Beaver Men Run Afoul in Loss to Cloud

 
The PCC Men's Basketball Team hosted Cloud County in a foul plagued contest that saw 89 free throws.  Pratt lost the services of both big men, Illi Baldwin and Jay Valerius, with seven minutes left in the game, but could not get closer than three down the stretch.  Pratt stayed a half a game ahead of Colby for the coveted fourth place slot in the Jayhawk standings.
 
Despite the foul trouble of the big men, the game featured several outstanding performances.  Monty Gordon had another banner night, scoring 24 points.  Trae Beck had thirteen, including a huge three with 37 seconds left that pulled Pratt within three and gave them a chance to win the game. John Rutherford also was in double figure scoring with 12.
 
Had Pratt won, the unsung hero role would have been played by Taner Hayes, the 6'2" guard/forward who filled in as a post player when Baldwin and Valerius fouled out.  Hayes helped hold Cloud to only one point in a critical second half stretch, despite a significant height disparity.
 
The game ending five point margin was the same at the half, as Cloud hit a three at the buzzer to take a 41-36 lead into the locker room.  The first half had been a one to three point game almost the entire way, with of course lots of fouls.
 
In the second half, Pratt tied it up at the 11:50 mark, but could never manage to grab a lead, earning only one other tie at 61-61 with 7:30 left.  Unfortunately, Valerius left the game at 10:36, and Baldwin fouled out shortly after he tied the game at 61.
 
Pratt did mount one of their patented furious comebacks in the game's waning moments.  Down by eight with 1:30 remaining, John Rutherford hit a jumper to cut it to six.  Gordon then followed with two free throws to lessen the deficit to four at 1:15.  Rutherford then fouled out, and Cloud hit both to go back up by six.
 
Gordon drove again and cut it to 74-78, but Cloud answered with two more free throws with :42 seconds remaining.  It took Trae Beck only five seconds though to hit a three and make it 77-80.  From there Pratt had to foul, and Cloud made 6 of 10, while Pratt could not connect on several three point attempts.
 
Pratt shot 45 percent for the game to Cloud's 52 percent. The Beavers were 7 of 23 from behind the arc for 29 percent, while Cloud was 6 of 12 for an even 50 percent. The game was pretty much decided at the line, where Pratt went 24 of 40 for 60 percent, and Cloud hit 36 of 49 for 74 percent.
 
Pratt travels to Seward on Wednesday for an 8:00 game.