Quick start not enough for FHS boys at No. 7 state-ranked West Rebels
KNOXVILLE — In their rematch against District 4-4A foe Knoxville West High School on the road Friday night, Jan. 31, things were going well for Farragut’s boys basketball team late into the first half.
However, the state’s No. 7-ranked Runnin’ Rebels (Tennessee Sports Writers Association poll) grabbed momentum in the final minute of the half and extended it past halftime to lead by as many as 17 points. The Admirals fought hard to recover but ended up losing 78-69.
That’s despite a game-high 27 points from Farragut senior wing Dominic VanAcker, scoring from all over the court. Parker Lane, Admiral junior point guard, added 21.
“We didn’t execute our defense well, we let the big guys get going,” Lane said. “We play hard every game. We just gotta find a way to win and make the plays that count.”
“The run they went on to finish the first half, they carried it over to the second half,” Farrgut head coach JP Burris said.
The Admirals were down 4-0 early but scored nine of the next 11 to lead 9-6. After a lay-up by West, Lane’s lay-up was followed by VanAcker’s runner to make it 13-8. The quarter ended with a 15-10 Admirals’ lead.
The teams traded baskets in the second quarter, with Farragut maintaining the lead until the final seconds.
Down 27-21, the Runnin’ Rebels scored the final seven — culminating with forward Kevin Jack’s lay-up with four seconds left — to lead 28-27 at the half.
“It was self-inflicted,” Burris said. “We turned it over twice (near the end of the half) and they gained a lot of momentum going into halftime.”
Jack and senior post Devyn Martin — who stands 6-foot-8 — were difficult for the Admirals to contain down low. Jack scored 23 while Martin added 14 for the Runnin’ Rebs.
West continued its late-half push into the third quarter. Up 30-29 at the 7:32 mark, the Runnin’ Rebels went on a 12-1 run in a little more than two minutes to lead 42-30.
Although the Admirals (15-9, 3-4 in district after the loss) cut the lead to seven, 46-39, KWHS then struck for 10 straight in barely more than a minute, and the lead was 56-39 very late in the quarter. The closest FHS would get in the fourth would be nine points, with 1:52 left, and at the very end.
