Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
ATHENS — Sunday was personal for Fairfield.
In the past two seasons, the Lions have met with South Webster at some point in tournament play, only for the Jeeps to get the upper hand both times and end their season.
But the third meeting truly was the charm.
The Lions (18-6) connected on five triples in the first half and, although they nearly lost a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, they knocked down their free throws to secure a second district title in three years with a 60-51 victory on Sunday.
“We’ve had this marked on our calendar since we knew that if we made it to this stage, we’d match up against South Webster,” Fairfield coach Raymond Friend said. “It may not seem like a huge thing, but we felt that our guys got slighted with some postseason awards and we took that personally. Our goal was to come in and be the aggressor. We felt we were the better team, taking nothing away from South Webster, but we had much confidence and I couldn’t be happier for these kids.”
The Lions were never gun shy about letting it fly, either.
Brody Smith and Caleb Rice each connected twice from distance in the first quarter as the Lions started the night 4-of-5 from deep to give themselves a 16-9 lead before closing out the quarter with a 16-11 edge.
Rice was just getting warmed up, though.
He hit a pair of shots, alongside another from Quentin McIntosh, to open the second on a 6-2 run and extend the lead to 22-13. Rice later connected on another 3, alongside another from Smith, and a bucket inside from Griffin Friend, to go into halftime with a 30-19 advantage.
“We’re not scared. We want those shots from the inside out, and when someone is open, I have nothing but confidence in whoever it is to take, and make, the shot,” Friend said. “We put guys in positions to succeed, but they’re the ones who have to make the shots.”
The hot shooting continued in the third as Rice drilled his fourth triple. But the Jeeps (14-9), behind Brycin McClintic and Hunter Barnard, cut the deficit to 35-27.
PHOTOS: Images from Fairfield’s district championship win over South Webster
However, that little glimmer of hope quickly faded as Zach Ahsaruk drilled a 3 and scored inside to push Fairfield’s lead back into double digits.
McIntosh connected on a pair of buckets and Smith canned two free throws before Friend beat the buzzer on a shot to put Fairfield ahead 48-34 into the fourth.
“The good thing for us is that we played here last year. So this stage, and the bigger court, isn’t anything they haven’t seen before,” Raymond Friend said. “Still, playing at the Convo is special and a different experience from the visual since it’s much more open. We were playing fantastic basketball, sharing the ball, making shots and the energy was unreal.”
The Jeeps weren’t through just yet, though.
Hunter Barnard, who had just two points in the first half, got loose and it was game on.
He scored twice inside the paint, which was followed by a bucket from McClintic. Jaheim Fore and Barnard then each connected from deep to bring the Jeeps to within 52-49, courtesy of a 15-4 run.
Smith and Fore then traded buckets, but in the end, it was Fairfield’s night for victory as Friend knocked down 5-of-6 at the stripe to help lift the Lions into the Sweet 16.
“It all came down to the leaders of the team. Those guys were the ones on the floor keeping everything together and making the big plays when the game got tight,” Raymond Friend said. “They were not going to shy away from the moment, and everyone played so well. South Webster is such a well-disciplined, physical and fundamental team that made a great push in the end. But our guys weren’t letting this one go.”
Rice finished the night with 18 points to lead Fairfield, followed by 15 points and 10 rebounds from Friend. Smith also helped out with 13 points, six rebounds and six assists.
For South Webster, McClintic finished with a game-high 19 points and five boards, Barnard had 15 points and five rebounds, and Large ended the night with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Fairfield returns to action at 8 p.m. on Thursday in a Division VII regional semifinal against Shekinah Christian, who beat Genoa Christian in the Central District to advance.
That game will happen at Ohio Dominican University.
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