GOOD HOPE – It was an intense game between the Fairview Aggies and the Good Hope Raiders. It went down to the wire and a Bryson Fletcher layup with 10.1 seconds left was the game-winning shot for the Aggies in their 57-55 win.
The first quarter was a 3-point contest for Good Hope as they hit four, but behind senior Tyler Ball, Fairview stayed in the game as he scored 10 points. The Raiders were able to hold on to an 18-13 lead after one. In the second quarter, it was more of the same as Good Hope could not quite pull away from the Aggies, who cut the lead to three multiple times, the last at 31-28, before Matt Cofer hit a three to push the lead to 34-28 at the half.
In the third quarter, a three by Fletcher cut the lead once more to three at 34-31, but Kallen Sharpton scored six straight points to push the lead up to 40-31, but Fairview clawed their way back into the game as they finished the quarter on a 6-2 run to cut the lead to 42-37 heading into the final quarter.
Both teams swapped free throws and baskets on the first few possessions of the fourth quarter. With Good Hope leading 49-48, Blake Lyle got called for an offensive foul, and the Aggies' Kennedy White hit a layup on their next possession to give them their first lead of the game, 50-49. Off a Raider turnover, Lucas Yarbrough pushed the lead to three with a layup. But Isaac McDonald hit a huge three to tie the game at 52.
Tyler Ball and Cofer traded threes for each team to keep the game tied at 55 with 34 seconds left in the game and Fairview with the ball. They melted the clock down before they got into their offensive set and Fletcher got the ball in the corner. He drove down low and pump-faked, which got Cofer in the air, and he hit the layup to give the Aggies a 57-55 lead with 10.1 seconds left in the game. Sharpton got the ball at the top of the key and drove to the basket. He got tripped, but there was no call, and he got called for a travel. Fairview got fouled and missed the free throw, and the Raiders' last heave at the buzzer was no good.
Yarbrough led the Aggies with 16 points. Ball had 15. White and Fletcher each finished with 10. Fairview improves to 4-6 on the season and head back home to take on the Curry Yellow Jackets Friday night.
"Overall, I thought we played really solid on both sides." Fairview coach Edgar Groves said. "We took only one bad shot in the last three minutes. We did not defend the three really well. We are still a very young team, but over the last week and a half, I feel like we are growing up."
Cofer led the way for Good Hope with 18 points. Sharpton finished with 15 and McDonald had nine. They fall to 7-3 on the season and will look to regroup against the Dora Bulldogs on Friday night.
Fairview 53, Good Hope 25 (Girls)
Fairview's Taylor Yeager continues to rack up the points as she scored 23 on the night and almost outscored the whole Raider team by herself in the team's dominant win in coach Mary Lauren Hartline's return to her alma mater.
Yeager got off to a really quick start, putting up 10 first-quarter points and the defense completely shut down the Raider attack, only allowing six points. The Aggies led 12-6 after one and quickly pulled away in the second, outscoring the Raiders 22-6 to take a 34-12 lead at the half, and they led 40-16 after the third quarter en route to the dominating win.
Abby Taylor put up 13 points for the Lady Aggies and Jada Golden added 10. Fairview improves their record to 9-2 and will look to be the second county team with 10 wins as they will take on the Curry Yellow Jackets on Friday night.
Kelly Pickett led the Raiders with eight points and Kyler Hembree had seven. Good Hope falls to 5-4 on the season and will look to get back on track against the Dora Bulldogs on Friday night.
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