Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

MIAMI, Fla. — So that’s why they call them the “Fighting” Tigers.

The Coral Reef Barracudas withstood a furious Ironton comeback and escaped with a 75-73 win over the Fighting Tigers Saturday in the fifth place game of the Junior Orange Bowl Classic.

Ironton (6-2) trailed by 15 points when Brian Glassford hit a 3-pointer to begin the second half. The Fighting Tigers battled back to actually take the lead in the fourth quarter on three separate occasions.

“They were definitely Fighting Tigers today,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

“We knew we were going to play great competition and they were a great team. Our kids stayed with it. I didn’t come for moral victories, but we learned something about ourselves down here.”

The loss overshadowed a career-high 40-point performance by Ironton senior guard Zac Carter. Trey Fletcher had 23 points including a 3-pointer at the 3:33 mark of the second quarter that gave him 1,000 points for his career.

With the game tied at 73, Zavier Peart shot an 18-foot air ball. But Cedric Hankerson was there for the rebound and put the shot back up for the go-ahead basket.

“You hate to see a tough game come down to one shot and it’s a crazy shot and they get the rebound. You have to block out on that,” said LaFon.

Carter missed a 3-point attempt and Ironton fouled Danyan Thompson who missed the front end of a one-and-one with five seconds left.

Ironton got the rebound but Carter’s 30-footer fell short.

The Class 8-A Barracudas (13-1) were led by Hankerson with 33 points. Glassford had 23 points.

Ironton was riddled with foul trouble in the first half as Carter sat out most of the first quarter while Fletcher and Stephens went to the bench in the second quarter.

Ironton trailed 29-15 at one point before a 3-pointer by Tristan Cox cut the gap to 39-32. The Barracudas used a trey by Glassford to lead 44-32 at the half.

Carter scored 18 points in the third quarter as Ironton cut the deficit to 58-54.

Cater’s trifecta with 6:05 left gave Ironton its first lead since 4-3 and his 3-point play with 2:48 to go put the Fighting Tigers up 67-66.

Carter hit back-to-back 30-pointers to tie the game at 73-73 with 1:03 left.

Coral Reef 16 28 14 17 = 75

Ironton 10 22 22 19 = 73

CORAL REEF (13-1): Cedric Henderson 7 3 10-12 33, David Bargamento 2 0 2-3 6, Malik Audain 1 0 0-0 2, Danyan Thompson 0 0 0-1 0, Brian Glassford 4 4 3-3 23, Davian Bryan 0 0 0-0 0, Ethan Kalish 0 0 0-1 0, Zavier Peart 4 0 1-4 9, Chris Cannady 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 19 7 14-24 75. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (6-2): Zac Carter 3 7 13-14 40, Josh Glover 0 0 0-4 0, Trevor White 3 0 0-2 6, Trey Fletcher 5 2 7-9 23, Aaron Stephens 0 0 1-2 1, Tristan Cox 0 1 0-0 3, Joe Bowling 0 0 0-0 0, Darrius Boykin 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11 10 21-31 73. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Stephens, Glover.