Lions blast away from Rockets for 1st win of season
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — Things got back to normal for the Fairfield Lions Tuesday night at Grandle Gymnasium. Headed into the Southern Hills League contest winless on the year, all of that was tossed aside after 32 minutes of basketball with the Lions gaining win No. 1 of the year, defeating the Fayetteville Rockets, 65-51.
The Lions lifted off in the first quarter with a 20-3 lead after eight minutes, and the Lions continued to add to their lead for the remainder of the game.
Fairfield's largest lead came with 6:23 left in the fourth quarter when they built a 30-point advantage at 61-31.
"I'll tell you who I am happy for, and that is the kids," Fairfield head coach Matt Carson said. "As adults, you hope that adults know how to be patient, which I do, I know how to be patient and that everything is at a timely process. I feel good for the kids, first and foremost because it's something they don't have to think about anymore. They got it out of the way, and now we can go play ball for the rest of the season."
The path to their first win for the Lions was full of turns. FHS began the season without senior standout Chris Cox for four games (due to injury), who has since returned to the starting lineup. They lost close games to rival teams, but on Tuesday all of that turned into lessons learned because the Lions opened the first eight minutes with pressure on both sides of the court.
"It's no coincidence we come out and play like we did after having four great practices in a row," Carson said. "When Chris had to sit, as a team they stepped up and that is a testament to the first four games we had to play without him. We lost two close games in that stretch, so they are comfortable. That is a good sign the rest of the way.
"Chris would be the first to say his teammates make him better, and he makes his teammates better. That is what makes us a special team, and hopefully we can use this as a springboard the rest of the way."
In the opening frame, Cameron Rolark and Quentin Williams scored the first five points, including a 3-pointer by Williams with 5:15 left in the quarter. Williams finished with nine points, going 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
The lead eventually turned into a 7-1 advantage with a put-back basket by Cox. Cox then had to sit the bench with two early fouls, but his teammates stepped up with 13-2 run to wrap up the first quarter. Those 13 points were scored by Rolark, Ian Adams and Williams. Rolark owned the first quarter with 11 points, including a 3-pointer with 3:39 left on the clock. Rolark finished with 18 points.
FHS (1-2, 1-6) fought off five straight points by the Rockets to start the second quarter but came back with points from Rolark (his second 3-pointer) and Cox to make the score 28-13 in favor of the Lions. Cox sank a 3-pointer at the 1:36 mark of the quarter. Cox finished with a game-high 24 points.
Fayetteville's Zach Durham sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer, ending the first half.
The Lions cleared the bench in the final two quarters, leading 53-28 after the third quarter wrapped up.
Cox broke out in the third, scoring 17 points, making his second 3-point basket with 5:30 left in the quarter. Also scoring in the third were Adams and Rolark.
In the fourth quarter, Fairfield gained points from Dakota Hargrave, Williams, Cody Ferrell, Ryan Evans and Cody Tolle. Ferrell scored the first four points of the fourth, while also taking a charge.
At the free-throw line, the Lions were 10-of-19. The Rockets were 14-of-24.
Fayetteville was led in scoring by D.J. Iles with 16 points, finishing 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Miah Call scored eight points, making two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Trevor Clark scored nine points.
One big thing for the Fairfield win was the use of their press defense.
"I don't know if we are a press team now. It's something we can use, but I want to get the ball up and down the floor. We were at our best in transition, and I thought the first and third quarter we made them take quick shots, and that is what we want," Carson said. "Hopefully the whole first quarter and most of the third quarter will be what you see is what you'll get."
In the first and third, the Lions scored 43 points, while holding the Rockets to 13 points.
The Lions will be back in action Wednesday night as they make up a game with the North Adams Green Devils from Dec. 17 at NAHS.[[In-content Ad]]
The Lions lifted off in the first quarter with a 20-3 lead after eight minutes, and the Lions continued to add to their lead for the remainder of the game.
Fairfield's largest lead came with 6:23 left in the fourth quarter when they built a 30-point advantage at 61-31.
"I'll tell you who I am happy for, and that is the kids," Fairfield head coach Matt Carson said. "As adults, you hope that adults know how to be patient, which I do, I know how to be patient and that everything is at a timely process. I feel good for the kids, first and foremost because it's something they don't have to think about anymore. They got it out of the way, and now we can go play ball for the rest of the season."
The path to their first win for the Lions was full of turns. FHS began the season without senior standout Chris Cox for four games (due to injury), who has since returned to the starting lineup. They lost close games to rival teams, but on Tuesday all of that turned into lessons learned because the Lions opened the first eight minutes with pressure on both sides of the court.
"It's no coincidence we come out and play like we did after having four great practices in a row," Carson said. "When Chris had to sit, as a team they stepped up and that is a testament to the first four games we had to play without him. We lost two close games in that stretch, so they are comfortable. That is a good sign the rest of the way.
"Chris would be the first to say his teammates make him better, and he makes his teammates better. That is what makes us a special team, and hopefully we can use this as a springboard the rest of the way."
In the opening frame, Cameron Rolark and Quentin Williams scored the first five points, including a 3-pointer by Williams with 5:15 left in the quarter. Williams finished with nine points, going 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
The lead eventually turned into a 7-1 advantage with a put-back basket by Cox. Cox then had to sit the bench with two early fouls, but his teammates stepped up with 13-2 run to wrap up the first quarter. Those 13 points were scored by Rolark, Ian Adams and Williams. Rolark owned the first quarter with 11 points, including a 3-pointer with 3:39 left on the clock. Rolark finished with 18 points.
FHS (1-2, 1-6) fought off five straight points by the Rockets to start the second quarter but came back with points from Rolark (his second 3-pointer) and Cox to make the score 28-13 in favor of the Lions. Cox sank a 3-pointer at the 1:36 mark of the quarter. Cox finished with a game-high 24 points.
Fayetteville's Zach Durham sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer, ending the first half.
The Lions cleared the bench in the final two quarters, leading 53-28 after the third quarter wrapped up.
Cox broke out in the third, scoring 17 points, making his second 3-point basket with 5:30 left in the quarter. Also scoring in the third were Adams and Rolark.
In the fourth quarter, Fairfield gained points from Dakota Hargrave, Williams, Cody Ferrell, Ryan Evans and Cody Tolle. Ferrell scored the first four points of the fourth, while also taking a charge.
At the free-throw line, the Lions were 10-of-19. The Rockets were 14-of-24.
Fayetteville was led in scoring by D.J. Iles with 16 points, finishing 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Miah Call scored eight points, making two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Trevor Clark scored nine points.
One big thing for the Fairfield win was the use of their press defense.
"I don't know if we are a press team now. It's something we can use, but I want to get the ball up and down the floor. We were at our best in transition, and I thought the first and third quarter we made them take quick shots, and that is what we want," Carson said. "Hopefully the whole first quarter and most of the third quarter will be what you see is what you'll get."
In the first and third, the Lions scored 43 points, while holding the Rockets to 13 points.
The Lions will be back in action Wednesday night as they make up a game with the North Adams Green Devils from Dec. 17 at NAHS.[[In-content Ad]]