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Fairfield Lions win gold ball; finish regular season 22-0

Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — There are rare moments during a high school basketball game where everything is perfect. Friday night was one of those infrequent games where everything was on point, especially for the Fairfield Lions. 

Going into the game, there was much excitement for both teams as the Lions (13-0, 22-0) entered Lynchburg-Clay High School with not only an undefeated regular-season record, but first-year head coach Quentin Williams had his team one win away from Fairfield’s first perfect conference record since 1976.

The Mustangs went into the Southern Hills Athletic Conference playing their best basketball of the season, plus they honored their seniors and had one of those seniors — Brady Chisman — chasing his 1,000th career point … plus the Mustangs wanted to play spoiler to their Highland County rivals’ attempt at a perfect regular season. 

All of that meshed together, plus having a completely packed gym of fans from not only the two schools, but from all over Highland County, and it had the makings of one of the very best basketball games of the 2022-23 season. 

Neither team disappointed because when the final buzzer sounded, it was the Lions being the “kings of the jungle” so to speak, defeating the host Mustangs, 43-41 to earn their first perfect regular season at 22-0, including a 13-0 mark in the SHAC Division I standings. 

“I'm proud of my kids. I think the theme of our whole year is overcoming adversity and being resilient,” Williams said. “Trey (House) went down yesterday with bad ankle sprain right at the end of practice, and they didn't miss a beat. They're supporting Trey, of course, but they were still ready to go, as much as, if not more than, me, I think.

“They're such a resilient group. I'm so proud of them. I told them at the beginning of the season, if we do things the right way that this could happen. So they bought in, they believed.”

On the other side, there was a milestone to celebrate too, with Chisman scoring his 1,000th in the second quarter with 2:06 remaining on the clock. 

“The 1,000 points we talked about that before the season started that it was a goal of his, and I said it's something that will happen organically if you trust in your teammates and trust in what we're doing,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Brian Callahan said. “I know tonight we played a little slower than normal — normally at the pace we play, that generates extra possessions, and you're going to have time, you're going to have opportunities, and he did. He bought in. I’m super proud of him and so proud of what he did.”

The first quarter was even for both teams, as each team collected 11 points in the opening frame, with the Lions opening the game with five straight points, starting with a 3-pointer from Wyatt Collins, followed by a basket by Larkin Friend just over two minutes into the game. Collins finished with 11 points, and Friend led the Lions with 13 points. 

The Mustangs called a timeout with 5:33 on the first-quarter clock, and when they returned to the court after a discussion with first-year head coach Callahan, the Mustangs were on the board with a 3-pointer by Bryce Binkley, who finished with 10 points.

From there, the Lions held a four-point lead with 4:33 left in the first with another bucket by Friend, then the Mustangs answered with a 3-pointer from the corner by Landon West, making it a one-point differential. 

The Lions fought back with a bucket by Friend for a 9-6 score. LCHS came back with five of the next seven points scored with a layup by Chisman, followed by two points from Fairfield’s Collins, and the quarter ended with two points by Logan Shope and a free throw from Binkley, for the tied 11-11 score. 

The break in action not only gave the players, coaches and officials a chance to take a breath, but all the fans in attendance got to take a breath too … and it was needed because the second frame was just as intense, with each team scoring 13 points apiece, making the score 24-24 at halftime. 

Lynchburg-Clay (8-5, 13-9) took the lead 19 seconds into the second frame with a basket by Binkley, and the next points in the game weren’t scored until the 5:42 mark of the quarter when Fairfield’s Collins drained a 3-pointer to push FHS back in front 14-13. 

That lead was short-lived with the Mustangs knocking down a 3-pointer as Shope pushed the Mustangs back ahead at the 5:15 mark of the quarter, 16-14.

Next was Fairfield sinking a 3-pointer — following a Lions timeout — with TJ Mootz (who totaled 11 points) pushing the Lions in front by a single point with 3:58 on the clock, only to see the Mustangs score the next four points with baskets by Binkley and Shope for a 20-17 lead. 

Again, the Lions weren’t backing down; instead, they tied the score at 20 points each when Collins sank a 3-pointer with 2:19 on the clock. 

Next came the milestone moment by Chisman as he battled his way for a one-handed basket in the paint with heavy pressure by Fairfield, scoring his aforementioned 1,000th career point, putting the Mustangs ahead 22-20. Chisman ended the game with 12 points to lead the Mustangs.

“It was great,” Chisman said of scoring the 1,000th point. “Early on, I missed a few shots, and then just finally got it and finally just felt the relief of the pressure to get it. Then I just kind of started playing and letting the game come to me a little bit better. I’d like to thank my family and teammates for always being there for me and helping me and just helping me be better at basketball.”

After a stop in the game to honor the Lynchburg-Clay senior with the game ball, the two teams went back to battle as the Lions tied the score at 22-22 off a basket by Friend, then he put FHS ahead by two points with another basket with just under a minute left before halftime. 

The Lions’ lead didn’t last as Binkley nailed a turnaround jumper with 26 seconds left in the quarter, tying the score at 24 points each at the midway point of the game. 

Fairfield outscored their rival, 12-8 in the third, building a four-point lead at 36-32. No lead in the quarter by either team was by more than four points, though it was the Lions scoring first in the third with two free throws by Mootz.

“A big thing I talked about at the half is we’ve got to do a better job reversing the ball quick and then attacking the gaps and trying to get TJ there in the middle in some gaps where he can use his size and speed. I thought he did a good job,” Williams said.

LCHS regained the lead with five straight points scored by Denver Clinton, as the freshman hit a two-point basket, then drilled a 3-pointer with 5:22 left in the quarter. Fairfield had the next five points to take a two-point lead with four points by Mootz and a free throw by Friend for a 31-29 lead with 2:59 left on the scoreboard. 

The Mustangs didn’t fold, as they regrouped and took back the lead after Chisman had a three-point play, moving the home team ahead, 32-31. But the Lions had yet another answer to the Mustangs’ momentum, ending the third with five consecutive points off a jumper by Friend and a 3-pointer from Gabe Fouch, putting the Lions ahead 36-32.

Scoring was scarce in the fourth quarter, especially early on as the first points of the fourth frame didn’t come until the 3:36 mark as Cade Miller stepped up with a clutch basket for a 38-32 Lions lead. 

Lynchburg-Clay continued to keep the score close as Chisman made two free-throw shots, and Ian Waits scored two points off a Fairfield turnover, making it a two-point deficit for LCHS with 2:03 left in regulation. 

Following a Fairfield timeout, a five-second violation on the Lions and a Mustangs turnover in a span of 20 seconds, the Lions had another clutch basket by Fouch, this time with a put-back basket with 1:22 remaining in the game, putting the Lions ahead by four points (40-36). 

An offensive foul was called on the Mustangs after they had just regained possession of the ball on a Fairfield turnover with 1:07 on the clock. No points were gained on the ensuing possession by Fairfield, and eventually Shope sank a jumper with 8.4 on the fourth-quarter clock for the Mustangs, making it a two-point game at 40-38 with the Lions still leading. 

Fairfield was fouled and Mootz went to the line, making both free-throw attempts. Chisman sank a 3-pointer later with 1.8 on the clock, putting the Mustangs down one point. Fairfield went back to the line after another foul, leading to Gunner Bennington making one of two attempts for the final 42-40 score. 

“It was a fun basketball game I haven’t seen this many people at a basketball game in quite a while, so this was a lot of fun,” Williams said. “My kids deserve this because they did it the right way, they’ve worked hard and they truly do love each other.

“I told them at the beginning of the season, like I said, just do things the right way people will come, fans will come, success will come, and they did things the right way. All glory to God and my kids. I don’t cry a whole lot, but they had me crying over here in the corner of the court and in the locker room.”

Callahan spoke about his team and how he liked the effort they showed. 

“I told the guys in the locker room, that’s the way you want to play, right? In front of a packed house on both sides of the gym. That's what makes this fun, and that's why you can't beat this. It was an incredible atmosphere,” Callahan said. “I thought our effort was good. We had some execution problems early, but I thought we played really well. Look, the only thing you can ask in any game is to have a chance at the end. Whether it was a three-quarters or full-court shot or whatever it is, we hit the shot, we win the game. So we had a chance to win the game, and that’s the only thing you can ask for. I was super proud of our boys.”

The Lions (13-0, 22-0) have now won 10 SHAC championships in their program history, their first since the 2018-19 season. 

Next for the Lions is their sectional tournament game on Feb. 24 at home against the winner of Symmes Valley and Sciotoville East.

Lynchburg-Clay will next play in the sectional tournament on Feb. 21 as they host Dawson-Bryant. 
 


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