HUGE FAIRFAX THIRD LEADS TO WIN AT MVU
By Ben Kaufmann
SWANTON – BFA-Fairfax laughed off a six-point halftime deficit, outscoring Missisquoi 18-2 in the third quarter and doing well with its lead in the fourth to collect a 52-46 win over the Thunderbirds on Monday.
Evan Fletcher scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half by sinking his first four three-point attempts to get BFA (4-6) through the first half and Reed Stygles scored 12 of his 16 in the second half to help seal the win. Riley Greene added seven points, all in a masterful second half running the Bullet offense, and Jackson Wimette added five points.
“I was really pleased with the effort we had tonight,” said Fairfax coach Dave Demar. “I think I’ve said this every game, every time I talk to you guys, but this group of boys is great. I don’t know how far we’re going to go, but I think we’re going to do OK because of just the hard work they put in.”
In response to Fletcher’s shooting clinic in the opening quarters, Missisquoi (2-9) got a little help from all around. Ian Digby opened the MVU scoring with a reverse layup and Hayzen Luneau followed with an and-one play. Caleb Surprise hit a pair of free throws after the first of two Fairfax technical fouls on the night then scored on the ensuing possession to give the hosts a 12-9 lead late in the first.
“Caleb Surprise gave us a really nice lift,” said Missisquoi coach Matt Walker. “He had 11, made a couple of big shots.”
Luneau assisted a Ray Fournier basket before Fletcher hit a late three to keep Fairfax close, down 14-12 after a quarter. Maliki Unwin-Jackson hit a runner to open the second well for MVU and Fournier hit both ends of a one-and-one to extend the Thunderbird lead to 18-12 through the first minute of the second quarter. Fletcher answered with an insane three despite being blanketed by his defender. Four straight points from Unwin-Jackson, both assisted by Surprise, were matched by baskets from Bryce Fontaine and a steal and layup from Wimette. Down the stretch of the second quarter, Digby and Luneau combined for five points and three Bullets each made one of two free-throw attempts to get the game to halftime with MVU up 28-22.
Walker said the seven-point second quarter from Unwin-Jackson is a big step in the right direction for the Thunderbird junior.
“Maliki had his best game of the year by far. He had eight or nine points, that’s his best game of the year for sure. Maybe he’s coming around, he was active today, he was active at both ends.”
For the second game in a row – MVU was tied with Milton at the half on Saturday before losing by 13 – the Thunderbirds struggled into the second half. Though the T-Birds have been hit by injury and illness and mostly relegated to just a few available subs, Walker says the biggest problem in second halves recently has simply been failing to capitalize on opportunities.
“The kids played hard. The defense was there, they played as hard as they can. We just get open shot after open shot and we weren’t able to finish,” Walker said.
“We had shots, we had opportunities. I didn’t see our free throw numbers but we probably missed double digits.”
While Missisquoi missed its open chances, Fairfax had no such problem in the third quarter and spread the scoring around nicely. Stygles opened the third with a pair of free throws, Greene made a runner, Rowan Albee posted up after a nice pass from Greene, Wimette scored on a fast break and Luca Chayer sunk a runner to erase BFA’s halftime deficit and put the visitors up 32-28 with just under two minutes to go in the third.
MVU’s lone basket of the frame came on a nice shot from Unwin-Jackson, but even that silver lining had a touch of gray as a toe on the line turned a three into a very long two. In response, Greene set up Stygles for a strong layup and foul, picked up a steal and drew a foul himself (making one of two shots) and Stygles put back an offensive rebound to enter the fourth with the Bullets up 38-30.
The many trips to the line – BFA and MVU combined to attempt 47 free throws Monday – were a bit worrying for Demar. Fletcher took a couple of hard knocks throughout the night and though he tried to stay in the game when he could barely walk, there was no way he could continue the shooting show he put on in the first half.
“He got physically abused. He just didn’t want to come out,” Demar said of Fletcher.
“Another rough, physical game. It seems like the last five games we’ve played have been extremely physical, I’m not sure why. It is fun but it’s just a little concerning.”
Stygles took over to start the fourth with four straight points. Fournier answered with a pair of free throws and Surprise picked up a steal and layup to keep the deficit at eight, 42-34, after 90 seconds of the final quarter. Fletcher made a pair of free throws after a scary fall before MVU made one final push. Unwin-Jackson scored out of the MVU press break and Luneau posted up twice for four straight points on his way to a team-high 13, cutting the Bullet lead to 44-40 midway through the fourth.
Following a Wimette free throw, Surprise hit a three in front of the MVU bench to really make things exciting, making it a 45-43 with just over three minutes to go. From there, Stygles scored on a fast break and combined with his brother, Lane, for three massive blocks in the final minutes. Greene scored BFA’s final five points, including two of three from the foul line, to put the game away.
“Their guard play was solid and the big guys had a bunch of blocks,” said Walker. “Their guards got by our guards and they finished their free throws. I’ve got to believe the free throw difference was pretty significant.”
The free throw difference was there, but not as significant as it felt to Walker. Fairfax was 6/12 from the line in the fourth quarter and 14/26 overall and MVU made 3/7 in the fourth and 11/21 overall.
More impactful than the foul shots were the huge blocks from Reed and Lane Stygles in the final 90 seconds to prevent a final comeback attempt from Missisquoi.
“They had some key rebounds, I think that turned the game,” Demar said. “And Reed had a couple of blocks that were unbelievable without fouling, they were fun to watch.”
Behind Luneau’s 13 and 11 points from Surprise, Unwin-Jackson finished with nine points, Digby scored seven and Fournier had six. Connor Nielsen was responsible for a handful of assists and some relentless defense and Taylor Dezotelle gave Walker some important minutes off the bench.
Missisquoi returns to action Friday at Vergennes and Fairfax travels to Winooski on Wednesday.
