The Fairfield Lady Eagles had three convincing wins and a closer final to take all four tournament games and earned top honors at the Fairfield Invitational Basketball Tournament at the Johnson Activity Center on the campus of Fairfield High School.
The Fairfield team opened tournament activity with a pool play game against the Wimberley Lady Texans.
Senior forward Blayke Brackens scored five early points, and Kaylee Williams added six quick points for an early 13-0 lead forcing a Lady Texan timeout. Kh’uria Forge scored twice in the paint and Williams hit a three at the end of the period for a 24-10 lead.
The Lady Eagles put the defensive clamps on Wimberly to add to an already large lead. Rhett Ralstin scored and Delaney McGowan hit a three pointer late in the period. The passing of the Lady Eagle offense produced quick points with scores from Kole Brackens, McGowan and Jacelynn Schmidt coming from passes from Ja’Maria Bass and Williams. The Lady Eagles won the period 20-2 and took a commanding 44-12 halftime lead.
The rotation of players in the second half allowed nine of the eleven rostered players to score in the 65-29 win. Blayke Brackens scored 14 to lead all scorers and Keke Alexander added ten in the win.
The second game was a lopsided Lady Eagle win over Dallas Life Oak. Fairfield got eight points from Blayke Brackens and nine from Alexander in the period. Schmidt added six and Williams tallied seven for a huge 36-3 lead at the end of the period. The game was long decided, and Fairfield had a 54-7 halftime lead. Brackens added eight more in the second, scoring all 16 of her points in the first half.
Schmidt and Forge led the way in the second half, and the Lady Eagles held the defensive pressure with a 17-3 halftime run and the 71-10 victory.
The Lady Eagles moved to the tournament semifinal and another matchup with the Lorena Lady Leopards. Fairfield had defeated them earlier in the season and Fairfield jumped out to a quick lead.
Williams and Delaney scored along with a tip-in from Kole Brackens and a three pointer by Blayke Brackes. The quick 10-0 run forced an early timeout for Lorena. Blayke Brackens, Schmidt and Williams completed the first quarter run and the Fairfield lead of 20-2 at the end of the first period.
Alexander slashed through the Lorena defense for a pair of scores in the second period and Blayke Brackens went on a 5-0 run and led 33-2. Lorena went on a 7-0 run to finish the first half and trailed the Lady Eagles 33-11.
Ray and Johnson hit three pointers and Jesperson hit four free throws and Lorena advanced on a 16-1 run to put the score closer. Alexander hit a three pointer and Williams and Schmidt scored to keep the lead at double digits and closed out a 52-31 win to advance to the tournament final against the Ponder Lady Lions.
The Lady Eagles jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead on scores from Kole Brackens and Williams.
Ponder had solid defensive pressure, holding Fairfield to only three of 12 shooting. The Lady Lions had two late scores to draw close and trail 10-7 after one.
The teams played even in the second period with inside scoring taking over in the frame. Kole Brackens and Schmidt scored, and the Lady Lions answered with a three pointer. Ponder took a 20-19 lead on a transition score and Blayke Brackens hit a shot in the final half minute to put the Lady Eagles ahead at the half 21-20.
Fairfield began the second half on a hot streak with Alexander scoring seven points in the first two minutes of the period. The defense set up the offense with Alexander scoring on steals and taking them the distance for the score. Ponder scored on five straight possessions to keep the game tight throughout the third period and the game was tied at 34-34 with Brackens passed to Williams for the score in the final minute and the Lady Eagles led 36-34.
The defense heated up in the final period and the Lady Eagles pulled away. Schmidt scored six points in the paint in the fourth, two coming off offensive rebounds. Blayke Brackens hit a three pointer and Fairfield only allowed one free throw in the final eight minutes. The second half run was 29-15 and 14-1 in the fourth to finish off the 50-35 win.
Alexander and Schmidt each scored 12 points in the tournament final, and the Lady Eagles swept their four games to earn the first place finish.
The Fairfield Lady Eagles are currently 1-0 in District 20-3A play and will take on the sixth ranked Buffalo Lady Bison on Tuesday at the Johnson Activity Center. The battle between two top ten teams will be the final district game before the Christmas break.
(Photos by Natalia V. Marsters)
