FAIRVIEW – Balanced scoring in overtime enabled Fairview to defeat West Point 57-52 Friday night, taking second place in regular season play in Class 5A, Area 12.
The Warriors were seeking a victory that would have created a three-way tie for second between them, Fairview and Curry. It didn't happen in the extra four minutes, thanks to three field goals from three different Fairview players, along with 4-of-6 shooting from the free throw line.
West Point had a great first half on the offensive side, scoring 16 after the first period and 15 in the second to gain a 31-27 lead at the break. The Warriors were led by Kolton Sapp's 16 points at intermission as he hit three treys and three field goals.
West Point converted 12 field goals by halftime with Fairview scoring on 11 shots, six in the second quarter as Bryson Fletcher had four in the period to keep his team right on the heels of the Warriors.
The offense was not impressive during the second half. Fairview tallied nine in the third and 10 during the fourth with West Point scoring just seven in the third and eight in the fourth.
A basket in the closing seconds of regulation from Luke Yarbrough tied the game for the Aggies at 46-46. West Point missed a shot at the buzzer, sending the game into an extra four minutes.
The Warriors were coming off playing a five-overtime game on Tuesday vs. Walker. After Fletcher put Fairview ahead with a 3-pointer, Brandon Farley came back and scored a three from the top of the circle to make it 49-49.
Then Fairview used two baskets by Sam Elrod along with a free throw to get the lead and finish off West Point.
Elrod paced the Aggies to their 12th win against 13 losses with 18 points. Fairview is 3-3 in the area and will be the second seed when the postseason tournament takes place at Hayden the week of Feb. 6.
Fletcher added 14, Yarbrough scored 10, Truman Boyd had nine, Klayton Knop had three and Grant Howard one.
West Point finishes 1-5 in area regular season play and is 8-15 on the season. Sapp was the leader, scoring 18, with Farley having 16 after he scored a career-high 26 on Tuesday against Walker. Austin Dubberly tossed in 10, Toby Cunningham three, Kolby Sullins and Rylan Jones two and Cameron Moore finished with one.
Fairview 51, West Point 35 (Girls):
Fairview completed their 5A, Area 12 regular schedule without a loss, starting strong with a 12-2 lead by the 5:00 mark of the first quarter.
They were led by Jada Golden and Taylor Yeager in the early assault on West Point's basket. The Lady Warriors managed to narrow the deficit to 15-8 by the time the period ended.
Fairview was ahead 29-14 at the half, allowing West Point to shoot 19 percent from the field and 0-for-8 in 3-point attempts.
A slow third period affected both teams, but Fairview was still enjoying a comfortable lead of 38-22.
The Lady Aggies pushed the margin to 20 points before West Point got within 11 points in the final quarter. Fairview iced the win shooting 5-of-6 from the line in the fourth.
Yeager netted 17 with Golden scoring 14 to send Fairview into next week's Cullman County Tournament with a 19-6 record and a five-game winning streak.
Abbi Taylor and Abby Schnittker scored seven each, Dayila Dean three, Mckinna Yearwood two and Jordan Moore one.
The Lady Warriors are 18-5 and complete the area at 4-2. Mackenzie Carter and Olivia Ball led the team with 11 each, Miriam Oldacre scored six, Lillie Burdette and Micah Oldacre had three each and Lexi Shadix scored one.
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