FAIRFIELD — DJ Wyrick didn’t think it would take his Fairfield High School boys basketball team through the month of the December to get its second win.
But the Indians got it Saturday night, and that’s all that mattered.
Cash Ingram scored 16 points, Kam Sanders, Lucas Davids and Gabe Clemmons added 10 apiece and Fairfield ran away with a 76-52 victory over outsized Ross in the Butler County Backyard Bash at Fairfield Arena.
“Today was a great game for us in terms of playing team basketball,” Wyrick said. “You have seven guys with eight or more points. They’re sharing the ball.”
The Indians (2-7) assisted in 15 of their 31 made field goals on their way to snapping a four-game losing streak.
“It was nice to see us playing together and trying to follow the plan,” Wyrick said. “Hopefully, now, we’re turning the corner.”
Fairfield, which outrebounded Ross 44-16 for the game, used a 14-0 spurt to build its largest lead at 70-45 in the second half. But it was a slow start for the Rams (4-4) that had them clawing back the entire time.
“The first four minutes, I don’t think we competed,” Ross coach David Lane said. “We were in the right spots at times, but I don’t think we competed and matched a physical Fairfield team like we should have.”
Peyton Hendricks (14), Riley Caldwell (13), Will Schaefer (12) and Isaac Nunn (10) led the Rams in scoring.
Clemmons pulled down 12 rebounds for Fairfield, which travels to Fairmont on Tuesday. Ross visits Monroe on Friday.
“This was a big breakthrough game for us. We kind of put it all together — kind of bought in to what coach has been saying,” said Davids, a senior forward who grabbed seven rebounds.
“We were just moving the ball, playing harder and crashing the boards. I thought it was kind of a clinic with what the coaching staff has been putting together for us this season. We finally put it together.”
HAMILTON 46, BADIN 35
Andrea Holden scored 14 points, Peyton Davis had 10 and Hamilton defeated Badin 46-35 on Saturday in the Butler County Backyard Bash at Fairfield Arena.
“We’ll take it. I don’t think we played great, but we told the kids that it’s a huge rivalry game and obviously not played very often,” Big Blue coach Kevin Higgins said. “For our kids, it’s like we told them, it’s the atmosphere. It’s like a tournament game — a second or third round game. The crowd is into it — split. It’s kind of a do or die every possession.”
It’s just the second time Hamilton and Badin have met on the hardwood in boys basketball. Big Blue beat the Rams last season 51-41 at Hamilton.
Cooper Ollis led Badin with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Aidan Brown chipped in with 10 points.
Hamilton (4-4) forced Badin (2-3) into 17 turnovers and led 27-21 at the half.“You can’t overcome our own mistakes,” Rams coach CJ Fleming said. “We shot ourselves in the foot time and time again — 17 turnovers. Give Hamilton credit. Their zone is funky. It’s hard to prepare for. They have some long guys, starting with Andrea in the middle who’s a really good player.”
LAKOTA WEST 74, MOUNT HEALTHY 31
Bryce Curry put on a dunk show, 11 players got in the scoring column and Lakota West cruised by Mount Healthy 74-31 on Saturday in the Butler County Backyard Bash at Fairfield Arena.
LJ Green, Josh Tyson and Alex Dudukovich each scored 11 points to pace the Firebirds, who have won three out of their last four.
Lakota West (5-3) led 31-7 after the first quarter. Curry and Isaiah Meade-Moss had nine points for the Firebirds.
Kaleb Allen had eight points to lead Mount Healthy (1-7), which has lost five in a row.
The last time both teams played each other was when the Firebirds won 69-61 in the first round of the tournament on Feb. 26, 2014.
