By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SARDINIA — It’s not how you start, but how you play the last 3 quarters.

The Fairland Dragons fell behind by 8 points in the first quarter but battled back and held on for a 64-61 win over the Eastern Brown Warriors on Saturday.

The Warriors took a 14-6 first quarter lead and Grady Barber had 6 points and Kade Walkup hit a 3-pointer.

Brody Buchanan had 4 of the Dragons’ points.

Fairland rebounded in the second quarter and cut the deficit to 25-23 at the half.

Chase Allen and Buchanan each scored 5 points including a 3-pointer while Trevor Lochow also hit a trey.

Luke Haney hit a 3-pointer and a foul shot for Eastern.

The Dragons took the lead in the third quarter as Buchanan hit a trifecta and scored 7 points with Allen hitting a triple and scoring 5 points and Will Davis adding 4 points to make it 39-35.

Drew Edmisten knocked down a pair of 3-pointers for the Warriors.

The fourth quarter became a shooting match as Eastern outscored the Dragons 26-25 but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.

Allen got hot for the Dragons as he scored 13 points. Noah Marcum drilled a pair of 3-pointers and Davis added 4 points as the Dragons held on for the win.

Barber had 9 points, Edmisten hit a 3-pointer, both and Pryce Murphy scored 6 points and Haney had 5 points for Eastern.

Allen scored 23 points to lead the Dragons (14-7). Buchanan had 18 points before fouling out and Davis added 12 points. Keegan Smith grabbed 6 rebounds.

Barber scored 19 pointsHaney 14 and Edmisten 11 for the Warriors (16-6).

Fairland will host Huntington Ross at 7 p.m. Monday in the Division 3 sectional tournament.

Fairland    6 17 16 25 = 64

Eastern     14 11 10 26 = 61

FAIRLAND (14-7): Will Davis 5 0 2-2 12, Chase Allen 7 2 3-6 23, Brycen Hunt 1 0 0-0 2, Trevor Lochow 0 1 0-0 3, Noah Marcum 0 2 0-0 6, Keegan Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Brody Buchanan 5 2 2-2 18, Payton Jackson 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-47 7-10 64. 3-pt goals: 7-20. Rebounds: 17 (Smith 6). Assists: 14 (Marcum 3, Davis 3, Allen 3). Steals: 3 (Smith 2). Turnovers: 6. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Buchanan.

EASTERN BROWN (16-6): Kade Walkup 1 1 0-0 5, Landen Koehler 0 0 0-0 0, Wyatt Haupt 3 0 0-0 6, Carson McCord 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Edmisten 1 3 0-0 11, Luke Haney 3 1 5-9 14, Pryce Murphy 2 0 2-2 6, Grady Barber 7 0 5-8 19. Totals: 22-54 12-19 61. 3-pt goals: 5-18. Rebounds: 28 (Haney 10, Haupt 8). Assists: 7 *Haupt 3, Edmiston 2). Steals: 2. Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.