T-Birds unable to chase down Beavers, fall 69-63

PRATT — Chasing throughout most of the game, the Cloud County Community College Thunderbirds were unable to overtake the Pratt Community College Beavers in suffering a 69-63 Jayhawk Conference loss on Thursday night.
In a game that was originally scheduled to be played Wednesday night but was postponed because of inclement weather, Cloud County led just twice by a single point.
Trailing 17-16, the Beavers scored six straight points to go on top of Cloud County 22-17.
Cloud County would not trail by more than nine points over the final 25 minutes, but was unable to wrestle the lead away from Pratt.
“Whatever it is, we didn't have it,” Cloud County coach Devin Kastrup said. “We were the more efficient team offensively and defensively, but when you give another team 13 more possessions than you it is just hard to win. Eighteen turnovers is unacceptable, 13 offensive rebounds is unacceptable. You won't win games like that.”
Cloud County had posted two straight wins before falling to the Beavers, and is now 11-2 overall and 7-10 in the Jayhawk Conference.
“I think we thought that just because we had been playing well we were just going to show up and play well,” Kastrup said. “I need to figure out what to do to help us play better on the road, or have some consistency on the road, because it just feels like we are two different teams. We weren't tough, we didn't play hard, we didn't win 50-50 balls. Just everything that we preach we are usually, we were not.”
Pratt, which earned a split in the regular season series with the T-Birds, improves to 11-10 overall and 6-9 in conference play.
The Beavers scored the first six points of the game.
A three-point shot by Joe Kearny, a basket by Malang Athian and two free throws by Zion Obanla put Cloud County on top, 7-6.
Pratt scored the next six points, and led 12-7.
A 10-4 run gave the T-Birds the lead back at 17-16.
Tommy Thomas connected on a three-point shot and Cam Morris made three of four free throws to give the Beavers a 22-17 advantage with 5:16 remaining in the first half. They would not trail again.
Limited to just three free throws in nearly five minutes of play, the T-Birds would fall behind 29-20.
Cloud County would close the gap to 32-26 at halftime.
The T-Birds held Pratt scoreless the first three minutes of the second half and got a basket by Athian and two free throws by Corey Sawyer Jr. to pull within two points, 32-30.
Sawyer Jr. was 14 of 15 from the free throw line in scoring 20 points. He also had seven rebounds and four assists.
It was a 34-32 game when a three by Eric Rhymes and a dunk by Morris put Pratt up 39-32.
Four straight points by Sawyer Jr. and a basket by Savian Edwards pulled Cloud County within a point, 39-38.
The T-Birds were down 41-40 when Pratt used a 12-6 spurt to open up a 53-46 advantage.
Pratt led 55-48 when Sawyer Jr. made two free throws and Kearney scored on a drive to pull Cloud County within three points, 55-52.
Thomas scored for Pratt but Kearney hit a three to make it 57-55 with 2:55 to play.
Pratt scored the next four points, and led 61-55.
A basket by Nate Duckworth got Cloud County within four points, 65-61, with 29 seconds to play.
Morris was fouled five seconds later and made both free throws to give the Beavers a 67-61 cushion.
Two free throws by Harrison Eghan upped Pratt's lead to 69-61 with four seconds on the clock.
Edwards hit two free throws to make the final, 69-63.
Kearney joined Sawyer Jr. in double figures for Cloud County with 13 points.
The T-Birds were 20 of 49 from the field for 41 percent and 19 of 21 from the free throw line for 91 percent.
Morris led four Pratt players in double figures with 21 points.
Thomas and Julian Eziukwu scored 11 points each and Eghan added 10.
Cloud County will host Barton Community College at 4 p.m. Saturday.
“We have one day to prepare for Barton. It is another opportunity to sweep. I don't know how many times we have swept Barton in our history,” Kastrup said. “We have got to come out and play hard.”