WINNSBORO — The Fairfield Central boys’ basketball team proved their resilience over the winter break, bouncing back from a narrow opening-round loss to secure back-to-back wins and finish with a 2-1 record in holiday tournament action.
The Griffins opened the tournament on Dec. 27 with a defensive battle against Burke High School. In a game that went down to the final buzzer, Fairfield Central fell just short in a 46-44 heartbreaker. Khaleb Feaster led the way for the Griffins with a versatile performance, tallying 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Rashawn Brown added 12 points and four steals, while Mason Nelums anchored the paint with 10 rebounds.
Looking to erase the opening loss sting, the Griffins returned to action on Dec. 29 with an explosive defensive display against Baptist Hill. Fairfield Central’s squad combined for staggering 23 team steals against the Hollywood-based team.
The defensive intensity translated into a balanced offensive attack in the 57-30 rout. Desmond Edmonds led the scoring with 11 points and five rebounds, while Kamauri Jones and Mason Nelums each contributed 10 points. Feaster remained a focal point of the transition game, finishing with eight points, six rebounds, and five assists.
The tournament finale on Dec. 30 against Timberland provided the most dramatic moment of the week. The Griffins appeared to be in trouble early, struggling to find their rhythm and falling behind 16-4 after the first quarter. By halftime, the deficit remained at eight points as Timberland held a 25-17 lead.
However, the second half belonged to Fairfield Central. The Griffins locked down defensively in the third quarter, outscoring Timberland 18-6 to take their first lead of the game. Having seized the momentum, the Griffins never looked back, out-executing Timberland in the final frame to seal a 49-40 comeback victory.
With the 2-1 tournament performance behind them, the Griffins now look to carry that second-half momentum back into regular-season play as they prepare for the heart of their region schedule.
The Griffin boys jumped into the 2026 portion of their schedule at York Prep on Wednesday, but scores were not available at press time. They will jump into region action at Clinton on Friday, then host Eau Claire on Jan. 13 for the first home region game of the season.
