Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

The Ashland Kittens kept asking and the Fairland Lady Dragons kept answering.

Every time Ashland made a run the Lady Dragons were able to answer, thus beating the Kittens 57-47 Saturday in the Ironton Hall of Fame Shootout.

Fairland took a 17-point lead early and Ashland cut the lead to single digits on four occasions. And each time the Lady Dragons were able to extend the lead.

“We had some answers,” said Fairland coach Jon Buchanan. “Terra (Stapleton) had her usual dominating performance. When they got close a few times, Kayla Swiger made some big shots and Chandler Fulks hit some big 3s.”

Stapleton had 25 points — 20 in the first half — and 13 rebounds as Fairland ran its record to 15-0. Fulks scored 12 points and had 5 assists while Kelsey Riley had 11 points and 8 rebounds.

Kaylyn Gambill scored 13 points for Ashland (14-5).

Stapleton scored 10 points in the first quarter and it was 15-5.

Riley hit a 15-foot bank shot at the 6:07mark of the second quarter to give Fairland a 21-5 lead.

Swiger’s 3-pointer made it 24-7 moments later, but Ashland cut the deficit to 24-15 on a layup by Sydney Cullop with 3:05 left in the half.

But Stapleton scored 4 points including a put-back to make it 30-15. A triple by Gambill before the half cut the spread to 30-18.

A 3-point play by Alexis Robinson drew Ashland within 34-26 with 5:02 left in the third quarter. Stapleton answered with a put-back and a foul shot and Fulks nailed a 3-pointer and it was 40-26..

The Kittens were down 43-38 on a 3-point by Gambill, but a layup by Riley with eight seconds on the clock made it 45-38.

A baseline shot by Caitlin Stone to begin the fourth quarter and a follow up shot by Swiger opened up a 49-38 lead.

Ashland made one more run, getting within 49-45 on a steal and layup by Robinson, but a 3-pointer by Fulks and a layup by a wide-open Riely gave Fairland a 54-45 lead with 1:323 left.

Fairland was 23 of 53 from the floor. Ashland made just 17 of 55.

“We did a good job taking them out of what they do. They do some many things you can’t write them all down. We gave up some things, but we took away what we wanted,” said Buchanan

“I was happy with the way we guarded on the perimeter and we didn’t let Robinson get in the lane and hurt us.”

Fairland hosts Wheelersburg on Monday.

Ashland 5 13 20 9 = 47

Fairland 15 15 15 12 = 57

ASHLAND (14-5): Haley Sue Foutch 3 0 0-0 6, Alicia Gunter 0 1 0-0 3, Sydney CUllop 3 0 3-3 9, Kaylyn Gambill 2 3 0-1 13, Alexis Robinson 2 0 4-5 8, Madison Jones 1 1 0-0 5, Mykassa Robinson 0 0 0-0 0, Cayce Layne 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-55 7-9 47. 3-point goals: 6-21. Rebounds: 10-18=28 (Cullp 8, A. Robinson 6, Foutch 6). Team rebounds: 4. Assists: 5 (A. Robinson 3). Steals: 9 (Cullop 4, A. Robinson 3). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.

FAIRLAND (15-0): Terra Stapleton 11 0 3-4 25, Kelsey Riley 5 0 1-6 11, Chandler Fulks 0 3 3-4 12, Caitlin Stone 2 0 0-0 4, Taylor Perry 0 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Riley 0 0 0-2 0, Mariah Chaffin 0 0 0-0 0, Kayla Swiger 1 1 0-0 5, Brianna Dickess 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-53 7-14 57. 3-point goals: 4-14. Rebounds: 15-25=40 (Stapleton 13, K. Riley 8, Fulks 6). Team rebounds; 5. Assists: 11 (Fulks 5). Steals: 5 (K. Riley 3). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.