Lions fend off Greyhounds for SHAC victory
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — Fairfield and Manchester put the defense away for most of the game and charged full steam ahead with their offensive firepower, resulting in a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game that combined for 158 points, with the Lions defending Grandle Gymnasium, 84-74 Tuesday.
The SHAC win for the Lions (2-0, 3-1) saw both teams break out for 21 points apiece after the first quarter was complete, with the Lions jumping out to a 3-0 lead off a 3-pointer from Jensen Daulton. Daulton was one of five Lions players who finished in double figures, totaling 21 points (two 3-pointers), leading the team in scoring.
Tucker Ayres followed with 18 points, including making eight two-point baskets. For the game, the Lions shot 60 percent from the field on two-point field goals.
Others to score in double figures included Wyatt Evans with 14 points, while Cody Gragg and Jesse Current each scored 11 points. Rounding out the FHS scoring was Klay Walker with nine points, including two 3-pointers.
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As for the remainder of the first frame, the Greyhounds eventually tied the score at 9-9 at the 5:41 mark following a 3-pointer from Karlen Cox.
Both the Lions and Greyhounds continued to exchange the lead, until the score was tied for a second time at 19-19 with a free throw from Manchester’s Bryan Young at the 2:16 mark of the first for a 19-19 score.
MHS took a two-point lead, but with 49 seconds left in the opening frame, Ayres tied the score with the final points of the opening quarter at 21-21.
“I told the kids, after seeing (Manchester) last Saturday, it was going to be a horse race,” FHS head coach Everett Snyder said. “They (MHS) like to get down the floor, and there were times their kids would release it as soon as a shot would go up, and that’s difficult to get back and defend.
“We just had to pull the two guards out and tell them to get back to defend. A lot of times [Manchester] was going to the corners and we were going down the middle, so they were getting some shots off that we didn’t have a chance to defend. We shot very well, and they shot very well in that first quarter.”
The Lions opened the second with seven straight points from Walker, including two 3-pointers for a 28-21 lead with around 6:00 left in the second frame. FHS eventually increased their lead to eight points after two points by Evans with 3:48 on the scoreboard.
MHS cut the lead down to a single point at 31-30 around the 3:00 mark, then FHS increased their lead back to six points with a jumper by Walker and a 3-pointer from Daulton with 2:18 remaining in the opening frame.
By the time the first half ended, FHS built a 38-36 lead.
The Lions came out strong in the third frame, outscoring MHS, 25-18 with nine two-point field goals and going 7-of-9 from the free-throw line for a 63-54 advantage. At one point in the third, FHS built their lead to as high as 15 points with 1:49 left in the frame following a put-back basket from Current.
In the fourth, FHS kept their lead to no lower than six points, outscoring the Greyhounds, 21-20, including eight points from Ayres.
For the game, the Lions finished 12-of-19 (63 percent) from the free-throw line and made four 3-pointers. MHS was 13-of-19 in their free throw attempts, while totaling nine 3-pointers.
Young led the Greyhounds with 24 points, making 10 two-point baskets and four free throws. Cox totaled 22 points, with five 3-pointers, three free throws and two two-point field goals.
Colton Thornburg also finished in double figures for MHS with 13 points (two 3-pointers).
The Lions have a busy week the rest of the way, playing at home on Wednesday vs. Georgetown in non-conference play and Friday at Fayetteville in SHAC action.
In JV play, the Lions won 57-44. James Bentley led the Lions with 22 points, while Sam Buddelmeyer finished with 21 points. Bennett Hodson followed with eight points, Phoenix Taylor with four and Austin Setty rounded out the JV scoring with two points.
The SHAC win for the Lions (2-0, 3-1) saw both teams break out for 21 points apiece after the first quarter was complete, with the Lions jumping out to a 3-0 lead off a 3-pointer from Jensen Daulton. Daulton was one of five Lions players who finished in double figures, totaling 21 points (two 3-pointers), leading the team in scoring.
Tucker Ayres followed with 18 points, including making eight two-point baskets. For the game, the Lions shot 60 percent from the field on two-point field goals.
Others to score in double figures included Wyatt Evans with 14 points, while Cody Gragg and Jesse Current each scored 11 points. Rounding out the FHS scoring was Klay Walker with nine points, including two 3-pointers.
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As for the remainder of the first frame, the Greyhounds eventually tied the score at 9-9 at the 5:41 mark following a 3-pointer from Karlen Cox.
Both the Lions and Greyhounds continued to exchange the lead, until the score was tied for a second time at 19-19 with a free throw from Manchester’s Bryan Young at the 2:16 mark of the first for a 19-19 score.
MHS took a two-point lead, but with 49 seconds left in the opening frame, Ayres tied the score with the final points of the opening quarter at 21-21.
“I told the kids, after seeing (Manchester) last Saturday, it was going to be a horse race,” FHS head coach Everett Snyder said. “They (MHS) like to get down the floor, and there were times their kids would release it as soon as a shot would go up, and that’s difficult to get back and defend.
“We just had to pull the two guards out and tell them to get back to defend. A lot of times [Manchester] was going to the corners and we were going down the middle, so they were getting some shots off that we didn’t have a chance to defend. We shot very well, and they shot very well in that first quarter.”
The Lions opened the second with seven straight points from Walker, including two 3-pointers for a 28-21 lead with around 6:00 left in the second frame. FHS eventually increased their lead to eight points after two points by Evans with 3:48 on the scoreboard.
MHS cut the lead down to a single point at 31-30 around the 3:00 mark, then FHS increased their lead back to six points with a jumper by Walker and a 3-pointer from Daulton with 2:18 remaining in the opening frame.
By the time the first half ended, FHS built a 38-36 lead.
The Lions came out strong in the third frame, outscoring MHS, 25-18 with nine two-point field goals and going 7-of-9 from the free-throw line for a 63-54 advantage. At one point in the third, FHS built their lead to as high as 15 points with 1:49 left in the frame following a put-back basket from Current.
In the fourth, FHS kept their lead to no lower than six points, outscoring the Greyhounds, 21-20, including eight points from Ayres.
For the game, the Lions finished 12-of-19 (63 percent) from the free-throw line and made four 3-pointers. MHS was 13-of-19 in their free throw attempts, while totaling nine 3-pointers.
Young led the Greyhounds with 24 points, making 10 two-point baskets and four free throws. Cox totaled 22 points, with five 3-pointers, three free throws and two two-point field goals.
Colton Thornburg also finished in double figures for MHS with 13 points (two 3-pointers).
The Lions have a busy week the rest of the way, playing at home on Wednesday vs. Georgetown in non-conference play and Friday at Fayetteville in SHAC action.
In JV play, the Lions won 57-44. James Bentley led the Lions with 22 points, while Sam Buddelmeyer finished with 21 points. Bennett Hodson followed with eight points, Phoenix Taylor with four and Austin Setty rounded out the JV scoring with two points.