Fuller hits another winner for Wildcats in tourney play
<p class="p1">For the second time in the West Frankfort Mid-Winter Classic in high school boys’ basketball, Anna-Jonesboro’s Noah Fuller made the game winning basket.</p><p class="p1">Fuller drove in to score a layup with 11 seconds remaining to lift the Wildcats to a 57-55 win over Vienna to win third place in the tournament Saturday, Jan. 24.</p><p class="p1">The Eagles attempted a half-court shot at the buzzer that missed its mark to preserve the A-J victory.</p><p class="p1">In the game, the Wildcats erupted for an 18-0 lead at the outset. </p><p class="p1">With 2:08 remaining in the first quarter, the Eagles finally got on the scoreboard with a free throw.</p><p class="p1">“We got up to a 21-1 lead and we probably got a little conservative,” A-J coach Mike Chamness said. “But we never really panicked.” </p><p class="p1">A-J held a commanding 24-5 first quarter advantage. </p><p class="p1">Vienna fought back to pull to 36-28 at the half and trailed 47-39 going into the final period. </p><p class="p1">The Eagles outscored the Wildcats 14-8 in the final quarter in their come-from-behind bid that fell short.</p><p class="p1">Dakota Earnhart led the way for A-J with 16 points and 2 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">Fuller added 15 points and 3 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">Noah Prater added 12 points and 3 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">Zach Parr had 6 points and 2 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">Zane DeWitt had 4 points and a rebound. </p><p class="p1">Derek Harvell had 2 points and 5 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">A-J was 19 of 43 in shot attempts from the floor, 3 of 9 from 3-point range and 8 of 10 from the free throw line.</p><p class="p1">“We wanted to get three wins,” said Chamness, of the Wildcats, who finished 3-1 after going 0-4 in the Classic last year.</p><p class="p1"><strong>West Frankfort 59, A-J 41:</strong> The Wildcats couldn’t overcome a first quarter deficit in the loss in the Classic Friday, Jan. 23.</p><p class="p1">The Redbirds, who finished in second place in the Classic, were ahead 13-8 after one quarter and 30-24 at the half. </p><p class="p1">West Frankfort pulled ahead 47-30 going into the final period.</p><p class="p1">DeWitt had 10 points and 3 rebounds to lead A-J. </p><p class="p1">Prater added 8 points and 2 rebounds. Fuller had 6 points and 4 rebounds. Earnhart added 6 points and 2 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">Parr had 6 points. Garrett Nimmo had a point. Dallas Marks had 2 rebounds.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats were 15 of 30 in shot attempts from the floor, 1 of 19 from 3-point range and 8 of 14 from the free throw line.</p><p class="p1"><strong>A-J 67, Eldorado 65:</strong> Fuller made a jump shot with 3.1 seconds remaining to lift A-J to the Classic win Wednesday, Jan. 21.</p><p class="p1">With 50 seconds remaining, the Eagles’ Max Kasiar had tied the game for the sixth time in the final quarter.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats then ran down the clock to 19.8 seconds before calling a time out.</p><p class="p1">Prater took the ball out of bounds and passed to Fuller at the top of the key. </p><p class="p1">Fuller then passed to Collin Prather to the left of the free throw line. </p><p class="p1">Prather passed to Earnhart in the lane, who passed to Fuller on the right side just inside the 3-point line.</p><p class="p1">Fuller took two dribbles before hitting the uncontested game-winning bucket.</p><p class="p1">“He (Fuller) played really well this week,” Chamness said. “He answered the call especially with Parr being out. He stepped up for us.”</p><p class="p1">Fuller took over point guard duties from Parr, who has been nursing a leg injury and has not been playing at full strength. </p><p class="p1">DeWitt led the way in the win with 23 points and 7 rebounds. Fuller added 19 points and a rebound. Prater had 13 points and 4 rebounds. Earnhart had 8 points and 5 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">Harvell had 2 points and 7 rebounds. </p><p class="p1">Prather had 2 points and 3 rebounds.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats were 21 of 39 in shot attempts from the floor, 3 of 15 from 3-point range and 16 of 21 from the free throw line.</p><p class="p1">The Wildcats, who improved to 13-8 overall, were to have played Murphysboro earlier this week. They travel Friday to Nashville and are on the road Saturday at West Frankfort. All three teams have winning records.</p><p class="p1">“It’s a tough week for us,” Chamness said. </p>