District Final Preview: Lions to face Valley Friday night in regular-season rematch
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — For a third consecutive season, the Fairfield Lions will be playing in the Division IV SE District Finals, as they will be taking on the No. 2 seeded Lucasville Valley Indians, with the game taking place Friday night, March 4 at 9 p.m. at Wellston High School.
For the No. 6 seeded Lions — who are 15-5 overall this season — they have a .750 winning percentage this season (combined with the postseason), as they are averaging 55.9 points per game while allowing 40.9 ppg.
The Lions also this season went 10-2 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC) and were second place in Division I of the conference, trailing only Eastern in the standings.
These two teams met on Nov. 30, 2021 in the second game of the season where Valley defeated Fairfield, 78-54. In that game, the Lions shot 33.9 percent from the field and were 8-of-14 from the free-throw line.
But a lot has changed since game two for the Fairfield Lions, as they went from starting the season at 0-2 to gaining 15 wins and only three more losses since that late November game.
In their most recent game, the Lions — who are coached by Josh Howland — defeated the No. 3 seeded Symmes Valley Vikings, 61-42 in the district finals last Saturday, where the Lions saw four players score no fewer than 13 points. Jon Bentley, Tytis Cannon and TJ Mootz all scored 13 points, while the scoring leader was Reese Teeters with 16 points.
That game also saw Cannon collect a team-best five rebounds in the win, while Teeters had four boards. Cannon and Brayden Zimmerman each led Fairfield with five assists in the district final win, and as a team the Lions shot 59 percent from the field as they were 23-of-39 overall and 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. That game also saw Fairfield shoot 75 percent from the free-throw line at 9-of-12.
Individually for the Lions, in 20 games this season Cannon has scored 293 points his junior season with an average of 14.7 ppg. He also has made 35 3-pointers and shot 85.7 percent from the free-throw line. Cannon in the ’21-22 season is also averaging 6.1 rebounds per game, 2.6 steals per game and 2.6 assists per game.
Teeters this season has played in 20 games where he’s averaging 13.7 ppg (274 points) with a 3-pointer percentage of 42.6 percent (23-of-54) and a field goal shooting percentage of 44.8 percent. Teeters is also averaging 5.1 rpg, 1.6 spg and 1.8 apg.
Jon Bentley in 18 games for the Fairfield Lions is shooting 46.2 percent, while also making 16 3-pointers and making 78.6 percent of his free-throw attempts. On defense is where Bentley has also shined this season, as he’s averaging 3.7 rpg, and he has 1.6 spg, plus the senior is also averaging 1.3 assists per game to go with his 8.1 ppg.
Koben Zink is shooting 44.5 percent from the field for Fairfield and 32.8 percent with his 3-pointer attempts, making 20 for the season. Zink has also shot 73.3 percent from the free-throw line, all while averaging 5.5 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 apg and 7.3 ppg.
Brayden Zimmerman for the Lions averages 3.2 rpg and 4.3 apg, plus 2.1 spg, as he’s also made 12 3-pointers in 19 games while averaging 3.5 ppg.
There is also T.J. Mootz, who has played an important role with the Lions this season, averaging 7.2 ppg with 2.5 rpg in 19 games. He’s made 51.7 percent of his shots this season (45-of-87) and 30 3-pointers for a 46.9-percent 3-pointer average in the ’21-22 season.
Also contributing for the Lions this season have been Gunnar Bennington, Wyatt Collins, Gabe Fouch, Larkin Friend, Trey House and Cade Miller.
This postseason, the Lions have not only defeated Symmes Valley, but also Paint Valley by a 54-32 score in a sectional final game played at Grandle Gymnasium in Leesburg.
Valley enters the Division IV district finals with a 19-4 overall record, as they were third place in the Southern Ohio Conference II with a 12-4 mark. In tournament play, Valley has defeated the Glenwood New Boston Tigers (78-46) and the South Webster Jeeps (68-56).
In their most recent tournament game win over South Webster, Valley saw George Arnett lead the way with 20 points, while Jace Copley finished with 14 points, and he was followed by Stuart with a 13-point effort. Carter Nickel also scored in double figures with 11 points.
Also in Valley’s win over South Webster in their district semifinal game as a team, they made two 3-pointers with Arnett and Copley each making those baskets.
This will be Fairfield’s third straight district final game as the previous two seasons they faced Glouster Trimble in both games, resulting in losses.
Fairfield most recent district championship was during the 2013-14 season where they were a No. 2 seed and defeated No. 4 seeded Paint Valley, 61-51.
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For the No. 6 seeded Lions — who are 15-5 overall this season — they have a .750 winning percentage this season (combined with the postseason), as they are averaging 55.9 points per game while allowing 40.9 ppg.
The Lions also this season went 10-2 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC) and were second place in Division I of the conference, trailing only Eastern in the standings.
These two teams met on Nov. 30, 2021 in the second game of the season where Valley defeated Fairfield, 78-54. In that game, the Lions shot 33.9 percent from the field and were 8-of-14 from the free-throw line.
But a lot has changed since game two for the Fairfield Lions, as they went from starting the season at 0-2 to gaining 15 wins and only three more losses since that late November game.
In their most recent game, the Lions — who are coached by Josh Howland — defeated the No. 3 seeded Symmes Valley Vikings, 61-42 in the district finals last Saturday, where the Lions saw four players score no fewer than 13 points. Jon Bentley, Tytis Cannon and TJ Mootz all scored 13 points, while the scoring leader was Reese Teeters with 16 points.
That game also saw Cannon collect a team-best five rebounds in the win, while Teeters had four boards. Cannon and Brayden Zimmerman each led Fairfield with five assists in the district final win, and as a team the Lions shot 59 percent from the field as they were 23-of-39 overall and 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. That game also saw Fairfield shoot 75 percent from the free-throw line at 9-of-12.
Individually for the Lions, in 20 games this season Cannon has scored 293 points his junior season with an average of 14.7 ppg. He also has made 35 3-pointers and shot 85.7 percent from the free-throw line. Cannon in the ’21-22 season is also averaging 6.1 rebounds per game, 2.6 steals per game and 2.6 assists per game.
Teeters this season has played in 20 games where he’s averaging 13.7 ppg (274 points) with a 3-pointer percentage of 42.6 percent (23-of-54) and a field goal shooting percentage of 44.8 percent. Teeters is also averaging 5.1 rpg, 1.6 spg and 1.8 apg.
Jon Bentley in 18 games for the Fairfield Lions is shooting 46.2 percent, while also making 16 3-pointers and making 78.6 percent of his free-throw attempts. On defense is where Bentley has also shined this season, as he’s averaging 3.7 rpg, and he has 1.6 spg, plus the senior is also averaging 1.3 assists per game to go with his 8.1 ppg.
Koben Zink is shooting 44.5 percent from the field for Fairfield and 32.8 percent with his 3-pointer attempts, making 20 for the season. Zink has also shot 73.3 percent from the free-throw line, all while averaging 5.5 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 apg and 7.3 ppg.
Brayden Zimmerman for the Lions averages 3.2 rpg and 4.3 apg, plus 2.1 spg, as he’s also made 12 3-pointers in 19 games while averaging 3.5 ppg.
There is also T.J. Mootz, who has played an important role with the Lions this season, averaging 7.2 ppg with 2.5 rpg in 19 games. He’s made 51.7 percent of his shots this season (45-of-87) and 30 3-pointers for a 46.9-percent 3-pointer average in the ’21-22 season.
Also contributing for the Lions this season have been Gunnar Bennington, Wyatt Collins, Gabe Fouch, Larkin Friend, Trey House and Cade Miller.
This postseason, the Lions have not only defeated Symmes Valley, but also Paint Valley by a 54-32 score in a sectional final game played at Grandle Gymnasium in Leesburg.
Valley enters the Division IV district finals with a 19-4 overall record, as they were third place in the Southern Ohio Conference II with a 12-4 mark. In tournament play, Valley has defeated the Glenwood New Boston Tigers (78-46) and the South Webster Jeeps (68-56).
In their most recent tournament game win over South Webster, Valley saw George Arnett lead the way with 20 points, while Jace Copley finished with 14 points, and he was followed by Stuart with a 13-point effort. Carter Nickel also scored in double figures with 11 points.
Also in Valley’s win over South Webster in their district semifinal game as a team, they made two 3-pointers with Arnett and Copley each making those baskets.
This will be Fairfield’s third straight district final game as the previous two seasons they faced Glouster Trimble in both games, resulting in losses.
Fairfield most recent district championship was during the 2013-14 season where they were a No. 2 seed and defeated No. 4 seeded Paint Valley, 61-51.
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