Liberty takes 3rd in C.W. Stessman Invitational

In the third quarter, William Chrisman started the period on an 8-0 run as the entire Liberty team was out of sorts. Liberty head coach Joe Price substituted the entire starting lineup in the final 3 minutes of the third quarter.

“We knew we had the comeback in us, we got so upset,” starting forward Zak Aganovic said. “We knew our bench would do well for us.”

Liberty’s second team scored the only points of the third quarter in the final couple of minutes. Camden Whitney scored five points and Jackson Branstetter added two points for Liberty during this stretch off of the bench.

“We just kind of hit a wall and they punched us, we didn’t punch back very well,” Liberty head coach Joe Price said. “I thought our bench guys came in and gave us a huge lift. We don’t win tonight without those guys.”

Liberty trailed 40-31 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, Liberty started to chip away as they found their groove in transition.

Turnovers led to offense, especially from behind the 3-point line. Adam Fuller, Edric Binagi and Kale Mortimer all scored 3-pointers in three straight trips down the floor to tie the game at 40.

“After the Jewell tournament, we have really started to lock in,” Mortimer said. “We have started to shoot better as a team and we are playing well together. Every single game, we are getting better and better.”

In the final 3 minutes of the game, the Blue Jays were efficient on the offensive end and stingy on the defensive end. Liberty closed out the final couple of minutes on a 10-1 run to win the game.

In the final 13 minutes of action, Liberty outscored William Chrisman 29-10. It was a fantastic turnaround after a poor start to the second half. Mortimer led the Blue Jays with 16 points as he went 5-for-10 from behind the 3-point line. Binagi added 12 points and Aganovic scored 10.

Binagi was named to the all-tournament team as he averaged 15 points per game during the three-game tournament.

“It feels good because I have felt that I have been in a slump for most of the year,” Binagi said. “I feel like in this tournament, I have been able to play free and play like me.”

Liberty has won four of their last five games. Their only loss during that stretch was against No. 2-ranked Oak Park in the semifinals of the C.W. Stessman Invitational.

Liberty could not keep this fine form from continuing as they lost to Lee’s Summit West on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

The Titans outscored Liberty 65-39 to seal the win. Aganovic was the lone Liberty player in double figures. He scored 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting.

The Blue Jays will go on the road and face Lee’s Summit on Friday, Jan. 27.