News > East - Section V Round 3 Playoff
01/30/04
High schools: Fairport stunner
Havens, McAdam get revenge vs. East
By James Johnson
Staff writer
MAX SCHULTE staff photographer
Fairport’s Ryan McAdam, who had 18 points, shoots over East High’s Quinn Smith Jr. on Tuesday night at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Red Raiders defeated the Orientals 59-51 in a Section V Class AAA Boys Basketball Tournament semifinal game. [Day in Photos]
(March 3, 2004) — The Fairport Red Raiders gained revenge, another shot at redemption, plus a chance to win their first sectional championship since 1975 on Tuesday night.
Fairport defeated East, the team that beat the Red Raiders during the finals last year, 59-51 in a Section V Class AAA Boys Basketball Tournament semifinal at the Blue Cross Arena.
Brett Havens and Ryan McAdam each scored 18 points to lead the second-seeded Red Raiders (17-3) in the emotional matchup in which East High star Nate Brumfield was ejected.
The Orientals still managed to take the lead without their leading scorer in the fourth quarter. East led 51-49, but the Red Raiders closed out the Orientals with a 10-0 run in the final 1:49.
Fairport’s run really was a free-throw shooting clinic, as seven of the decisive points came from the line.
Fairport fell 60-58 in overtime to East in last season’s tournament, the seventh consecutive time the Red Raiders lost in a sectional final.MAX SCHULTE staff photographer
Fairport’s Ryan McAdam, who had 18 points, shoots over East High’s Quinn Smith Jr. on Tuesday night at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Red Raiders defeated the Orientals 59-51 in a Section V Class AAA Boys Basketball Tournament semifinal game.“I don’t think we need to say how excited we are,” Havens said.
The AAA final is set. The Red Raiders get a third crack at top-seeded Rush-Henrietta (20-0), the last unbeaten boys team in Section V, 9 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Cross Arena.
Fairport lost both of its Monroe County League games this season to the Royal Comets, whose quickness gave the Red Raiders problems.
“We need to keep our heads when our legs get tired,” Havens said. “Just keep moving the ball and playing as a team.”
The quickness of the Orientals gave Fairport the same challenge.
Yet, Fairport led by six points at halftime after Havens made three 3-pointers during the first half. The 6-foot-2 senior guard had a team-high 11 points for the Red Raiders, while Brumfield paced East with nine in a low-scoring half.
Defense allowed the Orientals to speed up the action and cut the Fairport’s lead to two points before the game became too hotly contested.
Brumfield was whistled for a foul late in the third quarter and was ejected after he shoved Fairport guard Joe DiPerna. Neither Fairport coach Scott Fitch nor East High coach Darrell Barley were happy with the referee’s decision.
“That should’ve been more to our benefit,’’ Fitch said, because East players came off the team bench.
Barley refused to comment after the game.JJOHNSO@DemocratandChronicle.com
source: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/sports/high/0303KM3FFJ1_sports.shtml