Fayette County rallied from a six point fourth quarter deficit at home Tuesday to squeak past Banneker, 69-65.
Junior guard Adam Smith led all scorers with 23 points as the Tigers improved to 3-1 in Region 5-AAAA and 12-3 overall.
“In the preseason, I thought that Banneker would be one of the teams to beat in this region,� said Fayette Head Coach Andre Flynn.
“I know we’re in the rankings, but people forget just how young we are. Each game is a process and I think beating a tough Bannaker team with our defense down the stretch is a step in the right direction.�
Flynn started just one senior Tuesday, guard Anthony Harper. Armani Cato was the only other senior to see significant minutes for the fifth ranked Tigers.
It was juniors Maurice Williams and L.J. Erves who stepped up late in the game and carried Fayette to victory.
Quintavious Houston’s layup with just over three minutes remaining put the Trojans up 60-54. The, Fayette caught a break. Keenan Peterson, Banneker’s 6’8� center fouled out with an illegal screen.
Harper converted a pair of free throws, the Tigers got a stop and Williams drained a three from the corner. Suddenly the Tigers were right back in it.
“There were things that weren’t going our way, but I’m so proud of these kids because they stuck with it,� Flynn explained.
“They willed themselves to victory. That is what did it. If we can take those final three minutes and replicate them throughout an entire game, we’re going to be a very good team.�
After another defensive stand, Erves drove to the hoop converted, the layup and drew a foul. He missed the free throw, but Williams muscled inside for the rebound and banked in the putback, giving Fayette a 63-61 lead.
Banneker’s late threes would not fall. Two Harper free throws with 25 seconds to play sealed the Fayette victory.
Erves had 15 points to go along with Smith’s 23, but the Chapel Hill transfer again struggled from the line. Erves converted only two of eight free throws. Williams scored 14 and pulled down eight boards. Harper finished with nine points.
The two teams traded runs throughout the first half. The Tigers jumped out to a 10-6 early lead, but then let the Trojans rattle off 11 unanswered points.
Fayette then rallied for an 8-0 run to close out the first, highlighted by Smith’s second two-handed slam of the night.
Fayette led 34-31 at the half and trailed 49-48 after three.
With Banneker leading 56-52 and just over five minutes remaining, Flynn let his emotions get the best of him. On back to back Fayette possessions, Harper and Williams turned the ball over by stepping on the sideline. Flynn thought Harper was forced out of bounds by Banneker’s Houston. His grievance landed Banneker’s Sherrod Wade on the charity stripe for a pair of technical free throws.
“I hurt the team with that technical, but they came back and bailed me out,� Flynn stated.
The Tigers travel to seventh-ranked Lithia Springs Friday. The Lions were region runners up to Fayette a year ago. Lithia is one of two teams (along with Sandy Creek) to have an unblemished region record. |
