Fair Dickinson defeats Chicago St 70-63
Chicago St Edges Fair Dickinson in Conference Showdown
The Bogota Savings Bank Center was electric on Friday night as the Fair Dickinson Knights hosted their conference rivals, the Chicago St Mustangs. In a tightly contested matchup, Fair Dickinson emerged victorious with a 70-63 win.
The Knights came into this game looking to continue their momentum from previous weeks, and they did just that. At halftime, Fair Dickinson led by 10 points (31-21) and never looked back. The margin of victory was 7 points, which may seem insignificant at first glance, but it's a testament to the team's defensive prowess.
Joey Niesman was the primary scorer for Fair Dickinson, putting up an impressive 18 points on 3-6 three-point shooting (55.6% FG). Taeshaud Jackson chipped in with 17 points and 14 rebounds, demonstrating his well-rounded skillset. The Knights also managed to limit Chicago St's top scorers, Tank Byard and CJ Ray, to combined efforts of 30 points.
Chicago St struggled from the three-point line, shooting just 39% (9-23) compared to Fair Dickinson's 29%. However, they did excel in free throw shooting, making 82% (14/17). The Mustangs' defense also held their own, grabbing 23 rebounds and limiting the Knights to 27 on offense.
In terms of advanced statistics, Fair Dickinson's effective field goal percentage (eFG%) was a respectable 47.9%, while Chicago St's was slightly lower at 50.0%. However, it was the Knights' free throw rate that truly made them a formidable opponent – they shot an impressive 74.0% (25/34) from the line.
For Chicago St, Tank Byard had a standout performance with 15 points on 75.0% shooting from the field. His eight rebounds and one steal also contributed to his team's success.
The game served as a conference reminder that Fair Dickinson is still a force to be reckoned with in the league. Their ability to limit Chicago St's three-point shooting while maintaining their own high-powered offense made all the difference.
Chicago St, meanwhile, falls to 1-2 in conference play but remains optimistic about their chances moving forward. With this loss, they'll have to refocus and work on improving their outside shooting to become a more balanced team.
As we head into the second half of the conference season, expect these teams to clash again in the near future. Will Fair Dickinson continue its winning ways, or will Chicago St bounce back with a vengeance?