Morales Clutch Down The Stretch In Season-Opening Victory Against Thaddeus Stevens

LARGO, Md. – One of the last games Alex Morales (Paterson, N.J./Manchester Regional) played in a Prince George's uniform he scored the game-winning basket to propel the Owls to the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference Tournament title in 2017. Tuesday was not for a championship, but Morales scored five of his game-high 20 points in the final three minutes to help Prince George's earn a season-opening 100-92 victory against Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in his triumphiant return.

The Owls kept trying to pull away, but the Bulldogs were feisty and did not give up. However, after Thaddeus Stevens cut the margin to 85-81, Morales drained a trey with three minutes remaining. He added a basket in the paint, a rebound and an assist on a Dexter Turner (Washington, D.C./Idea Public Charter) trey in the final minute. The sophomore had a hand in eight of the final 18 points scored by the Owls.

Morales finished with 20 points thanks to a 9-for-13 shooting from the field, 1 of 2 from behind the arc and 1 of 4 from the charity stripe evening. He added a Lebron James-esq day with 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks to stuff the stat sheet. Morales posted his 19th career double-figure game and sixth 20-point performance while also hauling in 10+ rebounds for the 15th time and recording his 12th career double-double.

Freshmen Jordan Hicks (Largo, Md./Henry Wise), Tunde Scrivner (Washington, D.C./H.D. Woodson) and Miles Weaver (Alexandria, Va./Takoma Academy) also had nice debuts for the Largo program. Hicks registered 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals while Scrivner posted 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Weaver drained three triples and finished his collegiate debut with 11 points.

Sophomore Darren Rivers (District Heights, Md./DuVal) recorded his first 10-point performance with a career-high 12 points along with six rebounds. Turner, who just like Morales sat out last season, recorded 10 points, eight assists and four rebounds in his first game since 2017. 

With the game tied at 19, Prince George's used a 21-11 run to take a 40-30 lead with 4:18 left in the first half. Scrivner powered the run with eight points and capped the spurt with a nice pick-pocket steal and fast-break layup with 4:18 on the clock. The Bulldogs closed the half on a 17-9 run, but the Owls went into the locker room with a 49-47 lead.

With the score 58-55 with 17:08 left in the game, Prince George's went on a 12-1 spurt to take its largest lead at 70-56. Rivers and Hicks each had four points and Scrivner and Jalen Robinson (Bowie, Md./Bowie) also scored in the five and half minute run. 

Thaddeus Stevens kept making runs, but the Owls always had an answer before Morales put the game away with his dagger 3-pointer with three-minutes left.

Delahney Williams (Laurel, Md./Laurel) (7 points), Robinson (4 points), Deon Savage (Washington, D.C./Theodore Roosevelt) (2 points) also recorded points in their debut while Dariel Medina (Silver Spring, Md./James H. Blake) (3 points) and Moetaz Ashkar (Landover Hills, Md./Parkdale) saw action for the first time since 2017.

Prince George's returns to action at the McDonald's Classic hosted by Garrett College on Friday against Pennsylvania Highlands Community College. Game time is 3 p.m.