Fairfield Lions advance to district finals; upset No. 3 seeded Federal Hocking
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Fairfield Lions are peaking at the right time, as they are becoming the upset artists of the 2021 Division IV tournament. This time they handed the No. 3 seeded Federal Hocking Lancers a district semifinal loss by a 62-49 score Wednesday at Federal Hocking.
The Lions led at the end the first frame by a 13-12 score and at halftime by a 27-26 advantage. Both teams were tied at 38 once the third frame ended, but the fourth quarter is where everything changed, with the Lions outscoring the Lancers, 24-11 in the final eight minutes for the district semifinal win.
Fairfield (10-11) not only won the final frame by 13 points, but they dominated the start of the final quarter, having a 16-0 run, even with the Lancers calling a timeout when the run reached seven consecutive points at the 6:04 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Lions broke the 38-38 score when Connor Priest scored two points in the paint to start the fourth frame, and that was followed with a 3-pointer from Koben Zink, as the shot came from the corner of the court for a 43-38 lead with 7:03 on the clock.
Next was a layup by Jon Bentley, forcing Federal Hocking to call a timeout on their home court. The Lions eventually continued their scoring run with another 3-pointer from Zink, then it was Priest sinking a basket for two points off a forced turnover by the Lions for a 50-38 advantage. Zink added two more points on a put-back basket off a missed free throw by the Lions, increasing their lead to 52-38.
The final points of the game-changing scoring run by the Lions came with a layup by Reese Teeters — who was on fire all game long with 21 total points — on a fast break for a 54-38 lead.
Federal Hocking finally broke the scoring run with a 3-pointer, but the Lions responded with two points by Bentley and later a bucket by Zink lifted the Lions’ lead back to 16 points with 2:40 left in regulation.
Later in the frame it was Bentley again with two points, and Zink also had another two-point basket with 1:20 on the clock for the final points scored by the Lions in the district semifinal win. Zink finished the game with 14 points, while Bentley scored 13 points in the win.
Other final scoring totals for the Lions included seven points for Priest, three points from Brayden Zimmerman and two points each from Tucker Watson and Caleb Payne.
In the opening frame for the Lions, they led 13-12 at the end of the quarter, as they had their first points of the game scored by Teeters and later took a 4-2 lead with a basket by Bentley. After the score was tied at 4-4, Bentley sank a 3-pointer for Fairfield, and later a layup by Teeters left the Lions in front at 9-5.
Watson followed with a two-point basket, and after five points by the Lancers, Teeter made two free throws for a 13-10 Lions lead. Federal Hocking ended the first with the final points scored, for a one-point Fairfield advantage.
In the second frame, the score was tied at 16 and 18, but Fairfield didn’t trail for the remainder of the quarter when Priest sank a 3-pointer with 4:50 on the clock for a 21-18 lead.
Also scoring points in the second frame for the Lions was Teeters, as he scored 11 points in the quarter, including a 3-pointer, along with four two-point baskets.
Federal Hocking won the third frame at 12-11, leaving the score tied at 38. For the Lions, they lost the lead at the start of the third, as the Lancers went on a 6-0 run to start the frame, taking a 32-27 lead.
The Lions responded with a big 3-point basket by Zimmerman, but eventually the Lancers took a 38-32 lead. Fairfield scored the final six points of the third in a span of 2:08, as they had two made free throws by Payne, along with a jumper from Bentley and two points by Zink, tying the score.
Fairfield’s 13-point win moves them to a district final game on Saturday, March 6 at 7 p.m. against the Trimble Tomcats at a to-be-determined neutral site.
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The Lions led at the end the first frame by a 13-12 score and at halftime by a 27-26 advantage. Both teams were tied at 38 once the third frame ended, but the fourth quarter is where everything changed, with the Lions outscoring the Lancers, 24-11 in the final eight minutes for the district semifinal win.
Fairfield (10-11) not only won the final frame by 13 points, but they dominated the start of the final quarter, having a 16-0 run, even with the Lancers calling a timeout when the run reached seven consecutive points at the 6:04 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Lions broke the 38-38 score when Connor Priest scored two points in the paint to start the fourth frame, and that was followed with a 3-pointer from Koben Zink, as the shot came from the corner of the court for a 43-38 lead with 7:03 on the clock.
Next was a layup by Jon Bentley, forcing Federal Hocking to call a timeout on their home court. The Lions eventually continued their scoring run with another 3-pointer from Zink, then it was Priest sinking a basket for two points off a forced turnover by the Lions for a 50-38 advantage. Zink added two more points on a put-back basket off a missed free throw by the Lions, increasing their lead to 52-38.
The final points of the game-changing scoring run by the Lions came with a layup by Reese Teeters — who was on fire all game long with 21 total points — on a fast break for a 54-38 lead.
Federal Hocking finally broke the scoring run with a 3-pointer, but the Lions responded with two points by Bentley and later a bucket by Zink lifted the Lions’ lead back to 16 points with 2:40 left in regulation.
Later in the frame it was Bentley again with two points, and Zink also had another two-point basket with 1:20 on the clock for the final points scored by the Lions in the district semifinal win. Zink finished the game with 14 points, while Bentley scored 13 points in the win.
Other final scoring totals for the Lions included seven points for Priest, three points from Brayden Zimmerman and two points each from Tucker Watson and Caleb Payne.
In the opening frame for the Lions, they led 13-12 at the end of the quarter, as they had their first points of the game scored by Teeters and later took a 4-2 lead with a basket by Bentley. After the score was tied at 4-4, Bentley sank a 3-pointer for Fairfield, and later a layup by Teeters left the Lions in front at 9-5.
Watson followed with a two-point basket, and after five points by the Lancers, Teeter made two free throws for a 13-10 Lions lead. Federal Hocking ended the first with the final points scored, for a one-point Fairfield advantage.
In the second frame, the score was tied at 16 and 18, but Fairfield didn’t trail for the remainder of the quarter when Priest sank a 3-pointer with 4:50 on the clock for a 21-18 lead.
Also scoring points in the second frame for the Lions was Teeters, as he scored 11 points in the quarter, including a 3-pointer, along with four two-point baskets.
Federal Hocking won the third frame at 12-11, leaving the score tied at 38. For the Lions, they lost the lead at the start of the third, as the Lancers went on a 6-0 run to start the frame, taking a 32-27 lead.
The Lions responded with a big 3-point basket by Zimmerman, but eventually the Lancers took a 38-32 lead. Fairfield scored the final six points of the third in a span of 2:08, as they had two made free throws by Payne, along with a jumper from Bentley and two points by Zink, tying the score.
Fairfield’s 13-point win moves them to a district final game on Saturday, March 6 at 7 p.m. against the Trimble Tomcats at a to-be-determined neutral site.
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