by TYLER HATHAWAY
FAIRPORT, N.Y– With two undefeated teams, a standing room only gym, and a rivalry in the mix, it was bound to be an all-out battle when Fairport hosted Penfield.
The two squads entered the contest with a combined record of 12-0, and average margin of victory of 27.8 points. The Red Raiders sat atop the Class AAA standings, while the Patriots were in pole-position in Class AA1.
“We knew it was gonna be a big one,” said point guard Gannon Culver. “This has been circled on a lot of people’s calendars for the whole year.”
“I really wanted this game, and the team did too,” said forward Noah Meabon. “We’ve been prepping for it.”
On Friday night, it was the home team who came out on top. The Red Raiders connected 11 times from beyond the arc while forcing 20 turnovers as Fairport (7-0) took down rival Penfield 79-61 in what is its seventh double-digit win. Three players scored at least 17 points, and the team led for 30 of 32 minutes.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM STEVEN TWARDZIK.
It was a complete defensive effort from Fairport, with a combination of a full-court press, double teams, and deflections to never let the Penfield offense establish a rhythm.
“It’s something we pride ourselves on,” said head coach Scott Fitch. “I think it’s something we need to do to be successful. We don’t have some of the same strengths as other teams. It’s definitely one of our philosophies, but you gotta have kids that are willing to play hard and put themselves on the line, and they’re willing to do that.”
“When we bring two guys to the ball, our team’s really good about rotating,” Meabon said of what drives their success as a defense. “We have to stay as a unit. When somebody watches us to play defense, nobody knows who our best defender is, because we try to feel like it’s one defender. We all play together, we stay connected, and that’s what make our defense so good.”
Culver knocked down six three-pointers and finished the night with 18 points. Two of his threes came in the opening minutes to help Fairport jump out to an early 13-3 lead.
“I feel like once we get a little bit of momentum, we’re really good at running with it,” said the senior. “I just stepped right into them (the shots), and I was in a rhythm. Coach (Fitch) has been telling me to shoot the ball more, so I’m feeling more confident.”
“It was really big,” Fitch said of the opening run. “It helped us settle down a little bit. I think everybody was amped up, both teams. “I thought the run really helped us set the tone, and then I thought we hung in well from there. “
Another quick start in the second quarter helped Fairport extend its lead to 36-21, but the Red Raiders were held scoreless in the final few minutes of the second quarter and entered the break up by 10. However, Fairport responded with a 9-2 run in the first two and a half minutes of the third quarter to add some padding to their lead.
“I think that’s part of our style is the mental, physical, physical fatigue we put people through,” said Fitch. “Those runs happen, and it ended up being in the beginning of the game and beginning of the second half. I’m really proud of our guys for coming out with that energy.
One of the biggest themes of the night for Fairport’s offense was how effective it was at generating good looks. Ball movement and the ability to find the open man is something the Red Raiders think is crucial to their success.
“It’s the best way to play,” said Culver. “We feel like that’s what makes it fun. We keep doing it every day, and if we keep doing it, we feel like it’s gonna continue to us to win games.”
“Number one, you gotta have guys that can score, but then number two, you gotta have unselfish guys,” said Fitch. “And that’s really rare to have them. They play for each other, and to me, that makes this team special.”
SEE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GAME HERE.
Meabon scored 17 points, blocked a couple of shots, and led the Red Raiders in rebounds. Seven of his points came in the fourth quarter to help Fairport seal the game.
“When you get momentum, the plays are gonna come together by themselves,” said the senior. “So you just gotta really rally off your team, and we all play together.”
Alex Grejda finished with a team-high 21 points. Antonio Nurse tallied six points. Sam Roselli, Jonathan Roessel, and Hadi Dergham each produced five points. Ryan Fay scored two points.
CJ Johnson led Penfield (6-1) with 21 points. Jackson Green added 15 points. Ryan Savino ended with nine points. Ethan McEntire (8), Aaron Hardaway (5), Jake McCarthy (3), and Dallas Crawford (1) also scored for the Patriots.
“I think both teams we’re going to learn tonight,” said Fitch. “That’s what makes it exciting to play in big games, and I think the environment was great. I think that’s what’s special about Section V basketball. They’re (Penfield) a great team. They’re well coached, and we’re gonna have to play them again, and it’ll be another war.”
“We haven’t accomplished anything. We got a long ways to go. But I think these games will help us grow for sure.”
Fairport’s season continues Monday, when it will travel to Irondequoit.
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