The Fairfield Eagles fell to district opponents and are a game back of the final playoff spot as the regular season ends on Tuesday. Teague leads the Eagles by a single game and will face a difficult matchup in the regular season finale.
On Tuesday, district leader Palestine Westwood visited the Johnson Activity Center to take on the Eagles. Brandon Russell and Daniel Robinson scored early to put the Panthers ahead in the contest. Kohl Collins and Jy’den Canady teamed up for ten of the first twelve Eagle points in the first period. Freshman guard Kavian Bryant hit three trays and scored 15 in the period to give the Panthers a 21-12 lead after one period.
Westwood extended the lead in the second period with scores on the first five possessions for the Panthers. Manny Brown hit a three pointer to try and keep things close and Josh George scored six in the period. Westwood scored on four of the final six shots of the second and took a 43-28 halftime lead.
The teams matched scores in the early moments of the second half with a three pointer each from Brown and George. Canady hit Pierre Algood cutting to the basket for a score and cut the lead to under ten. In the final seconds, Collins scored on a short jumper and then full court pressure forced a turnover and George hit a long three pointer at the buzzer, cutting the lead to 55-51 heading into the final period.
Neither teams could convert on fast break opportunities in the first couple of minutes of the final period. Russell scored from close range to take a 60-52 lead. Westwood hit six of seven free throws in the fourth, including a technical foul on the Fairfield bench and the Panthers closed out a 72-59 win. Collins scored 18 points in the game and pulled down nine rebounds.
Teague and Fairfield were tied going into Friday’s game in Teague and the Eagles were going for the season sweep and a playoff clinching win on Senior night.
The Lions jumped out to a quick lead on a three pointer by Brayden Leija and the Eagles matched that and George added his second three pointer in the first four minutes to take the lead. Canady and Davonte Alexander had threes to end the period and the Eagles exploded for 27 points in the period to take a 27-16 lead.
Canady built the lead to 30-16 when his three-pointer hit paydirt. Algood added a pair from long distance and the lead grew to 43-23. The Teague Lions would go on a 24-4 run to erase the lead into the third period. Nick Barrentine hit a pair of three pointers to cut the lead to four. A quick steal and another from Barrentine cut the lead to 48-47. Clifford Coleman and Jehmel Rice scored on a couple of Eagle turnovers to take a 58-55 lead after three periods.
Teague kept the hot shooting into the fourth period, hitting seven of eleven in the period and the Eagles missed their final ten shots from the field and the Lions won the game 75-63.
Leija scored 22 in the game to lead the way, Rice scored 14 and the Lions take a one game lead over the Fairfield Eagles. Palestine Westwood, Franklin and Mexia have clinched playoff spots.
SHOWING OF SOME MOVES during last week’s Parent Night at Fairfield High School’s JAC court is FHS Senior, Pierre Algood (#1).
Teague will finish in Westwood and a win will clinch the final spot. Fairfield will take on Buffalo and need to win and have Teague lose. If that combination happens, the teams would be tied and have to play a one game playoff to determine the final playoff spot. Franklin can clinch the district outright with a win in Mexia on Tuesday. A Blackcat win would force a share of the district title and all three tri-champions must determine if they will play for their respective seedings for the postseason.
(Photos by Natalia V. Marsters)
