By Mark Trible
FauquierNow.com Sports Editor
Liberty’s boys basketball team defeated Fauquier, 63-49, to win the Evergreen District tournament championship Friday night in Bealeton.
The Eagles took a 7-6 lead early in the first quarter and didn’t trail the rest of the way.
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Photo/Mark Trilbe
The Eagles ride an 11-game winning streak into the regional tournament.
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Fauquier never recovered from a 14-2 Liberty run in the first half. The Eagles used the spurt to take a 26-11 lead with 5:30 remaining in the half. They led the Falcons, 32-21, at intermission.
The Falcons fought back in the third quarter and narrowed the deficit to three points at the 4:10 mark of period.
In the last minute of the third period, Liberty senior forward Ryan Ramirez delivered an emphatic blow to Fauquier’s hopes.
With the Eagles leading 42-33 and just 23 seconds remaining in the quarter, Ramirez caught a pass from guard Rashawn Latimer. The first team all-district selection drove toward the basket and elevated for a one-handed dunk on the Fauquier defender.
As the home crowd erupted, Ramirez’ teammates all ran over to congratulate him.
“I was speechless. I couldn’t talk,” Liberty guard Aaron Patterson said. “I knew he’d go up for a dunk but I didn’t know someone would get in front of him.”
Ramirez, who finished with a team-high 11 rebounds to go with 12 points, couldn’t believe how high he had jumped on the play.
“I was going to try to lay it up,” Ramirez said. “Then, I just kept going up.”
The Eagles continued their strong play in the fourth quarter. Fauquier never came within 10 points of the district champions in the final stanza.
“Anytime you step on the floor, you want to come to play,” Fauquier Coach Wayne Brizzi said. “We didn’t do the things we needed to do to be successful tonight.”
Both teams will host regional tournament games next Tuesday. Fauquier will host Charlottesville at 7 p.m. Liberty will host Monticello at 7:45 p.m.
Liberty Coach Pat Frazer thinks his team is prepared for regional tournament.
“The kids know what it takes,” he said. “At the end of the season, we played OK and in the postseason we stepped it up.”
The Eagles have won 11 consecutive games and enter the regional tournament with a 17-5 record. Fauquier fell to 13-11.
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