Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

It’s been the same old story for the Fairland Dragons. And coach Nathan Speed likes the ending.

The Dragons used the same formula to be successful that they’ve used all season as they beat the Wesley Christian Circuit Riders 80-61 in the opening game of Friday’s Ironton Classic.

“We played good defense and we had a lot of people contributing. That’s how we get it done,” said Speed as his team improved to 5-2.

Getting it done on the offensive end were Evan Maddox, Kyle Raines and Chance Short.

Maddox scored 23 points to go with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. Raines had 16 points — 14 in the first half — to go with 8 rebounds. Short hit five 3-pointers — four straight to end the third quarter — as he scored 18 points.

“Kyle carried us early and Evan just plays steady the whole game. Chance is the kind of shooter who gets in the rhythm and he can knock them down,” said Speed.

Joshua Amuzu had 17 points, Dishawn Thompson 13 points and Stephen Goble 9 points and 10 rebounds for Wesley Christian (8-5).

Raines scored 10 points in the first quarter and Maddox had 6 points including a layup with eight seconds on the clock to give Fairland a 17-16 lead.

Colton Caldwell had a put-back and a 3-pointer to give the Riders a 21-19 lead and a trey by Thompson opened up a 27-21 spread.

But two foul shots by Luke Phillips tied the game and a baseline shot by Short put the Dragons up for good at 34-32.

A free throw by Phillip Beaty made it 35-32 at the half.

Leading 47-40 with 2:06 left in the third quarter, Short got hot as he knocked down four triples in a row including one with 10 seconds left and it was 59-42.

Fairland went on an 8-3 run to start the fourth quarter and began to pull away from the Riders.

The Dragons took their biggest lead at 76-55 with less than one minute to play on a layup by Beaty.

Fairland 17 18 24 21 = 80

Wesley 16 16 10 19 = 61

FAIRLAND (5-2): Cody Midkiff 0 1 0-0 3, Luke Phillips 0 0 3-4 3, Nathan Campbell 0 0 0-0 0, Kyle Raines 7 0 2-2 16, Evan Maddox 11 0 1-2 23, Thayer Flynn 0 0 1-4 1, Jacob Warner 0 0 0-0 0, Chance Short 1 5 1-2 18, Jake Wireman 0 0 2-2 2, Tyler Campbell 4 0 0-0 8, Dionte Braye 0 0 0-0 0, Phillip Beaty 1 1 1-2 4, Matt McComas 0 0 0-0 0, Jake Wireman 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 31-67 11-18 80. 3-point goals: 7-15. Rebounds: 20-22=42 (Raines 8, Maddox 6, Midkiff 6). Team rebounds: 6. Assists: 9 (Maddox 3, Short 2). Steals: 12 (Maddox 4). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

WESLEY CHRISTIAN (8-5): Colton Caldwell 1 1 0-0 5, Dishawn Thompson 4 1 2-4 13, Joshua Amuzu 5 2 1-1 17, Thomas Hall 1 1 2-2 7, Stephen Goble 3 1 0-1 9, Devin Kendrick 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Mosley 1 2 0-0 8, Shane Salyers 1 0 0-0 2, Zac Clark 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 24-52 5-8 61. 3-point goals: 8-17. Rebounds: 8-20=28 (Goble 10, Thompson 5). Assists: 11 (Amuzu 3). Steals: 3. Turnovers: 24. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.