Kiski jumped out to an early 10-point lead, but a 14-1 Fishburne run gave the Caissons the lead at the half, and FMS maintained a safe lead in the final 20 minutes in posting a 92-84 win Thursday night in the Best Western Caisson Shootout.
Kiski led 13-3 four minutes in and still led by seven at 34-27 before Fishburne (6-3) finished the first half with a flourish, holding Kiski to one point in the final 4:12 during that 14-1 run to go into the half up 41-35.
“They spread the floor, they shoot a ton of threes. We missed some key baskets early, but our depth was a factor, and we came to play. I had to send a message. You don’t play if you don’t play hard,” said Fishburne coach Ed Huckaby, who lit a fire under his team, which had come into the game on a modest two-game losing streak.
Modest maybe for most programs, but it was the first two-game losing streak for Fishburne in Huckaby’s six years.
The Caissons quickly got the margin into double digits early in the second half, and while Kiski was able to cut the margin to seven a couple of different times late, the outcome was never really in doubt in the final 20 minutes.
Chris Shields (uncommitted) led FMS with 18 points. Stanley Christian (Rio Grande) and Lyrik Shreiner (uncommitted) each had 16 points, and Ramses Sandifer (uncommitted) added 15.
For Shreiner, who had attracted interest from the likes of Louisville, Kansas, UConn and Memphis as a high-school senior in Phoenix before deciding to do a year of prep school, it was a breakout game after struggling to get on the floor in the Caissons’ first eight games.
“I came to prep school to work on basketball IQ, playing smarter. I’m buying into what Coach Huck is saying. I’m coming around so I can start playing my game,” Shreiner said.
Fishburne is off on Friday as Day 2 of the Best Western Caisson Shootout continues with games involving national powers Hargrave, IMG Academy, Fork Union and Miller School.
The home team returns to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Putnam Science and wraps its three games in the Shootout on Sunday at noon against IMG Academy.
– Story by Chris Graham