ATHENS — A 29-point win over convention rival Manchester places the Fairfield Lions again within the district championship recreation for a fifth consecutive yr.
Saturday evening at Ohio College’s Convocation Middle, the No. 2 seeded Lions (21-3) largely managed all facets of their Division IV District Semifinal recreation towards the No. 7 seeded Manchester Greyhounds, profitable by a 62-33 rating, and within the course of defeating the Greyhounds for a 3rd time this season, all whereas ending Manchester’s six-game profitable streak going into the sport.
The Lions, then again, have now received 4 straight video games going into the district championship recreation, the place they’ll face the No. 3 seeded Federal Hocking Lancers, who defeated No. 7 seeded Waterford, 52-41 of their district semifinal recreation on Saturday following Fairfield’s win.
Earlier this season, the Lions defeated Federal Hocking in a recreation performed at Albany Alexander Excessive Faculty in a Winter Basic occasion by a 60-47 on Dec. 30, and these two faculties final confronted one another within the match in the course of the 2020-21 season the place FHS received 62-49 on March 3, 2021.
Again to Saturday evening on the Convo the place the Lions (21-3) had one in every of their most dominant quarters of basketball in latest reminiscence, and for the season, main 18-3 after the primary quarter and at one level holding a 17-point lead within the first body with 45 seconds on the clock with a rating of 18-1.
“I believed we took care of the basketball fairly effectively for probably the most half,” Fairfield head coach Quentin Williams stated. “We simply had little stretches the place we misplaced just a little little bit of consistency, and that’s the place some turnovers got here from, however that is going to occur. I used to be proud with the best way that we performed with poise all through the complete recreation.”
The dominating first quarter began out with Cade Miller placing the ball again within the hoop off a rebound for the primary factors of the sport, adopted by a 3-pointer from Logan McIntosh with 5:43 left within the opening quarter for the early five-point lead.
McIntosh led all scorers with 22 factors within the recreation, because the junior’s scoring for the sport consisted of 5 two-point baskets, two 3-pointers and he was an ideal 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Manchester’s Connor Darnell put the Greyhounds on the board with a free-throw with 5:34 left within the first, however from there, that’s the place the roar of the Lions may very well be heard all through the Convo, beginning with a free throw made by Larkin Good friend. Then, the time on the Convo clock went from “Basketball 30” to “Miller Time,” as Fairfield’s Miller made two consecutive 3-pointers on the 2:51 and a pair of:09 left within the first for a 13-1 lead. Miller completed the sport with eight factors.
The Lions elevated their result in 18-1 with Good friend — who had a block the earlier Manchester possession — making two free throws, adopted by McIntosh draining a 3-pointer for the 17-point lead with 45 seconds left on the clock. Manchester’s Parker Hayslip linked with a jumper on the buzzer for the Greyhounds — their first shot constituted of the sphere — leaving Fairfield with a 18-3 lead on the finish of the primary.
Manchester’s greatest quarter was the second body as they outscored the Lions 13-7 within the 8:00 performed, taking the FHS lead from 17 factors to 9 factors, as FHS held a 26-16 halftime lead.
The Greyhounds (15-9) within the second made three 3-pointers and two two-point baskets, with Luke Applegate sinking two 3-pointers, and Connor Darnell scored 5 factors with a 3-pointer and two-point basket. Additionally within the second from MHS, Hayslip scored two factors.
Fairfield’s second quarter wasn’t their high efficiency, as their seven complete factors included a 3-pointer by Trey Home, two free throws made by McIntosh and a basket by Good friend. Good friend totaled 12 factors with three two-point baskets, and he was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, plus he had 10-plus rebounds for a double-double. Home additionally totaled 12 factors within the win.
Then got here the third body, and from the time the Lions walked again onto the court docket till the sport ended, they had been those setting the tone.
“We had been able to play aside from that second quarter,” Williams stated. “I feel we thought the sport was over there within the first half. I feel we had been enjoying one half. They sort of heard it from me at halftime and adjusted. We performed higher the second half, similar to we did the primary quarter, making them shoot powerful pictures, making them shoot contested pictures, and rebounding was higher.”
With Manchester chopping the FHS lead right down to seven factors by making the primary basket of the third, the Lions answered with 10 consecutive factors, growing their result in 17 factors at 35-18 with 2:50 on the clock.
The run of factors for the Lions started with a layup by McIntosh, then got here a jumper by Good friend and a turnaround jumper by McIntosh. Subsequent was a two-point basket by Gabe Fouch (with the help by Griffin Good friend), adopted by a one-handed shot made by McIntosh with 2:50 left within the third for the 17-point benefit, forcing a 30-second timeout by Manchester.
For the rest of the quarter (2:14 was left within the body), the Lions had factors by McIntosh, Griffin Good friend and Home, as Home linked with a 3-pointer with 9.0 left within the body for a 23-point FHS lead and a 44-21 rating.
The Lions started the fourth with free throws by McIntosh, and after Applegate added factors for the Greyhounds, the Lions scored factors off baskets by Fouch, Larkin Good friend, McIntosh and Home, placing the FHS result in 31 factors.
The remainder of the fourth noticed the Lions have baskets made by Home, Larkin Good friend and Dane Hodson, who scored two factors off a layup as he went round defenders.
Different ultimate scoring totals for the Lions included: Fouch (4), Hodson (two) and Griffin Good friend (two).
Manchester was led by Applegate with 15 factors.
No. 2 seeded Fairfield (21-3) will play within the district finals on Friday, March 8 at 8:15 p.m. towards No. 3 seeded Federal Hocking (18-6) on the Ohio College Convocation Middle in Athens.
“I feel that is the yr,” Williams stated of the district title. “We have put in quite a lot of work. It has been a very long time. They’ve labored their butts off for the final six years for me, they usually deserve it.”
BOX SCORE
MHS 03 13 05 12 — 33
FHS 18 07 19 18 — 62
FAIRFIELD (62) — L.Good friend 3 (0) 6-6 12, T.Home 3 (2) 0-0 12, L.McIntosh 5 (2) 6-6 22, D.Hodson 1 (0) 0-0 2, G.Fouch 2 (0) 0-0 4, G.Good friend 1 (0) 0-0 2, C.Miller 1 (2) 0-0 8. TOTALS: 16 (6) 12-12 62.
MANCHESTER (33) — P.Hayslip 2 (0) 0-0 4, B.Roberts 0 (0) 1-2 1, C.Darnell 3 (1) 1-2 10, L.Applegate 3 (3) 0-1 15, M.Bayless 1 (0) 0-0 2, D.Kennedy 0 (0) 1-2 1. TOTALS: 9 (4) 3-7 33.
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