The Fairfield Eagles took a step toward the district frontrunners with a sweep of the week, including an upset win on the road in Palestine.
On Tuesday, the Eagles hosted the Rusk Eagles, with only one win on the season. Fairfield jumped out to an early 10-0 lead on easy scores by Kobe Freeman and cuts to the basket by Kamren Griffin and Justin Abram. The shutout in the first period was held until the final buzzer when Rusk guard Foreman hit a three pointer at the buzzer to finish at 10- 3.
Simms hit a three pointer for Rusk to try and catch up with the Eagle offense but six points in the period by Freeman and a three pointer by Griffin kept the lead for Fairfield. Griffin took a rebound off the glass and went coast to coast with a score with 14 seconds remaining in the half and the Eagles led 24-8. A second buzzer beater was in store for Rusk and this time it was Jason Thompson from the top of the key and the Eagles led 24-11.
The Rusk Eagles began to mount a comeback with some Fairfield turnovers assisting the effort. Fairfield committed ten turnovers in the third period, and Simms hit three from long distance in the period, the second cutting the lead to 30-25. He would score 12 of his team’s 24 in the third and cut the lead to 38-35.
Tilley hit a short jumper to begin the final period to cut the lead to 38-37, but that was as close as they would get. Fairfield made seven of nine field goals in the fourth and pulled away for the 57-42 win.
Kobe Freeman led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds and Griffin had one of his best nights of his young career with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
The Friday night game was set for Palestine High School. The Wildcats have been a top 25 team all season and went into the contest a heavy favorite. Fairfield went into the game at 2-1 on the district season and they had their loss in common with the Wildcats, both losing to the Mexia Blackcats.
Fairfield jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead on a pair of scores from Tyler Smith, the second on a steal and score. Smith hit a three pointer and then Palestine scored on a couple of free throws to end the quarter but Smith finished the period with two more scores and totaled 11 and the Eagles led 15-11.
The Eagle attack had a different player take control and it paid off in the end on the road. Dreyon Barrett had a basket to cut the lead to 17-16 and Carl Daniels began to heat up the nets for the Eagles. He hit a pair of threes, one from the far corner and scored ten in the second and Marquis Thompson hit a three near the end of the half and the teams went into the locker room tied at 25-25.
Palestine began to take control in the beginning moments of the second half. Enoch Fatade hit a three and would go on to score 11 in the period. The Eagles kept pace with Freeman scoring off of passes into the paint and another on a followed miss by Daniels. Palestine made seven of 14 from the field in the third and the Eagles missed their last six in the period and fell behind 45-37 after three with the Wildcats on a 9-0 run.
Griffin and Daniels paired up for four quick points to cut the lead to 45-41 and Palestine answered with scores from Fatade and Barrett. Trailing 49-47, Smith buried a deep three pointer and the Eagles took the lead. Barrett tied the score with a one of two trip to the free throw line and Freeman answered with one free throw of two to regain the one point lead. Barrett hit a shot to give the Wildcats a one point lead and Freeman made one of two free throws in the final seconds to send the game to overtime tied at 52-52.
Palestine committed three costly turnovers in the overtime period, one of them an offensive foul on Quentin Cook. Freeman hit two of four free throws and Smith hit one of two and that would close out the huge road with for the Eagles 55-52.
The Eagles had a balanced scoring attack led by Freeman’s 16 points and 16 rebounds. Daniels and Smith scored 15 each. Fairfield pulls ahead of the Palestine Wildcats at 3-1 in district play, one game back of the district leader Mexia. Palestine is in third place at 2-2, with both losses at home, a rarity for Palestine Basketball. Fairfield will have only one district game next week at home on Friday against Mexia.
