Bair helps Glenbard South score win over Fenton

Glenbard South's Charlie Bair couldn't keep track of just how effective he was during the first half Friday at Fenton.

The individual point columns weren't used on the scoreboard, but the 6-foot-5 junior had nearly as many points as the Bison.

"I just kept shooting the ball," Bair said. "I just kept playing, kept getting the ball. It was a lot of fun playing out there."

Bair had 20 points at the half and finished with 26 in the Raiders' 67-50 Metro Suburban West victory in Bensenville.

Bair was 13-for-20 shooting and added 6 rebounds for the Raiders (14-7, 6-2). He made four consecutive shots during his 12-point first quarter and scored six straight points late in the second quarter en route to a 34-21 halftime advantage.

It was a positive response to Wednesday's conference loss at Wheaton Academy.

"We've been talking lately that we need to feed it in the post more," Bair said. "I just really felt it tonight. I don't know. It was different."

This was Bair's personal-high total for 32 minutes. His overall high 29 came in the Raiders' 89-84 overtime victory over Glenbard North Nov. 27. He had 7 points when the Raiders beat Fenton 62-38 Dec. 11.

"He was moving well," Glenbard South coach Wade Hardtke said. "He's been solid for us on the rebounding end all year long, so he continued to be active there. And the guys were looking for him. He was able to finish around the basket, which was good."

Great passes created most of the scoring. When Fenton abandoned its 2-3 zone and fronted, collapsed or double-teamed Bair, he made a couple of nice bank shots from the sides of the lane.

Billy Bair, Charlie's senior brother, and Johnny LaPonte each had 3 first-half assists. Billy Bair had 12 points with an 8-point second half and LaPonte added 6 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals.

"We've been saying that the back side has been open a lot so just throw it up and either me or my brother will get it," Charlie Bair said.

For Fenton (7-13, 2-6), reserve Tyler Santagata had 14 points and Javier Sanchez and Joe Andrews had 9 apiece.

If the Bison didn't have enough problems with the Raiders' height, leading scorer Bryan Larsen was out after injuring his ankle during Tuesday's loss to Oak Lawn. Fenton coach Josh Payton said Larsen probably will miss at least one more week.

"We would have had to play very good basketball to win and we played a good second half but it's only a half," Payton said. "(Charlie Bair) was very effective around the basket. He was catching it a step from the hoop, didn't have to dribble and they were putting it right up at the rim for him."

Santagata scored 10 points in the second half. Fenton had the first basket of the third quarter and for a while exchanged baskets with the Raiders but always trailed by double digits.

"We didn't play appropriately in the first half," Payton said. "We knew they were big. We knew they were going to do that. This is probably the best team we've seen go high-low like that and utilize their height to their advantage."