Fairfield (21-4) had a talented squad last year and only improved this season with the addition of transfer Kollin Tolbert, giving the Indians four double-figure scorers as they rolled to a second straight GMC title. Rogers believes this group is playing like one of the best in the state.
“That (first-round) loss last year definitely motivated us,” Rogers said. “We knew we had a good team. Now that we’ve gotten to this point, we’ve mainly tried to focus on how to get better and not get too comfortable. Since we’re getting so far in the tournament, we can’t get ahead of ourselves, but state has been our goal from the beginning of the season and that’s our goal. We have one of the most talented teams in Ohio, so it would only be right with the amount of talent we have.”
Fairfield returned last year’s top two scorers in Logan Woods and Deshawne Crim, who are averaging 13.6 points and 12.1 points respectively, as well as starting guard Ray Coney (7.2 ppg). Tolbert, who transferred from KEBA Prep, leads the team with 14.3 points per game, and Owen Bronston took a big step as one of the first players off the bench, contributing 10.1 points a game. Rogers does a lot that doesn’t show up in the stats.
The biggest difference this year has been experience, Fairfield coach D.J. Wyrick said.
“We’re a year older, more experienced,” Wyrick said. “They’ve been through it. Last year, it was their first time experiencing a little success going into the tournament. Now it’s a group that’s done it before and learned to come with focus every game and to be ready to compete.”
The Indians learned another valuable lesson from their first-round loss in 2020-21. In that game, they made just 3 of 23 shots from 3-point range, and Wyrick said they’ve since learned how to win games in other ways when shots aren’t falling.
Fairfield’s defense especially improved this season and that’s helped the team pull out some close wins. In three postseason games, the opponents haven’t scored more than 34 points.
“The defensive intensity has picked up, guys are really competing, trying to defend and guard,” Wyrick said. “Owen off the bench provides a big spark, and we can go big when we need to or small when we need and being able to keep teams off balance with that has been very successful.”
Rogers, the team’s 6-foot-7 starting center, especially has a tall task Sunday matching up against Walnut Hills center Tyler McKinley, who led the Eastern Cincinnati Conference with 17.6 points per game and averages 7.6 rebounds per game. Rogers said he knows McKinley from AAU ball and looks forward to the challenge.
Walnut Hills also has talented guards that can shoot and attack the basket, Wyrick said, so Fairfield needs to try to control the tempo as much as possible, but the matchup with the two centers will be a big key to the game.
“Amir changes the way we can play defensively because he disrupts shots at the rim, plays at a high level,” Wyrick said. “His impact doesn’t show up as much in the stat sheet as if you are watching live. Some games he hasn’t even taken a shot attempt and doesn’t care. He’s completely unselfish. It’s all about the team because he just wants to win. He’s the type of kid who could average double figures if we needed him to. He accepts his role and embraces it and does whatever he can to get the win.”
Wyrick credits the scout team in practice for helping prepare for the opponents, noting Ty Cunningham and Michael Swanson always being ready if called upon in games as well. Swanson has been the one going up against Rogers in practices, and the bench players played a role in keeping the energy up this week with a long break between the sectional final and Sunday’s district final.
“That’s something that goes unnoticed a lot of times,” Wyrick said. “It’s easy for guys that don’t play as much to check out by this point in the season, but the younger guys and bench guys are really engaged and still giving one 100 percent effort. It means a lot because they are giving our top guys in practice good looks and that goes a long way in getting us prepared, and we know we are going to have our hands full on Sunday.”
SUNDAY’S DIVISION I DISTRICT FINALS
Fifth Third Arena, University of Cincinnati
Fairmont vs. Sycamore, 2 p.m.
Wayne vs. Turpin, 4 p.m.
Lakota West vs. Centerville, 6 p.m.
Fairfield vs. Walnut Hills, 8 p.m.
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