The Fairfield Eagles won a crucial game on the road and lost the game at home but remain in solid playoff contention as the second half of district play begins.
The Eagles travelled to Groesbeck to take on the Goats. Fairfield won the first meeting before the Christmas holiday 59-57 and a season sweep would continue to have the Eagles remaining a game back in the district standings.
Groesbeck center Braden Hurt scored seven of the opening nine points in the period, all of them coming off of offensive rebounds. Fairfield got three pointers from Pierre Allgood and Jy’ren Canady and hit all five free throws and took a 14-9 lead into the second period.
The Goats had two quick scores and cut the lead to 14-13 then Fairfield quickly scored on a Rex Bean short jumper to extend the lead to 16-13. Ca’zian Bradley hit two consecutive shots from long distance and which tied, and then took the lead at 24-21. The held the lead while trading scores, two from Camren Daniels and a Chris Cox three pointer. Daniels took the lead with some power as he threw down a slam dunk to take the lead 31-29. They would lead the game 33-30 at the halftime break.
Hurt and Allen Lewis put together a run that would give the Goats a lead. Daniels and Allgood answered and, near the end of the period, Jacorey Daniels passed to George Zimmerman for a score and the Eagles led 44-42 going into the fourth.
The Goats took the lead for the third time in the game with Hurt and Lewis with a steal and score to take the 48-46 lead. Jacorey Daniels had a score off an offensive rebound to remain in contention at 50-48. Fairfield scored on their last four possessions with Allgood and Zimmerman and led by as many as four. Hurt scored and cut the lead to one, but Zimmerman grabbed an offensive rebound off of a miss free throw and put the Eagles ahead 56-53 with only a few seconds remaining. Bradley missed a three pointer at the buzzer and the Eagles got the win and season sweep 56-53.
Pierre Allgood scored 21 points and dished four assist to lead the way. Braden Hurt tossed in 24 for the Goats and had 14 rebounds in the losing effort.
Fairfield returned to the Johnson Activity Center to take on the Franklin Lions, tied with Mexia for the district lead. The Eagles needed a win to earn a season split but they had to counter a decent scoring team in the Lions.
Josh Atomancezyk hit a quick score and took the early lead and Allgood counted with a short jumper. Devin Hidrago scored a couple of times which sandwiched another to take a lead. Colby Smith scored on an offensive put back and the Lions extended the lead. Jacorey Daniels hit a baseline three pointer to keep the game close but the Lions jumped out to a 14-7 lead.
The Eagles hit five of their first six in the second with good ball movement and shooting. Allgood hit the offensive glass with a score and Daniels hit another three from the baseline. He would add another for 13 points in the first half. Landon Lebouf and Jayden Jackson answered the scores with eight offensive rebounds and continued to lead the contest. Fairfield did shave one point off of the Lion lead and the Eagles trailed 31-25 at the half.
Hidrago did not have the usual high scoring game but he was managing to get into a rhythm in the third period. He scored three times in the period and the Eagles tried to keep pace. Camren Daniels had a slam dunk and Canady scored twice to keep the deficit at or around six. The lead would grow to eight on a turnaround jumper from eight feet from Lebouf and the Lions led 41-33 after three periods.
Great defensive pressure by the Eagles forced the Lions to miss their first six shots of the final period. Daniels and Canady scored and cut the lead to four. Later Jacorey Daniels hit a three pointer with hands in his face and tied the score at 45-45. Frag Owens and Atomancezyk hit threes to extend the lead back out to six (51-45). Fairfield had to give some fouls to put the Lions in the bonus and the Lions would hit three free throws to set the final score at 54-45.
The Mexia Blackcats remained tied with Franklin for the district lead. Fairfield drops to two games back in the standings. Fairfield will travel to Mexia for an important contest to remain in contact with the leaders. Buffalo, Teague and Groesbeck continue to remain in contention for a playoff spot and the other pivotal contest this next week a Teague home game against Mexia.
(Photos by Payton Botelho)
