By John Bombatch
FAIRBORN — It’s no secret that the Fairborn Skyhawks boys basketball team tends to live or die by the 3-point shot. When one Fairborn Skyhawk gets to hitting them, it tends to open things up for everybody else.
That was the case Saturday night as Fairborn drained 13 3-pointers in a 92-59 win over Germanton Valley View at the Baker Middle School Memorial Field House.
Branden Lilley got things started for the Skyhawks (7-5, 3-0 Greater Western Ohio Conference) who have now won three straight. Lilley scored 13 points in the first quarter alone — with nine points from that total coming from 3-point range — and led the team with 28 points in all.
“Our guys started hitting early. It started off with Lilley, and then (Jordan) Pumroy did a good job later on, and then that helped set things up for (Ryan) Profitt banging on the inside as well,” explained Fairborn coach Nathan Chivington. “It was nice to see guys get in the scorebook. Everybody contributed tonight. It was a really good team win.”
Lilley was the only Skyhawk to convert a shot from the floor in the opening quarter of play. But Pumroy got into the act by scoring 10 of his 22 points in the second quarter. Profitt then began scoring from inside and out in the second and third quarters, and the lopsided win was on.
Profitt also wound up with double-figure scoring. He finished with 11 points.
Pumroy led the team in rebounds with 10 to record a double-double.
Fairborn had doubled up Valley View (42-21) at halftime. They then outscored the Spartans 50-38 in the second half.
Lilley, who drained seven treys as part of a 31-point effort in Friday night’s win over West Carrollton, said he and Pumroy like to provide the initial spark that gets the rest of the Skyhawks flying.
“Me and him, I consider us the leaders on the team,” Lilley said. “And when defenses start committing to stop us, we kick the ball out to our teammates and it opens up their shots.”
He laughed when asked whether the rim seemed like he was chucking marbles through a hula hoop when he started hitting those 3-pointers.
“Oh, it’s a great feeling. A hula hoop or a trash can, yeah,” he said with a smile. “When you’re hitting your shots, it just feels like the hoop keeps getting bigger and bigger.”
Valley View coach Ben Buehner and his youthful Spartans boarded the bus relatively quickly after the contest, and he was unavailable for comment afterward.
Tyler Whiteman nearly had a double-double. He led the Spartans with 18 points and nine rebounds. Clayton Erbaugh finished with 15 points, but Spartan shooters were just 1-of-13 from behind the 3-point arc.
Fairborn hosts Springfield Kenton Ridge for a non-league game tonight at Baker Memorial Fieldhouse. They then will host Greater Western Ohio Conference co-leader Springboro on Friday. Both games tip off at 7:30 p.m. at Baker Middle School.
