An 18 point 4th quarter from Grace Lyon, couldn’t get the Falcons over the top.

Lots of people were looking forward to a battle between Ohio State and Indiana today. One they weren’t expecting was Perry at Fairless. This girls hoops battle was a last second matchup made when Fairless lost their
Saturday game against alliance, and Perry lost a bout against Louisville. In what will become commonplace this year, this game was set just days before it tipped.

Thats where the differences end and the similarities begin…

Buckeyes and Hoosiers started slow, so did the Panthers and the Falcons.

Buckeyes opened a large 3rd quarter lead, so did Perry.

Buckeyes let Indiana back in the game, Perry let Fairless back in the game.

The Hoosiers couldn’t get closer than seven, the Falcons couldn’t get closer than five.

The Panthers and Falcons started slow, which isn’t out of the ordinary for the first game, much less one after a quarantined offseason. Any team playing Perry has limiting Meredith Randulic at the top of their list, and Fairless did just that in the opening period. The Panthers had five player score en route to a 13-8 1st quarter lead, none named Randulic.

Then Randulic came alive, scoring nine and ten of her team high 22 points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Fairless was poised to make a run in the second period, getting treys from Pavlic and Cole to cut into the lead, but each time Perry answered with a triple of their own. Perry went into the half up ten.

The third quarter was all Panthers, from the 10-2 run to open the half, to the biggest lead of the game 47-28 after three. Thats when the Falcons had enough.

Junior post Grace Lyon exploded in the 4th for Fairless. Held to a single basket in the 3rd, she netted 18 of her career high 28 points in the final period. She was literally unstoppable for most of the quarter. She got great seals and entry passes from her guards, caught some tough passes in traffic for scores, had a few 3 point play opportunities and finished off the show with a face up elbow jumper that hit nothing but net.

While the Falcons gave Perry a scare, they just couldn’t get closer than five. Perry got a very efficient 22 from Randulic, who only needed 12 field goals and was perfect from the arc and line. Izzy Centeno added 15 for the Panthers, with at least one bucket in each quarter.

Perry travles to Federal League rival Lake on Tuesday, Fairless heads to East Canton on Wednesday.