LAYUP … Fayette’s Addison Schang goes up for two of her 12 points in a 49-37 win over North Central. VIEW ALL PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
LADY EAGLE … Amara Wright drives baseline to make a pass for North Central in Friday night’s loss.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
FAYETTE (December 13, 2024) – Rapidly improving Fayette passed another test against North Central when they went on a 14-0 second half run, to bounce back from a third quarter deficit to a double-digit lead and go on to down the Eagles 49-37. After winning just two games a season ago, Fayette is now 3-3 on the year.
North Central claimed a one point lead at the finish of a back-and-forth first quarter on Mia Lawson’s runner with 15 seconds left in the stanza.
Fayette asserted themselves on the offensive boards early in the second to take as much as a six point lead.
Zoie Brown had back-to-back putbacks, Kennedy Kunkle added a third and Kelsie Storrs scored on a drive to give Fayette a 18-12 margin halfway through the second.
North Central rebounded with seven straight points to regain a one point lead. Anna Burt slammed one off the glass that bounced in from outside the arc, then Maddie Zimmerman scored off the break and, on a spin, move to make it 19-18.
Addison Schang’s triple from the deep left wing put Fayette back up 23-22 at half but North Central came out quick to open the third.
Addyson Turner’s triple and Zimmerman’s bucket gave North Central their biggest lead at 27-23 but Fayette had a big answer.
Storrs started a streak of 12 straight to end the quarter with a baseline drive then a three-pointer off an inbounds play to give Fayette a 28-27 lead.
Kunkle scored off a loose ball then Brown on her third putback of the night before Storrs stuck another three-ball off a turnover with 12 seconds left in the third to put Fayette on top 35-27.
“When they got their lead, we were allowing them to go where they wanted to go on the offensive end,” Fayette coach Travis Arkwright said.
“I think when we decided that we were going to make them send the ball where we wanted it to go, they struggled a little bit.”
“We got pressure on the rim then with our drives or with us hitting glass offensive rebound wise. We just had a ton of girls crashing the offensive glass.”
Kunkle’s basket opening the fourth gave Fayette a double-digit lead, but North Central sliced into the deficit, getting as close as 42-37 on ZImmerman’s triple with 4:20 to go.
North Central never scored again and Fayette took advantage of a pair of steal and scores from Storrs and Schang to ice the game away.
“We’ll give up some things when we pressure the basketball, but at the same time if we can pressure them and get them to go where we want, we are much better that way,” Arkwright said.
“We can be really good on defense when we decide to do that and we don’t have to go halfcourt with them, our defense gave us some big layups.”
Brown and Schang each had 12 to pace Fayette while Storrs added 10. Zimmerman led all scorers with 17.
Fayette now hosts Hilltop Monday while North Central plays Antwerp Tuesday.
NORTH CENTRAL (37) – Myers 7; Burt 3; Zimmerman 17; Groves 0; Reyome 0; Turner 3; Lawson 7; Gruber 0; Burger 0; Hickman 0; Wright 0; Totals: 9-6-1 – 37
FAYETTE (49) – Schang 12; Simon 0; Mitchell 1; Storrs 9; Gorsuch 5; Fetterman 0; Brown 12; Kunkle 10; Totals: 18-4-1 – 49
NCHS 9 13 5 10 – 37
FHS 8 15 12 9 – 49
Junior Varsity: North Central, 22-8