mwynn05
11-30-2005, 05:11 PM
Palestine shows effort in loss to Fairfield
The Palestine Herald
By SCOTT TYLER
H-P Sports Editor
FAIRFIELD — Palestine head coach Tommy Allison did not have high expectations Tuesday night when his Wildcat squad went into once-ranked Fairfield as the Wildcats only have had one practice this season.
Allison got more out of his squad than expected, but it was not enough as Fairfield defeated the Wildcats 89-76.
“I was extremely proud of our effort,” Allison said. “They played as hard as they can for 32 minutes and that is all I can ask for.”
Palestine opened the season against a Fairfield team which came into Tuesday 4-0 and was outscoring teams by more than 38 points a game. Earlier in the season, the Eagles were ranked in the top 10 in the Texas Basketball Coaches Association Class 3A poll including being No. 7 two weeks ago. But in Tuesday’s newest edition, Fairfield was no longer in the top 20.
“I don’t know what happened,” Fairfield head coach Joey Worley said. “Early in the season it changes week to week. The only thing that matters is that you end up in the top of the poll at the end of the year.”
Fairfield started quickly Tuesday night scoring the first eight points of the game, including a couple of dunks by Jarrett Manning, who finished with 12 points.
Palestine’s Greg Anderson kept the Wildcats in the game with the team’s first six points. Anderson finished with a game-high 20 points.
“Greg just has a knack for the game and we expect big things from him this year,” Allison said.
Palestine’s Chrys Davis banked in a three pointer with 3:34 left in the first quarter to cut the Fairfield lead to one point, 12-11, but then it was all Eagles for the rest of the quarter.
Fairfield went on a 16-0 run, sparked by Asa Douglas, who gave Fairfield a 18-11 lead when he drove baseline for a layup. Twenty seconds later, after Douglas missed a second free throw, Cody Wynn got the putback and then Douglas stole the ball from Palestine for an easy basket to give Fairfield a 23-11 lead.
“In the first quarter the kids did a good job defensively with our full-court press,” Worley said.
Fairfield increased the lead in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 50-31 lead, as the Eagles looked like they were going to blow out their fifth straight opponent.
However, Palestine never gave up in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 45-39 in the second half and getting the game within 12 points with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.
“They never quit, stayed aggressive and played as a team,” Allison said of his squad. “We definitely saw some weaknesses but they were all little things that we expected.”
Kevin Birdow finished with 14 points for Palestine while Leon Mickens had 12 points, all in the second half.
Fairfield had five players in double digits, led by Nolan Melontree’s 18 points. Alfraid Manning and Malcolm Woodruff had 15 points and Billy McMillian had 10 points.
“We looked good at times and struggled at times,” Worley said. “Palestine did a good job forcing us into turnovers.”
http://www.palestineherald.com/sports/local_story_334092717.html?keyword=topstory
Fairfield dropped out of the polls for some reason...heard the 2nd half was kind of sloppy which is why it was so close
The Palestine Herald
By SCOTT TYLER
H-P Sports Editor
FAIRFIELD — Palestine head coach Tommy Allison did not have high expectations Tuesday night when his Wildcat squad went into once-ranked Fairfield as the Wildcats only have had one practice this season.
Allison got more out of his squad than expected, but it was not enough as Fairfield defeated the Wildcats 89-76.
“I was extremely proud of our effort,” Allison said. “They played as hard as they can for 32 minutes and that is all I can ask for.”
Palestine opened the season against a Fairfield team which came into Tuesday 4-0 and was outscoring teams by more than 38 points a game. Earlier in the season, the Eagles were ranked in the top 10 in the Texas Basketball Coaches Association Class 3A poll including being No. 7 two weeks ago. But in Tuesday’s newest edition, Fairfield was no longer in the top 20.
“I don’t know what happened,” Fairfield head coach Joey Worley said. “Early in the season it changes week to week. The only thing that matters is that you end up in the top of the poll at the end of the year.”
Fairfield started quickly Tuesday night scoring the first eight points of the game, including a couple of dunks by Jarrett Manning, who finished with 12 points.
Palestine’s Greg Anderson kept the Wildcats in the game with the team’s first six points. Anderson finished with a game-high 20 points.
“Greg just has a knack for the game and we expect big things from him this year,” Allison said.
Palestine’s Chrys Davis banked in a three pointer with 3:34 left in the first quarter to cut the Fairfield lead to one point, 12-11, but then it was all Eagles for the rest of the quarter.
Fairfield went on a 16-0 run, sparked by Asa Douglas, who gave Fairfield a 18-11 lead when he drove baseline for a layup. Twenty seconds later, after Douglas missed a second free throw, Cody Wynn got the putback and then Douglas stole the ball from Palestine for an easy basket to give Fairfield a 23-11 lead.
“In the first quarter the kids did a good job defensively with our full-court press,” Worley said.
Fairfield increased the lead in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 50-31 lead, as the Eagles looked like they were going to blow out their fifth straight opponent.
However, Palestine never gave up in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 45-39 in the second half and getting the game within 12 points with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.
“They never quit, stayed aggressive and played as a team,” Allison said of his squad. “We definitely saw some weaknesses but they were all little things that we expected.”
Kevin Birdow finished with 14 points for Palestine while Leon Mickens had 12 points, all in the second half.
Fairfield had five players in double digits, led by Nolan Melontree’s 18 points. Alfraid Manning and Malcolm Woodruff had 15 points and Billy McMillian had 10 points.
“We looked good at times and struggled at times,” Worley said. “Palestine did a good job forcing us into turnovers.”
http://www.palestineherald.com/sports/local_story_334092717.html?keyword=topstory
Fairfield dropped out of the polls for some reason...heard the 2nd half was kind of sloppy which is why it was so close