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DUBLIN – A 37-point second-quarter explosion propelled Fairmont to an 89-78 boys basketball victory Wednesday over East Bladen in the opening round of the Woodmen Life Christmas Tournament.
The Eagles came out firing in the first period as Denzel Johnson opened the game with a 3-pointer from the corner. Sophomore Adonis Avery tossed in a runner, and senior Eian Hines drove for a lay-in then put back a rebound for a 9-6 lead.
Johnson nailed another 3-pointer, and an Ethan Hines dunk attempt hit the back iron, bounced up and fell in for a 14-6 East lead. Eian Hines pumped in a leaner, and Johnson drained another 3-ball for a 19-8 Eagle lead with 3:23 left in the quarter.
Julius Caulder connected for 3-points, Derrick Arnette flipped in a pull-up and Jarique Moore hit from 16 feet as the Tornadoes trimmed the margin to 19-17.
Eian Hines banked in a baseline drive then beat the buzzer with a 3-point shot that stretched the Eagle lead to 24-17 at the quarter break.
The Tornadoes started the second period with a 19-0 run led by Moore and Arnette. Johnson knocked in a 3-pointer for the first Eagle points of the period at the 4:34 mark.
Eian Hines spun to the basket for a lay-up, and freshman Majuan McKoy turned passes from Ethan Hines and Demetrius Wooten into lay-ups. A pair of Avery free throws kept the Eagles within 46-35, but Fairmont ended the half with an 8-2 spurt to pad their lead to 54-37.
An Ethan Hines assist produced a Demarius McArthur lay-up, and Eian Hines stole the ball and raced for a lay-up to begin the second half. Eian Hines drove for a lay-up, and Ethan Hines hooked in a runner off a feed from Johnson that kept East within 58-45.
Eian Hines flew down the lane for a lay-in then sank 2 free throws, but the Tornadoes pushed the lead up to 66-49. Demetrius Wooten and Ethan Hines bombed in 3-point shots, and Majuan McKoy spun down the lane for a lay-up. Avery buried a 3-point shot that pulled East to within 66-60.
Fairmont led 69-60 at the quarter break and grew the margin to 74-60. Johnson made a foul shot, and Avery converted an Ethan Hines feed into a lay-up. Ethan Hines banked in a runner and scored again on a goal-tending call against Fairmont that cut the lead to 76-68 with 5:27 left.
Eight unanswered points upped the Tornado lead to 84-68. Eian Hines canned 2 free throws, and Johnson and Sadrique Ingram delivered 3-point baskets to pull East within 86-76 with 1:08 on the clock.
“We are not far off from turning this around,” said Eagle Coach Kenzil McCall. “We just need somebody else to step up on the glass for us. We got Ethan back and now he is trying to get his wind back. We played him more tonight than we wanted to, but we had to because they are really good.”
Eian Hines racked up a double-double of 24 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Eagles. Johnson fired in five 3-point shots and totaled 16 points and 6 rebounds. Avery and Ethan Hines finished with 11 points each. McArthur pulled down 8 rebounds.
Moore piled up 28 points and 20 rebounds to lead Fairmont, and Caulder totaled 18 points and 18 rebounds. Arnette tallied 22 points.
The Tornadoes grabbed 25 rebounds in the final period and held a 56-44 advantage on the boards. Turnovers (28) and free throw shooting were other problems for the Eagles. East Bladen made 8 of 15 free throws, while Fairmont connected on 21 of 31 attempts.
The Eagles will play Scotland at 2 p.m. Thursday in a consolation round game.
EAST BLADEN (78) – Demarius McArthur 4, Demetrius Wooten 3, Eian Hines 24, Ethan Hines 11, Xavier Wooten, Sadrique Ingram 3, Denzel Johnson 16, Deondre Harris, Aaron Laforte, Joshua McKoy, Jordan Payton, Adonis Avery 11, Majuan McKoy 6.
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