By John Clark
BLADENBORO – Junior Gabriel Washinton’s 3-point shot bounded high off the rim then fell straight through just ahead of the final buzzer Tuesday night as Fairmont overcame an 18-point deficit and edged West Bladen 47-44 in Southeastern Athletic Conference boys basketball action.
Junior Andre Moore and freshman Jackson Pait buried 3-point shots to stretch West Bladen’s lead to 40-22 with 1:25 left in the 3rd period. Fairmont senior Ty’rus Morris put back his own miss, and junior Tyrek Thompson drove for a 3-point play that trimmed the margin to 40-27 at the quarter break.
The Golden Tornadoes turned up the physicality on their full-court press at halftime and the bumping and banging forced 8 Knight turnovers in the 4th period and 13 in the 2nd half. Sophomore Xavier Johnson dropped in a trio of baskets, and junior Damajah McRae added 2 more. Johnson’s lay-up off of a turnover capped the 19-0 run that put Fairmont ahead 41-40 at the 2:24 mark.
Sophomore Chase Williams spun to the hoop and banked in a basket to vault West back on top 42-41. After freshman Tylik McCall’s steal, sophomore Hezekiah Adams flew down the lane for a lay-in and a 44-41 Knight lead with 1:46 on the clock.
McRae’s 3-ball tied the game 26 seconds later. Following a West turnover, Fairmont held the ball for the final shot.
Thompson scored 9 of his 13 points for Fairmont in the 3rd quarter. Johnson finished with 12 points, and McRae tallied all 7 of his points in the final period.
Williams led all scorers with 15 points, snared 7 rebounds and blocked 3 shots. Pait fired in four 3-balls and followed with 13 points, and Adams totaled 9 points and 2 assists. McCall grabbed 4 rebounds, and senior Walter Bealon had 3 rebounds.
“We just didn’t make enough plays down the stretch,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “We played not to lose instead of playing to win, and we quit going to the boards to rebound.”
An Adams assist produced a Williams lay-up to start the game, and McCall delivered a pass to Adams for a lay-up and an early 4-0 lead. Williams sank 2 free throws, a lay-up and a follow shot, and Adams dropped in a free throw to give West an 11-4 lead at the quarter break.
Issac McKellar’s baseline jumper pulled the Tornadoes to within 11-8, but a Williams assist resulted in a McCall lay-up. Bealon swished 2 free throws, and Pait and Williams hit one each.
A pair of Johnson transition buckets rallied Fairmont to within 17-12, but Adams drove for a baseline lay-up, and Pait nailed a pair of 3-point shots for a 25-12 lead. However Thompson’s follow shot beat the halftime buzzer and trimmed the margin to 25-14.
Pait bombed in another 3-pointer for a 28-16 West Bladen lead. Thompson answered with a pair of baskets, but Adams canned 2 foul shots then sent an assist to Williams for a lay-up. Williams knocked down a 16-footer to grow the lead to 34-20 with 3:41 on the 3rd quarter clock.
West Bladen, now 1-2 in SAC-7 play and 10-5 overall, will visit Red Springs Friday night. Fairmont improved to 2-2 in league play and 4-10 overall and will travel to East Bladen Friday night.
Fairmont 4 10 13 20 – 47
West Bladen 11 14 15 4 – 44
Fairmont (47) – Gabriel Washington 7, Xavier Johnson 12, Tyrek Thompson 13, Issac McKellar 2, Naishon Davis 2, Ty’rus Morris 2, Deborian Powell, Damajah McRae 7, Josiah Billings 2, Jalil Brown.
West Bladen (44) – Jackson Pait 13, Hezekiah Adams 9, Tylik McCall 2, Andre Moore 3, Cornelius Esters, Gary Parker, Walter Bealon 2, Chase Williams 15.
About Author
