Blue Jays blow huge lead but still top Lee\u2019s Summit with last-second layup. By RUSTIN DODD The Kansas City Star <\/p>\n
By RUSTIN DODD The Kansas City Star <\/p>\n
Updated: 2012-02-03T05:28:23Z <\/p>\n
A near collapse. A controversial ejection. And a last-second layup. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s safe to say that\u2019s not how Liberty girls coach Mike Morley drew it up. But in the end, it all worked out. Junior guard Shelby Murtha banked in a game-winning layup on an inbounds play with 0.4 seconds left as Liberty edged Lee\u2019s Summit 39-37 on Thursday night at Liberty. \u201cOur JV team runs it a lot,\u201d Morley said of the curl screen that sprung Murtha. \u201cAnd that\u2019s the first time we\u2019ve executed it well in a game.\u201d The play came just moments after Liberty sophomore guard Taylor Wetzel knocked down a three from the wing that tied the game at 37-37. The late heroics nearly overshadowed a game that featured two overwhelming momentum swings and a rugged altercation in the second quarter. Well, almost. After Liberty blew open the doors with a 21-3 run to start the game, Lee\u2019s Summit settled in and cut the lead to 23-12 in the final minute of the first half. And this is where things got a little physical. Liberty senior guard Delaney Kiely and Lee\u2019s Summit freshman Micah Wilson were involved in a push-and-shove altercation under the Lee\u2019s Summit basket. An official whistled to stop play, and a few minutes of confusion ensued as the officials sorted things out. The final explanation to Morley and Lee\u2019s Summit coach Brian Bubalo: Wilson had initiated contact with Kiely, who then pushed back before throwing a punch. Wilson and Kiely were both issued technicals, and Kiely was tagged with a flagrant foul that carried an automatic ejection. \u201cThat\u2019s how he said he saw it,\u201d Morley said of the official\u2019s account. \u201cI saw our girl throw a punch. \u2026 And I also saw their girl throw an elbow to the face.\u201dIn any event, the call meant that Liberty, 10-10, would play the second half without Kiely, the team\u2019s leading scorer and an athlete who signed a soccer scholarship with Oklahoma State earlier this week. Lee\u2019s Summit, 8-11, took immediate advantage. Seniors Breana Washington (10 points) and Ali Patterson (16 points) went to work on offense as the Tigers pulled ahead 31-29 in the fourth quarter. Moments later, Patterson added a layup that stretched the lead to 36-31, and Liberty looked out of gas. \u201cYou don\u2019t have many games like that,\u201d said Bubalo, who will retire after the season following 11 seasons as the girls coach at Lee\u2019s Summit.But the tide shifted after Liberty sophomore Abbie Gentrup converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 1:15 left. Wetzel followed with her three-pointer and a crucial steal. And the Blue Jays found themselves taking the ball out of bounds with 0.4 seconds left. Just enough time. \u201cTo get a win like that is huge, just so we can get them some confidence,\u201d Morley said.<\/p>\n
View post: Blue Jays blow huge lead but still top Lee\u2019s Summit with last-second layup. By RUSTIN DODD The Kansas City Star By RUSTIN DODD The Kansas City Star Updated: 2012-02-03T05:28:23Z A near collapse Continue reading
\nLiberty girls top Lee\u2019s Summit on last-second shot<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"