Liberty falls at Madera South tournament

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Liberty’s Harman Singh rises up to score during a loss to Fresno Christian at last week’s Central Valley Invitational at Madera South.

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The Liberty Hawks boys basketball team had trouble getting its offense going in a 57-40 loss to the Fresno Christian Eagles at the Central Valley Invitational at Madera South.

The Hawks fell behind 31-17 at halftime and couldn’t recover the rest of the way last week.

Only one player scored in double-figures for the Hawks and only one player scored more than six points.

Harman Singh led the Hawks with 17 points to go with eight rebounds. Jalen Rosentiel and Isaac Nolasco were the next

highest scorers with six points each. Rosentiel also pulled down six rebounds.

The Hawks trailed early, but a 3-pointer from Rosentiel put the Hawks on the board. A Singh free throw cut the Eagles’ lead to

three, but Fresno Christian sored seven straight points to open a 10-point lead.

Rosentiel hit another 3-pointer and Singh sank two free throws to cut the lead to 14-9 at the end of the first quarter.

However, Fresno Christian opened the second quarter with six straight points to open the lead to 11 before Singh hit two free

throws.

The Eagles then went on a 8-0 run over the next five minutes to stretch the lead to 28-11.

The Hawks tried to make a run when Titus Johnson made a free throw and a 3-pointer and Israel Rivera answered a layup with

a jumper to cut the lead to 13.

Fresno Christian made a free throw for a 31-17 lead at the half.

Liberty tried to get back in the game to open the second half with a quick 6-0 run. Singh started the run with a short jumper.

Owen Lindstrom put back a miss and Singh put back a miss, but the Hawks only cut the lead to 11.

The Eagles responded by scoring six straight points before Isaac Nolasco hit a 3-pointer for the Hawks. Singh followed with a

short jumper to cut the lead to 12.

Fresno Christian, again, answered the Hawks’ run with one of their own. The Eagles scored six straight points for a 46-28 lead

at the end of the third quarter.

Singh opened the fourth quarter scoring with a bucket, and Shane Williams made a bucket off a pass from Nate Hermasillo.

Singh found Williams for a layup to cut the lead to 15.

After the Eagles hit a jumper, Singh banked in a 15-footer to cut the lead to 15. However, the Eagles answered with a pair of

free throws. They answered a Liberty driving bucket with an offensive putback for a 57-40 lead. Both teams couldn’t find the bucket over the final two minutes.