3 takeaways from Fayette Academy’s win over Freedom Prep
Fayette Academy has to be feeling pretty good about itself heading into league play next week. The Vikings, without two key players, were able to get the 63-62 win over Freedom Prep Saturday night to close out this season’s Fayette…
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Continue ReadingFayette Academy has to be feeling pretty good about itself heading into league play next week. The Vikings, without two key players, were able to get the 63-62 win over Freedom Prep Saturday night to close out this season’s Fayette Academy Christmas Classic.
The Vikings were down guards Caleb Smith (ankle) and Andrew Payne. First-year head coach Brandon Bradford had to go with Austin Abernathy and Brett Culver in the backcourt, and both players did just enough to help Fayette Academy get to 8-4 on the season.
But, Saturday night belonged to senior Ryan Parks, who reached 1,000 points in the third quarter when the Vikings rallied from 15 points down. With 6.3 seconds left and his team down 62-61, Parks caught the ball near the top of the key and drove to the lane to make the game-winning basket.
His 32 points were a game-high and his season-high.
There’s more to talk about from Fayette Academy’s come-from-behind win.
Here are three takeaways from the Vikings’ win over the War Eagles:
Freedom Prep didn’t have an answer for Parks
Coach Bradford kept running his offense through Parks since the War Eagles (10-9) had trouble slowing him down. The senior scored nine of the team’s 22 points in the third quarter, which brought Fayette Academy back from its 38-23 deficit at halftime. Parks gave the Vikings their first lead of the game at 39-38 in the third quarter after splitting two free throws.
Parks went on to score 11 points in the final eight minutes, with his two most important points coming at the end for the win. Parks went 10 for 14 from the free throw line, and his team won the game despite turning the ball over 21 times.
Culver was the only other double-digit scorer for Fayette Academy. He had 11.
Big meltdown for Freedom Prep
The War Eagles had complete control of the game for the entire first half. They were able to get shots in transition and in half-court. But, in the third quarter, Freedom Prep couldn’t get stops on the defensive end and couldn’t make shots on the offensive end. Fayette Academy looked like the team that wanted the win a little bit more. The Vikings outscored the War Eagles 22-11 in the third quarter.
Freedom Prep regained momentum for a moment in the fourth quarter, taking a 56-48 lead after a made 3 by sophomore point guard Kalib Brooks, but foul trouble hurt the War Eagles down the stretch. Brooks, senior Demeries Brooks and junior Marshun Reaves fouled out of the game.
Freedom Prep’s head coach Bwerani Johnson picked up a technical foul for arguing a call with one of the referees. At the time of the technical foul, the War Eagles were up 62-60. Abernathy made 1 of 2 foul shots to setup the game’s finale.
Sophomore Bakari Johnson led the team with 15 points. Kalib Brooks had 14, and junior William Collins provided 10.
Big difference in free throw shooting
As a team, Fayette Academy made 23 of 32 free throw attempts. Freedom Prep made only 8 of 15 from the charity stripe.