Entering Thursday night's high school basketball rivalry game between Dunkirk and Fredonia, neither team had been able to muster a win in league play on the season, with both teams getting off to 0-4 starts in CCAA Division 1 West. By night's end, a career performance from one of Fredonia's seniors powered the Hillbillies to their first league win of the year, a dominating 87-52 home victory in a game broadcast on WDOE.
Fredonia (7-6, 1-4) led from the opening tip and never looked back. Junior Ethan Fry knocked down four three-pointers in the game's first 2:20 to get the Billies out to an early 12-3 lead. After that, senior Nick Whitfield took over. Fredonia's lead was 21-10 at the end of the 1st quarter, with Whitfield scoring nine points in the period. Whitfield added to his tally in the 2nd quarter with a personal 10-0 run that included a pair of slam dunks. At halftime, the Billies led 38-19, with Whitfield totaling 19 points at the break. Dunkirk (7-7, 0-5) never threatened Fredonia's lead in the second half, as Whitfield proved to be too much for the Marauders to handle. He tallied 15 points in the 3rd quarter, as the Billies stretched their lead to 61-35. Whitfield added 14 more in the 4th quarter, finishing with a career-high 48 points.
Whitfield shot 18-for-20 from the field, hit 12 out of 14 free throws, and grabbed eight rebounds to go with his 48 points. Also for Fredonia, Ethan Fry scored 20 points and added four assists and three steals, while sophomore Jameson Quinn netted eight points off the bench. For Dunkirk, senior Marcel Carter had 24 points, including four triples, and added seven rebounds and six assists, while senior Jack Lanski chipped in eight points and six boards.
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Ethan Fry connects on his fourth three-pointer of the 1st quarter
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Nick Whitfield gets a steal and a slam dunk in the 2nd quarter
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Marcel Carter pulls up and scores three of his team-high 24 points for Dunkirk
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Nick Whitfield slams home two more points on a baseline drive in the 4th quarter
Photos and videos by Greg Larson
