The Fairport Red Raiders basketball players compete with each other in order to prepare themselves to beat other teams and the approach works.
So, when the Rush-Henrietta Royal Comets scored the first 10 points of the Section V Class AAA Tournament Final on March 7, it was more “game on” than “oh-oh” for the Red Raiders, who pulled away for a 77-43 win.
“We just push each other in practice every day,” Fairport senior guard/forward Alex Grejda said after becoming a sectional basketball champion for the first time in his third varsity season. “We work hard, so that when we get to moments in the game, we’re prepared for them. We can play together as a team.”
The Fairport Red Raiders are Section V champions for the first time since 2017. They defeated every opponent on their schedule this season.
The title is the program’s fourth sectional championship under coach Scott Fitch, who also holds a role within USA Basketball.
Player of the game
Fairport forward Noah Meabon. A 6-foot-5 senior, Meabon scored 21 points and blocked a number of shots. Meabon has a future in Division I college volleyball.
By the numbers
2 – Dunks by Noah Meabon during the second quarter, when the Red Raiders pulled away from Rush-Henrietta
19 – Points for Fairport senior guard Alex Grejda
13 – Points for Fairport senior forward Hadi Dergham
14 – Points scored by Rush-Henrietta Kylan Burke.
21 – Wins this season for the Red Raiders after 22 games.
They said it
“I wasn’t on the team last year, but when the team gets fired up and they are angry at a team, it’s kind of like, you’re part of the team, you’re angry, too. I was angry for them last year, coming here watching them lose (to R-H in the final). It sucks, it sucks to watch that, it sucks to be in that position. I’ve lost in volleyball two years in a row, so coming here, I’m playing for them. Everything I do is for them.” – Fairport senior forward Noah Meabon on his teammates.
“We got off to a slow start, but our motto on the team is to trust us.” – Meabon
“We said to trust us. We knew if we played our game, we would get right back into it, and we did a good job.” – Fairport senior guard/forward Alex Grejda
“We’re always ready to make a comeback, and to just play hard,” Fairport senior Hadi Dergham
All-tournament team
Alex Grejda (Fairport), James Willingham (University Prep), Hadi Dergham (Fairport), Kylan Burke (Rush-Henrietta), Jon Roessel (Fairport), Kingston Henry (Rush-Henrietta)
MVP: Noah Meabon (Fairport)
Bill Farrell Memorial Championship Coach Award: Scott Fitch (Fairport)
What’s next
For the Fairport Red Raiders (21-1), the state tournament. Fairport faces Jamestown, the Section VI champion, 5 p.m. on March 13 at Buffalo State in the regional round.
Below is how the Section V Class AAA Tournament Final unfolded:
Final
Fairport 77, Rush-Henrietta 43
Fourth quarter – 5:27 remain
Fairport 64, Rush-Henrietta 34
Noah Meabon claps as he is replaced by a teammate for the rest of the game. It’s probably because the Class AAA sectional title is in Fairport’s pocket. Just a matter of time. Fairport fans also clap as he trots off.
Early fourth quarter
Fairport 59, Rush-Henrietta 34
Fairport forward Noah Meabon, a future Division I college volleyball player, has blocked a shot that sailed over the plexiglass at the arena. I don’t know how many feet it is from the court to the glass, but it is difficult to knock the ball that far and high.
Third quarter – 3:57 remaining
Fairport 51, Rush-Henrietta 24
Notice the gaps in Rush-Henrietta’s scoring. The Royal Comets call a full timeout after committing a foul on defense.
Early third quarter
Fairport 44, Rush-Henrietta 23
The game is now the Noah Meabon show and Fairport’s game to lose. He dribbles to the low block during a drive toward the basket. Three Rush-Henrietta defenders quickly surround Meabon, who flips the ball underhanded and through the crowd for a layup by Hadi Dergham.
Halftime
Fairport 39, Rush-Henrietta 21
The Red Raiders surge away from R-H, a team that has to work hard to score. A foul committed against Fairport’s Noah Meabon is ruled intentional, and seems to ignite the future Division I college volleyball player. Meabon dunks twice in the final two or three minutes of the half, both reverse-style after he catches passes while in the air. You will enjoy the photo by Shawn Dowd.
Start of second quarter
Fairport 19, Rush-Henrietta 14
First quarter – About 3 minutes remaining
Fairport 14, Rush-Henrietta 10
The Red Raiders comeback with a 14-3 run. Gannon Culver, Noah Meabon, Hadi Dergham and with a 3-pointer, Jonathan Roessel, score during this push. Culver also had a 3-pointer, Fairport’s first points.
First quarter – first minute of action in 8-minute quarter
The Royal Comets come out their dressing room and score the first seven points. This spurt includes an old-fashioned three-point play, with a free throw following a basket by Kylan Burke.
When is the Section V Class AAA boys basketball championship?
1 p.m. Saturday, March 7.
Where is the Section V Class AA2 boys basketball championship?
Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester Community War Memorial is the site of all the championship games.
Fairport boys basketball
Rush-Henrietta boys basketball
Fairport boys basketball photos
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Fairport floats past Rush-Henrietta to win first boys basketball title since 2017
Reporting by James Johnson, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
