CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Before its Class AAA quarterfinal against No. 7 North Marion, veteran Fairmont Senior head coach David Retton made sure to remind the second-seeded Polar Bears that while they handled the Huskies in the prior meeting this season, the game was competitive for one half.
Unfortunately for the Huskies, that wouldn’t be the case this time around.
Fairmont Senior jumped on North Marion from the opening tip, and used a decisive rebounding edge to its advantage in a 71-27 runaway victory at the Charleston Coliseum.
“I loved our mindset today and approach,” Retton said. “We tried to set the tone with our practices and what we wanted to accomplish.“
The Polar Bears (24-1) scored the game’s first 10 points, led 16-7 after a quarter and used their trademark pressure defense to prevent the Huskies (13-10) from ever getting comfortable.
A pair of Polar Bears’ standouts — Zycheus Dobbs and DeSean Goode — combined to score the team’s first six points of the second quarter, and after Harley sickles converted inside for the Huskies, Latique Williams made two foul shots and Andre Grant connected on a jumper to make it 26-11.
Goode’s second-chance basket 1:14 before halftime gave FSHS a 20-point advantage for the first time, and the Polar Bears went to halftime on top, 34-16.
At the intermission, the Polar Bears had all 15 of the game’s points off turnovers, an 8-2 edge on second-chance points and a 15-7 rebounding advantage.
“Their shooting percentage plays into some of it as well,” NMHS head coach Steven Harbert said. ”They got shots at the rim, and if they make it, you’re not going to get a rebound.”
Goode’s 10 rebounds were three more than North Marion managed, while Dobbs totaled 16 points and missed only one shot through two quarters.
The third quarter proved to be the Polar Bears’ most dominant frame and they scored 29 straight points to start the second half while holding the Huskies without a basket for that 8-minute stretch. Brock Martin’s two free throws just before time expired in the period proved to be North Marion’s only points of the third, and Fairmont Senior went to the fourth with a commanding 63-18 edge.
“We didn’t think. Sometimes when we think, we’re slower,” Retton said. “We did a very good job of playing through the ball today. Not getting to the guy, but getting to the ball before it reaches the guy. We did a very good job on the backside as well outside of a couple plays.”
The Polar Bears had 18 paint points in the third, to go with 12 off turnovers and seven on second-chance opportunities.
Goode’s 16 rebounds helped Fairmont Senior dominate the glass, 36-11, and he also added 14 points.
“Whatever I can do to help my team be successful I’ll do, because it’s the role that’s asked of you as a player,” Goode said. “Your role might always change.
“My team boxed out and let me go to the ball and to get to the ball. We were all doing what we had to do and not being selfish.”
Dobbs led all players with 24 and made 9-of-10 shots.
“They want me to be aggressive and the positions that our coaches put us in allows for that,” Dobbs said.
Grant scored 10 to make it three in double figures for the Polar Bears, who made 29-of-51 field-goal attempts and limited the Huskies to 9 for 31 shooting.
“It is tough, but sometimes it’s not the quantity of shots, it’s the quality,” Harbert said. “We’d like to have more than 31 shots. We’d like to be in the 50s. We’ve been shooting well inside the arc and high 50s percent. What killed us the last time was live ball turnovers and we did it again today. Live ball turnovers led to some transition buckets. We didn’t get a lot of shots off and when we did it wasn’t always a quality shot.”
Fairmont Senior made 27-of-41 two-point field-goal attempts.
“Our statistics back this up — when we take a large number of threes it’s not good for us,” Retton said. “Sometimes we settle for threes. There’s a difference between settling for a three and taking the right three. When we take the right three, I love it.”
Sickles’ six points were a team-best in defeat.
Fairmont Senior advances to face No. 6 Elkins in a semifinal Friday.
(Fairmont Senior postgame press conference)