(February 13th, 2015) – FAYETTE: It was the second period that made all the difference in the Eagle boys win in the seniors’ final game at Fayette.
Playing host to the Hilltop Cadets, Fayette had a tight battle on their hands for a majority of the contest, only creating a little breathing room in the aforementioned quarter. Hilltop couldn’t recover from that advantage, and the Eagles won on Senior Night 43-37.
The two talented units went back and forth in the opening stanza, trading baskets in a fast paced game. The Cadets came away with an early 12-9 advantage heading into the second quarter. The hosting Eagles soared above the Hilltop boys in that period however, coming up big in their final defense of their nest this season. Scoring 12 points on offense, while allowing just 2 points on defense, Fayette went into halftime with a 7 point lead, 21-14.
Both squads increased their intensity level in the third period. Neither side could separate themselves from the other, which played out in the Eagles favor. When the buzzer sounded, ending the quarter, each team had produced 10 points. Heading into the final period of play, Fayette enjoyed a 31-24 lead.
Things moved quickly in the fourth quarter. Desperate to get back into the contest, Hilltop moved the ball up and down the court quickly. The Eagles could match that pace, though. Hilltop, despite a strong effort, simply couldn’t outscore Fayette by enough points to overcome the 7 point lead they established back in the second period. They did take the fourth quarter 13-12, but that still gave them a 6 point loss.
For Fayette, Tristan Bates was a force in the paint, putting up 12 points against the Cadet defense. Jared Seiler and Skylar Lantz each contributed 8 points to the Eagle effort. Teammate Alec Bost added 7 points as well.
Hilltop’s Tim Maneval served as the game’s high scorer. The Cadet sophomore made 13 points in the contest, his total propelled by 3 triples. Quinn Smith, another sophomore for Hilltop, managed 9 points, while Ryan Brooker put up 6 points in the loss.