right positions late,” Liberal coach Joel Plummer said.
Liberal plays at Hooker, Okla., tonight.
