FAIRMONT – Fairmont’s Gabriel Washington and Derrick Baker came up with key plays in the final minute that lifted the Golden Tornadoes to a 52-45 Southeastern Conference boys basketball victory over West Bladen.
Three-point bombs by Washington and Cameron Sweat ballooned the Tornado lead to 45-36 with 5:54 left to play, but Knight junior Gary Parker muscled in a lay-up off of an assist from freshman Hezekiah Adams. Parker tacked on a free throw, and sophomore Malachi Allen drained a 3-point shot to slice the lead to 45-42.
After a Sweat lay-up, Knight senior Keshawn Ballard hit a free throw, and Parker flipped in a short jumper to narrow the lead to 47-45. The Knights missed a chance to tie at the foul line, and Washington canned a 16-footer. Baker stole the ball and raced for a lay-up and a 51-45 lead with 34 seconds on the clock.
Parker worked the paint for 22 points to lead the Knight attack. Allen just missed a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Sophomore Landon Stanley added 5 points, and senior Keshawn Ballard grabbed 5 rebounds.
Junior Ty’rus Morris topped the Fairmont scoring with 14 points, and Washington and Sweat finished with 9 points each.
Eight turnovers in the final period – 25 in the game – hampered the Knight offense. The Tornadoes held a 37-29 advantage on the boards, and neither team did much at the foul line – West (5 -16), Fairmont (4-17).
Adams scored a transition lay-up, and senior Travail Baldwin turned a Parker feed into a lay-up and a 4-4 tie. Parker drove for a lay-up, and Allen dropped in a follow then buried a 3-ball for an 11-10 West lead. A pair of Morris lay-ups vaulted Fairmont back in front 16-11 at the quarter break.
A Landon Cummings 3-ball and lay-ups by Tyrek Thompson and Morris stretched the Tornado lead to 23-11. West senior Josiah Brown answered with a lay-up, and Allen buried a 3-ball.
Stanley popped in a baseline runner, before Parker powered through the Tornado press for 3 lay-ups and 2 free throws that tied the game 26-26. Brown provided the assist on the tying lay-up. However Washington turned a steal into a 3-point play and a 29-26 Fairmont halftime lead.
Stanley nailed a pull-up 3-pointer to begin the 2nd half. Parker made a free throw, then converted another assist from Brown into a lay-up. Parker attacked the Tornado press for another lay-up and a 34-30 lead.
Back came the Tornadoes as lay-ups by Morris and Washington knotted the score, and Walker Chavis delivered a 3-point shot that pushed Fairmont ahead 37-34 at the quarter break.
The Knights, now 7-6 overall and 0-2 in SAC-7 play, will travel to Red Springs Monday night.
West Bladen 11 15 8 11 – 45
Fairmont 16 13 8 15 – 52
WEST BLADEN (45) – Hezekiah Adams 2, Josiah Brown 2, Landon Stanley 5, Malachi Allen 11, Keshawn Ballard 1, Gary Parker 22, Chase Williams, Travail Baldwin 2.
FAIRMONT (52) – Cameron Sweat 9, Landon Cummings 5. Gabriel Washington 9, Tyrek Thompson 4, Jaiden Blue, Ty’rus Morris 14, Jamari Watson 2, Walker Chavis 5, John Poe, Derrick Baker 2, Jacob Hunt 2.
About Author
