Up, up and away
Morrow goes above the rim to down Washburn Rural
By Jeremy Shapiro
Saturday, February 4, 2012
He wasn’t exactly a secret weapon because Jerel Morrow ups have been well documented.
But when Washburn Rural switched to a 1-3-1 zone defense late in Friday’s game, Morrow’s jumping ability helped save the day.
In the fourth quarter, Morrow had three huge lob baskets, 12 points and ended things with a thunderous dunk as Emporia won a game that felt like a must win. The Spartans (10-4, 4-3) broke a two-game losing steak with the 67-59 victory and stayed alive in the league race heading into a three-game road trip.
“We needed it,” Morrow said of the victory. “I was feeling it tonight.”
Morrow scored 22 points on 8 for 14 shooting. He also snared five rebounds, including three down the stretch.
“Jerel was a man tonight,” said EHS coach Beau Welch said. “We got stops tonight. Washburn Rural is a very good basketball team. I thought we played as well as we’ve played this year.”
After tailing by 10 early, the Spartans led by as many as nine points in the second half. With some timely 3-pointers and tough defense, the Junior Blues cut the lead to two or three six times in the fourth quarter.
Welch said they used a 1-3-1 trapping defense. It forced EHS into some turnovers and made the Spartans use timeouts.
“They disguised it real well,” Welch said of the zone. “They make you think they are guarding you and then they come get you and rotate. Luckily for us we had timeouts to spare. In the last minute and a half, we got to the free throw line. We had a big lob to Jerel late in the game that got us to that point.”
After a Josh Sweet floater cut Emporia’s lead to 57-54 with 2:12 left, Washburn Rural tried to trap. Jackson Perez had to call a timeout to save the possession. With 1:30 left, the Junior Blues forced a jump ball, but EHS retained the ball because it had the arrow.
Perez had to burn another timeout with 1:09 left because he was trapped again. On the inbound, Perez lobbed it up to Morrow, who scored to put EHS up five.
Welch said they had to try lobs.
“They put so much pressure up high that if you don’t work around the basket and work the back side, they will put even more pressure and take away your passing lanes,” he said. “You got to keep them honest with backside lobs. And Jerel being able to get up as high as he can, he definitely kept them honest.”
Washburn Rural (10-4, 6-3) missed its next two shots and Perez and Morrow each hit a free throw to put EHS up seven. Josh Woodward drained a 3-pointer to make it 61-57 with 24.6 seconds left.
On the inbounds, Ryan Huth hit a streaking Perez. He was intentionally fouled at the basket. Perez hit four free throws to ice it. He finished with 16 points.
The Junior Blues jumped ahead 13-4 to start the game. EHS struggled early from the field, missing nine of 12 shots in the first quarter. The lead reached 10 points early in the second quarter, but the Spartans wiped that out with a 16-4 run.
Perez’s quietly started things with a free throw. Garin Vandiver scored after rebounding his own miss. After a Washburn Rural timeout, Perez scored on a drive. He later made two free throws.
EHS tied the game with 2:15 left in the first half on a Morrow 3-pointer and took its first lead the next time down the floor on a Vandiver bucket. The big guy scored 12 and had 16 rebounds.
“He was much more aggressive around the rim tonight,” Welch said. “That’s the way we got to have Garin play if we want to be good. He’s good around the basket when he’s strong around the basket. When he’s soft, he doesn’t finish well.”
EHS scored the first seven points of the third quarter on a Morrow lob, Austin Knight 3-pointer and Huth score. The lead reached as high as nine in the third quarter, but Sweet and Woodward hit 3-pointers to keep Washburn Rural in it.
The lead was down to one possession six times in the last seven minutes. Each time EHS got a score. Knight hit a key 3-pointer, Vandiver scored inside, Morrow made free throws, Vandiver made a free throw and Perez hit Morrow on a lob.
The loss ended Washburn Rural’s four-game win streak and five game league win streak. Wynne led the Junior Blues with 16.
The Spartans will play at Topeka High at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Friday at Emporia High School
Washburn Rural 13 12 11 23 — 59
Emporia 6 20 17 24 — 67
WR: Wynne 16, Sweet 14, Woodward 11, Ediger 6, Landuyt 4, Rowell 4, Boggs 4.
Emp: Morrow 22, Perez 16, Knight 13, Vandiver 12, Huth 4.