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By: Brian Smith

Kemare Harrington was LaFayette’s offensive spark in smash visiting Vincent 76 to 45. Harrington was a quick-strik assassin, often on the receiving end of an outlet pass that turned into open layups and multiple and-one buckets. The defense also helped make those plays happen.

LaFayette’s three-quarter court trap and aggressive defense kept Vincent’s top shooter Skyler Mccrimon at bay. Many of the defensive rebounds from his misses turned into a field day for Harrington and the Bulldogs’ fast break point total. Even in the halfcourt, Harrington was making moves.

His left baseline drive for a bucket placed the Bulldogs up 10-7 over the Yellow Jackets with 2:45 to play in the first quarter. As the game moved on, Harrington kept getting out ahead of the pack and attacking the rim.

In the middle of the second quarter, Harrington busted the game wide open. A coast-to-coast drive was followed by Jordan Johnson passing to him for a made layup and being fouled. Harrington knocked down the free throw; he wasn’t done.

The next time he scored it was from beyond the 3-point arc and the score was 29-18. He scored eight points in just over a minute of play and 10 points for the quarter.

“They kept fumbling the ball around and we kept getting steals,” Harrington said about his scoring opportunities after the game. “It was great for my team.”

LaFayette’s uptempo style rattled Vincent and the offense was clicking on all cylinders. When the offense needed to find a good shot, the high post was its best option.

Big man Jayden Thomason had multiple buckets in the lane after flashing in the middle of Vincent’s zone. No matter what the Yellow Jackets did defensively, the Bulldogs came back with an immediate answer. LaFayette led 33 to 22 at halftime.

One of the first plays of the third quarter was like a repeat from the second stanza. Johnson once again found a streaking Harrington in the open court for a layup. The lead ballooned to 39 to 22 and the Bulldogs were rolling. The emphatic exclamation point was still yet to come.

Johnson drilled a right-wing 3-point shot and then a quick turnover led to the play of the game. Trailing on the semi-fast break was Thomason. He caught the defense flat-footed and delivered a two-handed monster jam to give LaFayette a 44-23 lead. The home crowd went bananas!

Vincent cut the lead to 47-33 as Jay Posey hit a triple, but that was shortlived. Harrington attacked the rim again, scored, and was fouled. After connecting on the free throw, LaFayette went up 54 to 33 with 2:10 remaining in the third. As a fitting end to the third period, Johnson hit a left-wing step-back triple with 10 seconds to play. LaFayette went into the final quarter on a 15-3 run and led 62-36.

When Cameron Thomas scored and hit the subsequent free throw, LaFayette had moved the lead to 67-37. That’s when the running clock began LaFayette went to mass substitutions.

For the game, Harrington finished with 20, Johnson 16, Thomason 12, and Quintavious Lloyd added 9.