FAIRMONT – Fairmont began the second half with a 12-1 spurt that snowballed into a 21-5 surge and eventual 63-34 non-conference basketball victory Monday night over West Bladen that ended the Knights 13-game winning streak.
Derrick Arnette drilled in a pair of 3-point shots and added a lay-up to key the third quarter run that stretched a 23-20 halftime lead out to 35-21. Kaheem Pittman scored twice in the paint, and Corie Sinclair drilled a 3-pointer for a 44-25 Fairmont lead.
Senior Kalvin Page raced for a lay-up in transition, and Page and seniors John Bowen and Sayaun Dent netted a free throw each for the only Knight points in the period.
Dent sent an assist to junior Jonathan Robinson for a lay-up, made a free throw and turned an assist from Page into a lay-up in the final quarter. Bowen slammed in a dunk off of a steal, and freshman Tyre Boykin and Drew Harris cashed in free throws for the final Knight points.
“Those little things that we talked about after the East Bladen game continued to be a problem tonight,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “We came out soft, and they whipped our butts. Fairmont was playing short-handed (without Jarique Moore) and they did a great job.”
Dent topped the Knight scoring with 15 points. Page added 6 points, and John Bowen finished with 5. Robinson led the Knights on the boards with 6 rebounds. Page, Dent and Keshawn Lewis grabbed 5 rebounds each, and John Bowen and Jimmy Williams added 4 rebounds each.
Arnette fired in a trio of 3-point shots and led the Tornadoes with 18 points. Sinclair and Sidney McKeithan finished with 10 points each. Fairmont connected on eight 3-point shots in the game.
Dent banked in a runner and drilled a baseline 16-footer to give the Knights an early 5-4 lead. Dent bombed in a 3-pointer to keep West within 9-8, but Brent McDonald’s 3-pointer padded Fairmont’s lead to 12-8 at the quarter break.
The Knights opened the second period with a 9-0 run. Dent put back a rebound then stole the ball and pitched ahead to John Bowen for a lay-up. A Robinson pass found Dent inside for a lay-up, and junior Scott Bowen nailed a 3-point shot for a 17-12 West lead 4:48 before halftime.
Arnette drove for a 3-point play, and Sinclair turned a steal into a lay-up. Page drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to put West up 20-18. Sinclair beat the buzzer with a long 3-ball that put the Tornadoes on top 23-20 at halftime.
The Knights, now 13-3, will host Clinton Thursday night in a battle for first place in the Four County Conference.
West Bladen (34) – Kalvin Page 6, Scott Bowen 4, Jimmy Williams, Keshawn Lewis, Masai Carroway, Tyre Boykin 1, Drew Harris 1, Sayaun Dent 15, Fred Walters, Gerardo Reyes, Jonathan Robinson 2, John Bowen 5.
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