The Fairfield Eagles split the two games in the week and remain close to playoff spots as the teams play in the first half of District 20-3A play.
Fairfield opened the week at the Johnson Activity Center and a date with the Elkhart Elks. Fairfield opened with Jd’yen Canady with a three pointer and a Pierre Algood steal and pass to Jason Brackens for the easy lay in. Fairfield jumped out to a quick double-digit lead in the contest and never looked back.
In the second half of the contest, Canady hit another from long distance and Kohl Collins had a big, blocked shot that started a fast break score. Josh George had a steal and score, and the Eagles won going away 70-36.
Fairfield travelled to Palestine on Friday to take on the 12th ranked Westwood Panthers. The Eagles went in as decided underdogs, but they would give the Panthers all they could handle, leading for more than half of the game.
Canady hit a three pointer and was immediately answered with a three from Kavian Bryant, the standout freshman sharpshooter from Westwood. Canady and Allgood had long shots and opened a 13-5 lead. Collins scored three times late in the period for seven of his season high 21 points to go along with a massive 24 rebounds. Westwood missed seven straight shots but had a late run to close to within a 22-14 deficit after one.
Canady opened the second with another three pointer, one of his four in the period and his 25-point night was well on its way. Daniel Robinson began to reign in the Eagles with a pair of three pointers and Bryant scored seven straight points. Canady’s fourth three of the period extended the lead to ten and then the Panthers made a late run to close the game to a 43-39 Fairfield lead.
The Eagles led the break with passes from Algood to Canady and from Madden McElroy to Collins for scores and Bryant would answer with a baseline highlight lay in. Bryant scored from the top to take a 50-49 lead for the Panthers with 3:28 remaining in the third period, their first of the game. Collins and Manny Brown scored to maintain a lead that would change four times. A pair of long threes by Bryant, who had 39 points at the time would put the Panthers up to stay 61-59 at the end of three.
Collins remained at the glass and had two offensive rebounds converted into scores, but they could not match the Panthers as the intensity and tension continued to mount, both on the floor and in the stands. Bryan scored eight more in the period to finish with a game high 47 points and the Panthers would take an 81-70 win to remain on top of the district standings.
Fairfield will return to the Johnson Activity Center on Tuesday to take on in-county rival Teague.
(Photos by Natalia V. Marsters)
Note: The icy weather saw the Teague games rescheduled to Wednesday. See next week’s print edition for pictures and sports coverage.
