Lions earn Chad Hodson Classic win over Western Latham

LEESBURG — In the sixth and final game of the 2026 Chad Hodson Classic, the host team Fairfield Lions defeated the Western Latham Indians 56-22 in a non-conference game Saturday night at Grandle Gymnasium at FHS, as the Lions made 10 3-pointers on their way to their fifth victory of the season. 

The Lions either led or were tied — at 10-10 with 1:55 left in the first quarter — the entire game, and they held a five-point lead at the end of the first quarter at 15-10. At halftime, the Lions held a 25-12 advantage. In the second half, the game really went Fairfield’s way as they led 44-18 after the third frame, and they ended the game with a 34-point win as they outscored the Indians 12-4 in the fourth quarter. 

Fairfield struck first with a three-point play from senior Quentin McIntosh 21 seconds into the contest, then after a WHS basket, junior Griffin Friend drilled a 3-pointer, followed by junior Brody Smith making a shot while falling to the ground in the paint for an 8-2 lead with 6:17 still left in the first quarter. 

Smith ended the game with 17 points, totaling three 3-pointers and four two-pointers. Friend finished with seven points off a 3-pointer, a two-pointer and he was 2-of-5 from the free-throw line.  

The Indians scored the next five points, but that short scoring run was broken up with a basket in the paint from Smith, only to see the Indians tie the score at 10-10 with a basket of their own. 

Fairfield scored the final five points of the first quarter with a 3-pointer by junior Caleb Rice at the 1:41 mark, then it was Rice again with a spin and layup with 1:14 on the clock for the final points of the first frame and a five-point FHS lead. Rice led the Lions with 21 points, draining four 3-pointers, four two-point baskets and he was 1-of-2 from the free-throw line as he was the Fairfield game MVP. 

The Lions (5-3) outscored WHS 10-2 in the second quarter with all 10 of Fairfield’s points being scored before the Indians scored theirs. The Lions began the second with back-to-back 3-pointers from Smith, with his second of the two shots falling at the 6:59 mark of the quarter for a 21-10 advantage. 

Then it was Rice taking the ball the length of the court for two points, and after a timeout by the visitors, Smith made a layup with 2:19 left in the quarter for a 15-point Fairfield lead at 25-10. The Indians scored their lone basket of the second quarter with 1:05 remaining in the first half for a 25-12 score that stood at halftime. 

Fairfield opened the third with a bucket by Rice, and after a three-point play by the Indians, Rice, again, scored points with consecutive 3-pointers from the same corner of the court in front of the Lions’ student section and bench for a 33-15 lead with 3:45 on the third-quarter clock. 

Next, it was a 3-pointer by senior Zach Ahsaruk from the same spot as Rice’s threes for a 36-15 lead. A timeout was called, which didn’t affect the home team, as Smith sank a bucket. After the Indians made a 3-pointer of their own, it was the Lions still draining the long ball with a 3-pointer from junior Landyn Hoskins, and Smith ended the frame with a 3-pointer at the top of the key for a 44-18 lead. 

With the game in hand, the Lions put their final mark on the win with points in the fourth quarter scored by Rice, Friend and Hoskins for the 56-22 victory. 

The Indians (3-3) were led in scoring by Foster Davis with 10 points, followed by Landon Owens with five points, Brayden Jones with three points, and with two points each were Josiah Satterfield and Christian Hawk. 

Next for the Lions (2-3, 5-3) is a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game on Tuesday, Jan 6 on the road against West Union (1-4, 1-6). 

BOX SCORE 
WHS    10 02 06 04 — 22
FHS    15 10 19 12 — 56

FAIRFIELD (56) — B.Smith 4 (3) 0-0 17, C.Rice 4 (4) 1-2 21, G.Friend 1 (1) 2-5 7, Z.Ahsaruk 0 (1) 0-0 3, L.Hoskins 1 (1) 0-0 5, Q.McIntosh 1 (0) 1-2 3. TOTALS: 11 (10) 4-9 56. 

WESTERN (22) — B.Jones 0 (1) 0-0 3, L.Owens 1 (1) 0-0 5, J.Satterfield 1 (0) 0-2 2, C.Hawk 1 (0) 0-0 2, F.Davis 3 (1) 1-2 10. TOTALS: 6 (3) 1-4 22.