LANCASTER, Ohio -- In a non-league matchup between two Division IV schools who don't receive much coverage, East Knox (2-3) held off a late comeback attempt from Fairfield Christian (0-8) to take down the Knights 46-37.

Finding a lot of looks in the half court early on, East Knox used three triples from Weston Melick, Nathan Whitney and Peyton Lester to build an early advantage and take 15-8 lead into the second  quarter.

They then took advantage of some sloppy play from Fairfield Christian in the second quarter, picking off a few easy steals in the passing lanes that led to easy transition buckets, one of them being an and-one from Lester.

This helped East Knox extend their lead to double digits before the break, taking a 26-14 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

While Fairfield Christian struggled to hit shots in the first half and couldn't create much offense, seniors Blaine Keener and Jayden Akers gave them some much needed consistent play on that end in the third.

The two combined to score 10 of the Knights 12 points in the frame, cutting the deficit to just 35-27 and giving Fairfield Christian some life and an opportunity to pick up their first win heading into the final quarter of play.

While they cut the lead to as little as six after a three from Keener made it 39-33 with 1:57 to go, it was simply too little too late.

Despite knocking down just four of eight free throws in the final eight minutes, the Bulldogs held on, picking up their second win of the season on the road.

They were led by 15 points from Melick, while Whitney, Lester and Kalvin Galwitz each chipped in with eight points a piece. You can catch them again on Friday when they travel to Mount Gilead.

For Fairfield Christian, Keener led the way with 15 points, while Akers contributed nine and no other player scored more than four points for the Knights.

Despite a tough start to the season where they've lost a handful of close games, the Knights next two games are very winnable as they host New Hope Christian on Friday before traveling to Grove City Christian a week from tomorrow.

Weston Melick (5'10 WG / East Knox / 2021): Melick was East Knox best source of offense on Friday night as they looked to him to score points when they needed them and he did exactly that, leading the Bulldogs with 15 points. All three of the juniors made field goals came from beyond the arc as he showed off a smooth stroke to go along with a good idea of how to move off the ball and create open looks for himself. The bulky 5-foot-10 guard also scored six points at the line, using his strong frame to bruise his way into the lane an absorb contact near the rim despite not finishing off a few looks we expected him to. Small colleges should take a look at the junior when the time comes as he is capable of becoming a solid scoring threat in the future if he can add to his offensive arsenal.

Blaine Keener (6'3 PF / Fairfield Christian / 2020): Keener did some impressive things for Fairfield Christian on Monday night, showing off some clear improvement to his offensive game since we last saw him play a season ago. While he was more of a bruising back-to-the-basket post a year ago in our last viewing, the senior has clearly improved his handle as he attacked off the dribble from the free throw line and the short corner for two tough scores near the rim on Monday. We were impressed with his ability to stretch the floor as well, hitting a mid-range off movement and a three-pointer off the catch. Keener uses his strength and size to dominate the glass as well as he snatched down 12 rebounds in the contest on Monday and played some tough defense in the post. While he is committed to play baseball at Mount Vernon Nazarene, the senior is a player who could possibly receive all-league honors this season as he was the Knights best player tonight.

Jayden Akers (6'0 PG / Fairfield Christian / 2020): Akers was the best creator off the dribble during the contest on Monday as he created a handful of open looks in the mid-range and near the rim despite failing to convert on a very efficient percentage of them. The 6-foot tall senior has a reliable handle, good quickness and a solid first step that allows him to create space and find his own shot. He hit a three off the catch, converted a tough floater and finished off a tough and-one near the rim on Monday night. While he forced some passes that led to turnovers, we were impressed with his vision as well, spotting a few open teammates near the rim for easy finishes while drawing help side defense. With an improved feel, the senior could put up some solid outings for the Knights this year as he has a knack for how to create open looks.