FAYETTEVILLE — Lions boys basketball pulled out a close one against Richards High School Jan. 10 at Lions Gym in Fayetteville by a final score of 60-52. Fayetteville started the game hot with a big lead before Richards crawled back and made it a game, eventually resulting in Fayetteville sneaking by with clutch plays.
“Step it up defensively in the second half,” said Fayetteville head boys basketball coach Jake Diggs on how his team was able to come out on top.
“Had better rotations, cut their pick and roll off, and took care of the ball a little bit better. Still an ugly win, but we’ll take it.”
Lions junior guard Keagan Supak logged 17 points for the outing and was able to get to the basket with his great athleticism.
“Tonight’s win wasn’t too pret - ty,” Supak said. “But, I mean, a win’s a win and everything. This year’s been a little bit better with Coach Diggs. Getting to know him more. We’re trying to un - derstand how he wants to play.
Beginning of the season, one of our best starters Karson (Corn), he was out with an ankle injury, but now he’s back so we’re trying to work him in. Everybody’s try - ing to play together again. Back to how we should be playing.” Fayetteville stormed to a 14-2 advantage to start the ball game on a couple layups from Supak and one from Corn, along with a free throw. Richards then went on a 7-0 run to put it at 14-9 with three layups and one free throw.
Supak went on to take the ball the length of the floor at the 20 second mark for a basket and a 16-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
After Richards scored the first basket of the second quarter, Fay - etteville responded. The Panthers would score six unanswered to make it a 18-17 game on two field goals and two free throws. The rest of the quarter made way for a three point shootout between the two clubs, along with some free throws mixed in to result in a 3131 tie game at halftime.
A big third quarter from Fay - etteville’s Corn on transition
makes and a couple three-pointers put the Lions ahead 45-40 at the end of the quarter, but Fayetteville had to answer to Richards’ big man, 6’4” senior center Jayden Tennison. Ten - nison produced a heavy work - load throughout the game with a bunch of offensive boards and layups down low and was vital to his team staying in the game with doing just that for the entire fourth quarter.
After Tennison made a layup to put the score at 56-50 in favor of the Lions, Fayetteville sopho - more guard Easton Jaeger made a huge and one basket on a pass across the wing from senior Lo - gan Fritsch to put Fayetteville ahead 60-50 with 59 seconds to play in the contest. Richards was then forced to foul and Fayette - ville was able to escape with a 60-52 victory.
