Cameron Riley cuts through the lane for a shot Friday in The Big House against Hays. Riley scored 16 points, but a lull in the fourth quarter led to a 68-57 loss. L&T photo/Earl Watt

By EARL WATT

• Leader & Times

Defensive breakdowns and big shots by Hays at the end of the first three quarters killed all momentum for the Redskins Friday night in The Big House, and despite a strong start to the game, the Redskins dropped its fifth straight Western Athletic Conference game, 68-57 against Hays.

The Indians knocked down 11 three-point shots in the Redskins loss.

Cameron Riley scored the first eight points of the game including two three pointers.

But Hays responded and cut the lead to 10-7 after a three of their own.

Josh Mendoza came off the bench after Riley was called for two quick fouls, and he knocked down two three pointers in the first quarter to give the Redskins a 16-14 lead.

The Redskins extended the lead to 18-14 after a Kace Vongsokda shot, but with 8.7 seconds left in the half, Hays drove the length of the court and drained a three to cut Liberal’s lead to one.

Liberal took a 30-24 lead with less than two minutes to play in the first half, but the Indians ended the second period with an 8-0 run including another three in the final few seconds, and Hays headed to half with a 32-30 lead.

The two teams stayed within two points for most of the third quarter before Hays stretched out to a six-point lead.

The Redskins cut the lead to three, 48-45, but the Indians drained three straight threes to take a 12-point lead, and the Redskins enver got closer than six before falling 68-57.

Vongsokda led the Redskins with 23 points. Riley had 16.

“We wanted to hold for the last shot of the first quarter,” Liberal coach Ryan Petty said. “But we shot it. We made it, and they follow with a three. But I loved the kids’ effort. We traded baskets in the third quarter. We were scoring, we just couldn’t get stops.”

Petty also wanted to see his team set the tone.

“We hit shots early, then we started to force it a little bit,” Petty said. “Instead of running offense, we came down and took quick shots.”

But Liberal made improvements.

“We are close,” Petty said. “We are very close, there’s just some small things holding us back.”