Alva Review-Courier -

The Alva Goldbugs and Fairview Yellowjackets came into Thursday night's match-up with identical 2-4 records. Fairview's older players showed their experience in better three-point shooting but had trouble from the free throw line. The Goldbugs stayed neck and neck with the Jackets until the third quarter when they seemed to lose momentum.

Alva led at the end of the first period 14-10, but by halftime the score was tied at 29. Fairview pulled slightly ahead to edge Alva 45-44 at the end of three, and went on to win 57-53.

First Half

Goldbug Chuck Shelite hit a basket for the first score of the game. Baylor Rust fouled Sawyer Hutchison who was heading for a basket. He missed both free throw attempts. Shelite missed a trey. Weston Church missed a basket for Fairview. Hutchison hit a three-pointer to put Fairview on the scoreboard. Then Kaden Pettus hit a basket, and Fairview led 5-2.

After a missed three-pointer by Jackson Feely, the ball changed hands in turnovers. Church put up another basket, and Fairview led 7-2. Alva's Kaden Slater hit a jumper. Fairview missed two attempts from three-point range. Austin Reed scored following a pass by Slater. He was fouled and hit the free throw. The score was tied at 7.

Shelite was fouled as he drove to the basket. He hit both free throws to put Alva in the lead 9-7. Church sank a deep three to put the Yellowjackets on top 10-9. Shelite passed to Feely who scored and was fouled. Feely missed the free throw, but Alva led 11-10. After two unsuccessful tries by Fairview and one by Alva, Slater hit a nice three-pointer to end the first quarter. Alva led 14-10.

Feely went for the basket to start the second period. He missed but Braden Hofen rebounded and tried for a shot. He was fouled and made one of two free throws. Alva led 15-10. Kolton Schmidt sank a three for Fairview to narrow the point spread to 15-13.

Slater's shot didn't go in the basket, and Church failed on a three. Shelite's trey missed, and Hofen's basket failed. Shelite grabbed the Alva rebound but missed his basket. However, he was fouled and made the second of two free throws. Rust missed a basket. Then Reed was fouled and missed both free throws. Church finally scored for Fairview. The score was now 16-15 with Alva holding the slim lead.

Alva missed three more scoring attempts. Church hit a Fairview basket and picked up another point from the free throw line to put Fairview up 18-16. Reed sank a right wing three-pointer for Alva for a brief Goldbug lead. Church stole a pass, drove in and hit the layup for Fairview. Feely hit a right wing three, and Alva led 22-20. Shelite was fouled and made one of two free throws.

Reed hit a Goldbug layup. Shelite picked off a pass and scored in a layup. Alva now led 27-20. Will Powell hit two for Fairview. Alva had a turnover, and Hutchison hit another Fairview basket. Hutchison was fouled but missed the free throw. Alva led 27-24.

Shelite scored on a Reed pass, but Church answered with a basket. Then Church hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie the score at 29-29 going into halftime.

Second Half

The third quarter started fairly even. Hutchison scored for Fairview, and Rust made an Alva basket. Reed missed on a three-point try, but Rust got the stick-back. Alva led 33-31. Fairview pulled ahead on a Schmidt trey. Then Fairview stole the ball on a pass, and Schmidt hit another three-pointer. Fairview led 37-33.

Church missed a trey and Schmidt missed a basket for the Yellowjackets. Slater's three-pointer hit the rim, but Shelite was there to rebound and try again. It didn't go in, but Hofen got the second Alva rebound and stuck the ball in. After a couple of turnovers, Schmidt scored a basket for Fairview. The Yellowjackets led 39-35.

Feely scored on a layup. Schmidt's layup failed. After a Goldbug turnover and a timeout, Church missed a trey and Schmidt missed a layup. Church scored two on the put-back, and Fairview was up 41-37.

Feely's three-pointer missed, but Slater grabbed the rebound. He didn't sink the basket but was fouled, hitting one of two free throw chances. Church stole the ball and hit a layup. Feely answered with a jump shot for Alva. The score was 43-40 in Fairview's favor. After missed attempts by Schmidt and Pettus, Hofen hit a basket and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but Alva was behind only one at 43-42.

Slater sank a Goldbug basket, but Church hit one for Fairview. A try by Rust didn't go in. Hutchison's buzzer basket failed. The third quarter ended with Fairview leading 45-44.

As the final period opened, Schmidt hit a right wing three for Fairview to increase the lead to four. Alva had five failed basket attempts, and Fairview had one. Reed was fouled and made both free throws to put Alva within two. Church hit a basket for the Yellowjackets to put them up 50-46.

Hofen went to the free throw line, hitting one of two. Feely missed another basket attempt, but Schmidt sank a layup for Fairview. Feely hit a basket on an assist from Reed. Fairview led 52-49.

Slater hit a layup on a pass from Feely to put the Goldbugs within one at 52-51. Schmidt missed his basket but was fouled. He missed both free throws. However, he soon redeemed himself with a three-pointer. Shelite's trey missed. Schmidt attempted a basket but was fouled. He missed both free throws. Reed's attempt from three-point range failed. Schmidt was fouled while shooting but missed both free throws. The score remained 55-51.

Time was slipping away. Reed tried for another three-point shot that didn't go in. However, he was called for a reach in foul, and Hutchison went to the line. He hit one of two free throws. Rust tried for an Alva three but missed. Feely was fouled and hit both free throws. Fairview led by three at 56-53.

After a timeout, Slater fouled Church who hit one of two from the line. The Yellowjackets led 57-53. As time ran out, Feely attempted a shot from three-point range but it was no good. Fairview won 57-53.

Wrap-Up

Feely led the Alva scoring with 13. Reed, Slater and Shelite had 10 points each. Hofen scored six and Rust four. Hofen had 15 rebounds. Alva made only three of 16 three-point attempts, but made 16 of 33 from under the net.

Church led the scoring for Fairview with 26. Schmidt had 19, Hutchison 10 and Powell two. The Yellowjackets hit eight of 19 three-point attempts but only three of their 12 free throw chances. Fairview moves up to a 3-4 record for the season.

The Goldbugs are now 2-5. They travel to play the Perry Maroons tonight in an 8 p.m. game.