EAGLES JUNIOR POST Dominique Owens protects the basketball as he makes a move under the basket in region tournament action. Fairfield high school Eagles cagers exited the post season playoffs Friday evening after a hard fought loss to the Hardin- Jefferson Hawks at the Region III tournament in Huntsville.

The Hawks were elminiated Saturday night by Silsbee, which advances to the Class AAA state basketball tourney this week in Austin.

“The kids played really well and gave themselves a chance,” FHS head coach Joey Worley says.

Final tally in the Eagles- Hawks matchup was 53-50.

Hardin-Jefferson opened the contest with a 3-point shot by junior guard Grayson Sutherland, but Fairfield got points from four players to stay close through the first period, 14-16.

Second period play is what hurt the FHS quintet when they were out scored 7-14 to put themselves in a 21-30 hole at intermission.

FAIRFIELD EAGLES SENIOR guard LaDarius Brackens brings the ball down the court in the region tournament matchup against the Hardin- Jefferson Hawks. But, as they have all season, the Eagles fought back.

Fairfield put 18 points on the board in the third period to pull within three points, 39-42.

An early 7-point run included a 3-pointer and field goal by senior guard Willie Tatum and a bucket by junior post Dominique Owens to get within four.

Senior post Tevin Green and Owens added a field goal each at the end of the period to get within three points of the Hawks.

Hardin-Jefferson went on its own short run early in the fourth period, scoring six quick points, to extend the margin to seven points, but the Eagles battled back.

Senior guard Evan Simpson hit a 3-pointer and Brackens connected on a pair from long range to help the cause, but the Hawks managed to stay just out of reach.

Worley reports that the Eagles turned the ball over five times in a row in the second period, which resulted in the lead widening before the half.

On the other hand, the FHS coach points out that the team held the Hawks’ scoring down from its norm of more than 70 points a game.

“They scored 78 points coming into the region tournament and we knew we wouldn’t survive if it got that high,” Worley says. “I think we did a good job dictating the tempo.”

Fairfield scoring was spread among four players who got into double digits— Brackens led with 13, Green got 12, Owens tallied 11 and Tatum got 10.

Also scoring were: Simpson, 6; and Anthony Price, 1.

The free throw count was a little lopsided—-the Hawks stepped to the charity stripe 14 times and the Eagles took nine shots.

Pacing Hardin-Jefferson was senior guard Jacoby Turner who burned the nets for 21 points.

“Overall, we were really pleased with the way they battled back against one of the top teams in the state,” Worley says.

The Eagles closed out the season with a 24-8 record, winning the District 20-AAA crown and an area championship.