Senior guard Isaiah Inman poured in 15 of his game-high 18 points in the first half as Fairmont built a 39-20 halftime lead en route to a 71-47 non-conference boys basketball victory over visiting West Bladen Wednesday night.
Junior guard Jarique Moore tallied 10 of his 14 points in the first half. Inman and Moore bombed in a pair of 3-point shots each as the Tornadoes connected for six 3-point shots in the half.
The game matched a pair of unbeaten teams who met in a Class 2A Sectional Final last year – a game Fairmont narrowly won 58-54. However, three Knight starters graduated from last year’s team.
West Bladen senior Stefan McDonald canned 2 foul shots to start the game, and junior Sayaun Dent drilled in a 3-pointer from the corner. A Dent free throw gave the Knights an early 6-2 lead.
Inman drained a pair of 3-balls and put back a rebound, and Moore turned a steal into a lay-up then nailed a 3-pointer for a 15-6 Fairmont lead.
McDonald’s driving lay-up pulled West to within 15-8 at the quarter break.
Senior Alshaquan Williams who finished with 12 points began the second period with 2 foul shots. Inman scored on a goal-tending call against the Knights, but Dent drove for a West Bladen basket.
Inman popped in a short jumper, Williams slammed in a dunk and Moore connected on a 3-ball as the margin swelled to 26-10.
McDonald answered with a pair of foul shots, and sophmore Shaquille Johnson nailed a jumper from the key to pull West within 26-14.
McDonald drove for a lay-up, and sophmore Jonathan Robinson powered in a turn-around and tacked on a free throw to keep the margin at 33-19. Fairmont led 39-20 at halftime.
Dent fired in a 3-pointer, and junior John Bowen pumped in a short jumper to highlight the Knights third period scoring. The period ended with Fairmont on top 51-27.
Bowen broke loose for 12 of his team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter. The 6-6 junior buried a pair of 3-point shots, canned a foul line jumper and put back a pair of rebound baskets. Bowen also grabbed a team-high 8 rebounds in the game.
Senior Will Lambeth muscled in a follow and drove for a lay-up in the quarter and finished with 5 points on the night. McDonald totaled 11 points in the game, and Dent racked up 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
West Bladen, now 2-1, will host Purnell Swett Friday night.
West Bladen (47) – Kalvin Page 2, Jimmy Williams, Keshawn Lewis, Michael Guyton, Daquan Lennon, Stefan McDonald 11, Sayaun Dent 10, Malique McDowell, Shaquille Johnson 2, Jonathan Russ, Jonathan Robinson 3, Will Lambeth 5, John Bowen 14.
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