— By Taylor Kennedy
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — When it mattered most, Fairmont Senior got going Wednesday.
The Polar Bears held Robert C. Byrd scoreless for nearly 6 minutes and used a late 14-0 run to get past the Flying Eagles on senior night, 53-42.
Fairmont Senior (14-1) picked up the pressure and intensity when needed most.
“We played well the final 5 to 6 minutes of the game,” said veteran Polar Bear head coach David Retton. “[RCB] got every loose ball, and if the ball was on the ground or tipped, they got it. That switched at the end of the game. Our guys gave great effort towards the end.”
Despite some struggles for the majority of the contest, Retton was pleased with his team’s effort.
“This is a good win for us,” Retton noted. “Regardless of what we did in the first 26 minutes, it is how we finished the game.”
Robert C. Byrd (7-8) found itself down six at the break, but the Eagles found a spark in the third quarter.
In the final five minutes of the quarter, RCB went on a 14-0 run, and juior Brayden Thomason keyed the charge with his 11-point quarter.
After four early points in the fourth quarter, the Eagles didn’t score another point until 40 seconds remained.
“We press and get a basket or two, then that creates some momentum for us. Now, our guys are excited,” Retton noted. “The pressure goes into their backcourt. Our guys, from there, played solid. We got right defensively because we were not right up to that point.”
Fairmont Senior was handed its first loss of the season Monday evening against Logan.
After the loss, Retton learned important things about his team against a quality opponent.
“Are we going to look at the first 26 minutes? Absolutely,” Retton stated. “You come in tomorrow, and let’s focus on what we want to repair and fix and reminders on what we did in the last six minutes. We played with great energy and effort. Playing with great effort gets things started.”
The Polar Bears controlled the glass and out-rebounded Robert C. Byrd by 12. Fairmont Senior also had 19 offensive rebounds compared to RCB’s six.
“When you can control the boards, putbacks and keeping the ball alive are key possessions,” Retton said. “That, in essence, broke them to have second and third chance opportunities.”
Junior DeSean Goode helped paved the way for Fairmont Senior and posted a double-double of 13-points and 17-rebounds.
Retton continues to see growth from the 6-foot-6 forward.
“He was so active,” Retton noted. “He could have easily had 20 or 21 rebounds tonight. He did a tremendous job, and he got more aggressive as the game went on. The rebounds were huge.”
This year’s Polar Bear team consists of six seniors, including Eric Smith and Pharoah Fields. The seniors combined for 25 of Fairmont’s 53 points tonight.
“All of these guys get along with one another,” Retton stated. “These are guys that work their tail off every day. These are guys that pull and root for one another. I am proud of our seniors, and I am proud of the leadership they provide.”
Fairmont Senior sophomore guard Zycheus Dobbs recorded 15-points and Fields came off the bench to score 10-points, including a trio of 3-pointers.
Thomason led the charge for RCB with 19-points.