Franklin County’s boys basketball team has found itself in some tough situations this season.

On Tuesday, when FCHS’ game with Lafayette got tight, the Flyers knew what to do.

“This is our best (game) in awhile,” FCHS coach Scott Chalk said after the Flyers defeated Lafayette 80-78 at Franklin County.

“We played like we were playing earlier in the year,” he added. “The great thing about this game was it was nip-and-tuck the whole way. It went back and forth, and you had to keep the intensity up and play hard.”

Lafayette (9-14) scored the first four points of the game, but FCHS answered with seven straight points to take the lead and the Flyers stayed ahead for the rest of the first half.

FCHS led 21-15 at the end of the first quarter and 41-37 at halftime. Its largest lead of the half was nine points.

The Flyers’ defensive game plan was simple.

“Just get after it,” said FCHS guard Ryan Timmons, who finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. “Of course they’re bigger than we are, but we’re smaller and faster and we had to get after it, create turnovers and steals.”

The Generals have five players who are 6-7 or 6-8, but they lost the rebounding battle 32-30.

“We wanted to battle them for rebounds,” Chalk said. “Make an effort on them even though they’re bigger.”

Lafayette did go to its inside game early in the third quarter and went ahead 44-43 with 5:34 left, its first lead since the opening minute of the game.

The game was close the rest of the way, with neither team leading by more than four points.

Lafayette’s last lead came at 76-75 after two free throws by Charles Sweatt-Washington with 2:13 left in the game.

FCHS’ Casey Tabor came up with a big rebound with 1:30 remaining, scoring on the putback and getting fouled. He made the free throw, putting the Flyers ahead 78-76.

Eric Meyer went 1 for 2 from the line 20 seconds later to give Franklin County a 79-76 advantage.

Lafayette’s Tranard Chester hit a jumper to cut the Flyers’ lead to one point, 79-78, with 1:01 remaining.

The Flyers ran the clock down on its next possession until Tabor was fouled with eight seconds left.

He went 1 for 2 from the line for an 80-78 lead.

Lafayette called a timeout with three seconds left, nullifying a layup made right before the timeout was awarded, but the Generals couldn’t get a shot off in the final seconds.

“It was a lot better effort,” Chalk said about his team. “They were paying more attention and playing through some things. In the last two weeks when something went wrong they’d drop their heads, but tonight they played through that.”

The Flyers shot light out, hitting 59.2 percent from the field. They were 5 for 11 on 3-pointers.

Lafayette hit 45 percent from the field and 62 percent (21 for 34) from the foul line.

“Ryan set the tone for the game, but everyone, Casey, Eric (Meyer), everyone played well,” Chalk said.

“Chris (Roberts) did a good job on (Jackson) Davis. He battled him, and that’s all you can do. If you guard him you’re going to get some fouls, and he’s going to get some points.”

Davis, who averages 14 points and eight rebounds for Lafayette, had 12 points and four boards Tuesday.

The Flyers have now won their last two games. Those wins broke a five-game skid during which FCHS played some of the state’s toughest teams, including No. 1 Trinity, Scott County and Henry Clay.

“I think he meant to do that,” Timmons said about Chalk. “It’s a tough schedule, but when you play teams like that you get better and better.”

Franklin County plays at Bryan Station Friday.

LAFAYETTE (78) – Jacob Jeter 2, Charles Sweatt-Washington 19, Tranard Chester 17, Ethan Burlingham 3, Gavin Owsley 3, Jackson Davis 12, Nick Trisko 14, Shon Wright 2, Lance Blakley 2, Darius Hughes 4.

FRANKLIN CO. (80) – Casey Tabor 14, Logan Woodside 10, Garrett Hamilton 8, Eric Meyer 11, Ryan Timmons 19, Chris Roberts 6, Rylan Rowe 9, Aaron Brown 3.