The Fairfield Eagles stayed close until the final period and lost their final regular season game on the road to district champion Palestine 52-36. Fairfield heads to the playoffs next Tuesday night.
Both teams were having trouble getting started but the Eagles took an early lead on a Kobe Freeman score and foul shot and a three pointer by Kadarius Walker for the 6-2 lead. Wildcat guard Matt Wages scored the final seven points of the quarter and Palestine led 9-6. The Eagles shot 10% (2-20) from the field in the first period.
Wages hit a three pointer to open the second period but Jaise Oliver countered with a pair of scores to keep the Eagles close. Quentin Cook scored and was fouled, and Deckard hit a three to open a slim lead. Devin Cunningham and Walker scored near the end of the quarter and the teams went to the locker with Palestine holding onto a 20-16 halftime lead.
The Wildcats had a big second half in the first meeting in Fairfield a couple of weeks ago and the Eagles missed their first eight shots from the field on the road. Palestine hit their final six shots of the third, three from center D’Michael Bellfield and won the quarter 16-5 and extended the lead to 36-21 at the end of the third period.
Fairfield had one final push and closed the gap to ten during the final moments. Oliver scored ten in the period, but a pair of Wages three pointers kept a Wildcat lead and eventual win 52-36.
The Fairfield Eagles fell into a tie for second with the Mexia Blackcats. The teams chose to flip a coin for the position since the Blackcats played on consecutive nights with wins over Madisonville and Rusk to finish the season at 5-3. Fairfield won the flip and took the second-place position and will face District 20-4A third place finisher Huntington Red Devils. The game is set for a 6:00 p.m. start at Crockett High School.
