The Morrison Mustangs limped into Sterling, IL, to take on the 9th ranked 2A Newman Comets, with two starters unavailable for action. Jumping out to a 5-0 lead and surviving the first quarter with a 14-13 lead, the Mustangs realized that they could play with the Comets.
Each time the Comets asserted themselves and opened a five-point margin, Morrison would step up with a three-pointer and not allow any momemtum to be generated. Scrappy defense slowed Newman’s Noah McCarthy and allowed Morrison to enter the final stanza with a four-point advantage. The back-and-forth action climaxed with 55 seconds remaining and Morrison with a one point lead. Noah Hogue drilled a three-pointer from the right arc. That shot was followed by a steal by Hogue on the next Newman possession. The Comets lost valuable seconds before regaining possession and finally threw up a desperation shot by McCarthy to end the game.
Final score: Morrison 56, Newman 52
The loss was Newman’s first in the Trac Conference and moved the Mustangs to a 12-11 record overall.
Morrison 14 – 12 – 17 – 13 = 56
Newman 13 – 14 – 12 – 1 = 52
Morrison Scoring:
J. Brackemyer 3
Hogue 17
B.Brackemyer 6
VanZuiden 14
Klimson 11
Muur 0
Smith 5
Abell 0
