A depleted Fairfield Eagle team split the week and stayed in the playoff hunt. The final week could force a one game playoff to determine fourth place.
Fairfield hosted the Palestine Wildcats Tuesday night at the Johnson Activity Center and needed to win to remain in the hunt for the final playoff spot.
Matt Wages and Enoch Fatade scored 10 of the first 13 points for the Wildcats and opened a slight lead. Fairfield remained close with scores from Kobe Freeman and Kolby Adams.
Fairfield trailed by four when Jaise Oliver had a steal and layup at the end of the first period 13-11.
The Eagles opened the second period by hitting five of their first seven from the field.
Kolbe Branch (left) scored three of them and Freeman scored on a put back. Branch added a three pointer.
Palestine countered with a couple of scores and good free throw shooting from Quentin Cook. The score ended up tied at the end of the half 28-28.
Palestine scored quickly in the third and Freeman answered to tie the game. Adams hit a three and Jordan Gibson had a steal and score near the end of the period.
Palestine hit three of their final five shots of the period and the score was still tied at the end of the third 41-41.
Wages hit a short jumper and a three pointer to open their largest lead of the game at 49-43. Branch countered with a pair of threes on two consecutive possessions to again tie the score for the seventh time in the contest.
Fairfield trailed by four and Oliver hit one of two free throws to tie the game for an eighth time. As time wound down under 20 seconds, Oliver drove the baseline and hit a shot and was fouled with under nine seconds to go. Oliver hit the free throw and the defense held off the final shot for the 56-53 win.
Oliver scored 14 points and Freeman added nine for the Eagles in the win.
The Fairfield win coupled with a Mexia loss at the buzzer to Madisonville in Mexia gave the Eagles a half game lead with two dates remaining.
Mexia played at home against district leader Athens and Fairfield had a home game against Madisonville and a road game at Athens next Tuesday.
Fairfield had only eight healthy players for the game Tuesday, but that total shrunk to seven on Friday with more illness and absences at Fairfield High School.
Freeman was inserted into the starting lineup, but it was not enough, and the Eagles fell 72-60 to the Madisonville Mustangs.
Jaise Oliver, Branch and Devin Cunningham each hit three pointers in the first period, but Tommy Holiday scored eight points in the period and the Mustangs had a six-point lead at the end of the first.
Sam Bennett topped the scoring in the second period with ten points and the Mustangs began to pull away.
Branch and Chad Rushin hit threes and kept the turnovers down, but the Mustangs added seven points to their lead and Fairfield trailed 36-23 at the half.
The Eagles did cut the lead under ten points with a pair of scores from Freeman. Nick Porter scored twice and hit all six of their free throws and added another six points for a commanding 52-34 lead.
Fairfield did put a solid fourth period together with five three pointers in the frame. Branch hit a pair and Adams, Bobby Carter (left) and Rushin hit one each. It was not enough, and the Mustangs left with a 72-60 win.
Branch scored 14 points to lead the Eagles and Freeman added 12 points and nine rebounds. Bennett scored 19 to lead all scorers.
Mexia lost to Athens and the Fairfield loss kept the Eagles with their half game lead. Fairfield travels to Athens on Tuesday and they must win to clinch fourth in the district standings.
If Fairfield loses on the road Tuesday, Mexia and Fairfield would be tied for fourth in district and then face a one game playoff for the final spot in the postseason.
(Photos by Melissa Lee)
