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UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH – Game 3 of the Play-by-Play Classic did not disappoint as the Lutheran West Longhorns defeated the St. Vincent St. Mary Irish 51-50. Derek Fairley led the way for the Longhorns, posting 17 points to go along with a few rebounds and a couple assists.
The opening half of play was mostly one-sided with the Irish leading most of the way. Their lead never grew to double-digits, but the Longhorns could not keep up and take a lead of their own. At the end of the first quarter, Rayshawn Hamilton and the Irish jumped out to a 5-point lead. The sophomore forward led the way with 6 points in the quarter. Senior guard Jayson Walker dished out 3 assists for the Irish.
Not much changed in the 2nd quarter. The Longhorns were able to tie up with game with a few minutes left. However, St. Vincent St. Mary regained the lead almost immediately. After a buzzer-beating layup, the Irish held a 27-22 lead. Jayson Walker was leading the way with 8 points and 3 assists heading into the break.
The 3rd quarter was polar opposite to the 1st half. Both teams were getting good looks at the basket and finishing tough shots. Multiple lead changes throughout the quarter kept everyone in attendance entertained. The Longhorns won the 3rd quarter 18-17. After scoring just 22 points in the first half, Lutheran West nearly matched their total in the 3rd quarter alone.
After the game, Coach Jordan Duke talked about the difference of play, “I don’t think in the first half we were playing our game. In the first half we weren’t showing our second effort on offense and defense the way that we want them to… They came out and made a conservative effort to rectify those things and change them.”
Derek Fairley showed that change of effort in the 3rd quarter after struggling with his shot in the first half. Fairley dropped 10 points in the frame to keep the Longhorns in the game.
The Senior guard spoke on what changed at halftime that got him going in the second half, “I knew I had to come in and play hard and knock some shots down to get the lead back because we were down a few.”
Despite the strong showing in the 3rd, the Longhorns trailed heading into the 4th 44-40.
In terms of lead changes, the 4th quarter played like the 3rd. On the other hand, the scoring was at a premium. The pace of play slowed down and both teams were looking for the best shot possible on every possession. With 2:15 remaining, Lutheran West took a 49-48 lead after a 2-handed flush from Junior forward Matt Meyer. Meyer had himself a game posting 15 points and multiple blocks.
After the game, Matt spoke on he and his twin brother Josh playing bully ball, “Our coaches told us to win the matchup… Our guards were pretty well matched up, so if we win our matchup, we win the game.” Josh Meyer contributed 6 points in the Longhorn victory.
Jayson Walker was able to give the Irish the lead back at 50-49 after a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left. On the ensuing Lutheran West possession, Derek Fairley knocked down a tough layup with multiple defenders around him. This gave the Longhorns a 51-50 lead.
A pair of missed free throws by Rayshawn Hamilton and an offensive rebound by Jayson Walker, the Irish had a chance to win the game with 5 seconds left. Derek Fairley had other ideas as he leaped into the air to steal the ball away on an inbounds pass intended for Rayshawn Hamilton.
With the victory, Lutheran West continues their unbeaten season and advances to 12-0. The Longhorns will travel to Kettering to take on the Wayne Warriors (5-5) on Sunday, January 14th at 3PM EST.
Key Players
Lutheran West
Derek Fairley: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Matt Meyer: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Jayson Levis: 6 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists
St. Vincent St. Mary
DeCarlo Prince: 13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
Jayson Walker: 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
PLAYER OF THE GAME: DEREK FAIRLEY
