Fairfield senior Willie Tatum, left, reaches out in an attempt to steal the ball from Mexia's D.J. Weathers in the Eagles 43-40 Regional Quarterfinal win over Mexia on Monday. (TJ Maxwell photo)
Eagles rally to end Blackcat campaign 43-40
by TJ MAXWELL-Mexia Sports Editor
(Posted 3/4/2010 05:00 am)
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"The kids did a really good job of battling in there one possession at a time and not giving up -- because it looked pretty bleak," said Fairfield Head Coach Joey Worley. "Willie Tatum made some really clutch free throws at the end -- it couldn't happen to a better kid."
After a slow start in the first quarter, things began go Mexia's way. They netted a nine-point lead to begin the fourth period. They weren't getting much going offensively, but were making up for it on the defensive -- creating steals, getting blocks and just overall wreaking havoc on the Fairfield offense.
Then it was like someone put a lid on the basket. Shots that Mexia normally makes weren't falling for them and the calls weren't going there way either.
"Nothing was falling for us," said Smith. "We missed a layup with like 50 seconds left that would've put us ahead and then we went to the free throw line to make shots that would have put us ahead. It was just one of those nights where we couldn't find the basket -- just the opposite of the way it went against Center the other night when everything was going for us.
"Unfortunately that's just how it goes sometime."
The difference in the game really came from the charity stripe. Fairfield was getting all the calls and went to the line for over 20 free throws -- including 10 in the final frame. Mexia only had four opportunities from the stripe all night.
"They went to the line 22-23 times and we got five shots from the free throw line," said Mexia head coach Walter Smith. "I just don't think that in a Regional Quarterfinal game it was called very consistently and I'm not one to blame officials because we had a nine-point lead.
"It just seemed like the game was called like [Fairfield] needed it to be called."
Even with those numbers skewed against them, Mexia managed to hold Fairfield to just 25 points through 24 minutes of play. They held them to just four third quarter points while posting 12 of their own on their way to the nine-point lead.
