The Faifield Lady Lions hosted the Peebles Lady Indians on Monday is a match-up of two of the top teams in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC) this season.
Fairfield’s Lady Lions got off to a fast start as Grace Shope and Brianna Barnes combined to score 11 straight points to open the game including a game opening three point bomb by Shope.
The Lady Indians earned their first basket with over four minutes elapsed in the first when Jacey Justice hit a three of her own to put Peebles on the board at 11-3.
Heading into the second quarter the Lady Lions led 18-8, but, Peebles turned up the defense and held Fairfield to only seven points in the second quarter. The Lady Indians scored eight points in the second quarter and trailed the Lady Lions by a score of 25-16 at intermission.
Fairfield continued to struggle offensively in the third quarter and scored just six points in the frame. However, strong defense from the Lady Lions allowed them to push the lead to 11 points entering the fourth quarter.
The Lady Indians put together their best offensive quarter of the game in the fourth as they put up 19 points including three triples by McKinlee Ryan. The Lady Lions scored 22 points of their own in the final period as they pulled away for the 53-39 win.
After the game Fairfield head coach Chad Hamilton talked about Grace Shope and her impact on the game. “The last two seasons in the middle of the season Grace seems to have this stretch where she just dominates. We seem to be in the middle of one of those right now. We needed every one of them tonight, she finished with 27 and her free throw shooting is phenomenal,” said Hamilton.
(Box Score)
FHS: 18-7-6-22
PHS: 8-8-4-19
Fairfield: Shope 10(1)-4/4-27; Cannon 3-6; Spargur 1/2-1; Adams 2-3/4-7; Barnes 6-12
Totals: 21(1)-8/10-53
Peebles: J. Justice 1(1)-3/4-8; Ryan (4)-12; Reed 1-1/2-3; Toller 2-6/7-10; B. Justice 2/2-2; Arey 1-2/2-4
Totals: 5(5)-14/17-39
Fairfield also hosted Clermont Northeastern on Saturday in a non-league girls varsity basketball matchup.
The Lady Lions controlled the game from the opening tip as the opened with a 15-8 run that spanned the entire first quarter and then they never looked back.
CNE did manage to outscore the Lady Lions in the fourth quarter 11-10 but it was a case of too little, too late for the visitors as the fell 56-39.
Grace Shope led the Lady Lions with 25 points including a scintillating 14/18 performance at the charity stripe.
FHS: 15-16-15-10
CNHS:8-8-12-11
Fairfield: Sowards (1)-0/2-3; Shope 4(1)-14/18-25; Arnold 2(1)-1/1-8; Reiber 1-0/2-2; Magee 0/2-0; Adams 3-1/2-7; Barnes 3-5/8-11
Totals:13(3)-21/35-56
Clermont Northeastern: Billow 1-1/2-3; Bicker 2/4-2; Brown 2-4; Reece 1-2; Cooper 1-2; Drewry 1-2/3-4; Kirby 3-2/2-8; Shumard 1-1/2-3; Bockman 5-1/1-11
Totals: 5-9/14-39
Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
