Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PROCTORVILLE — The Fairland Dragons were on the attack, it just seemed like they were shooting blanks over the first three quarters.

After taking an 8-4 lead, the Dragons fell behind and trailed the rest of the game until the final seconds as they rallied to beat the Meigs Marauders 61-60 Wednesday.

Fairland (10-9) was just 22-of-63 from the field for 35 percent and only 1-of-9 from behind the arc.

“We were attacking the basket the whole game, we just didn’t finish. We were missing shots at point-blank range. If we make those shots, we could have scored 90,” said Fairland coach Nathan Speed.

Luke Phillips scored 26 points to go with four assists to lead the Dragons. Chance Short had 14 points and eight rebounds, Evan Maddox scored 12 points while Nathan Campbell finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

Meigs (8-9) was led by Isaiah English with 26 points and eight rebounds. Damon Jones had 13 points and six rebounds.

Campbell scored six points to match English and the Dragons led 15-13 at the end of the first quarter.

The Dragons went stone cold in the second quarter as they hit just 1-of-16 from the field and scored four points allowing Meigs to take a 26-19 halftime lead.

Maddox scored eight points in the third quarter but English had seven points as Meigs pushed its lead to 42-34.

English had eight more points in the fourth quarter, but the Dragons erupted for 27 points. Flynn had seven points, Short scored six and Phillips had 14 of his points including 8-of-10 at the foul line.

Flynn hit two foul shots with 12 seconds left to tie the game and Phillips made one with six seconds to play that gave the Dragons the win.

“In the fourth quarter we just did a better job of finishing and we made some big foul shots,” said Speed.

The Dragons held a 33-26 rebound advantage despite missing their two key big men inside. Tyler Campbell was out with an illness and Trent Wilcoxon is lost for the season with a knee injury.

Fairland visits Rock Hill Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game and hosts Spring Valley, W.Va., on Saturday before facing Belpre at 5 p.m. Monday at Jackson in the sectional tournament.

Meigs 13 13 16 18 = 60

Fairland 15 4 15 27 = 61

MEIGS (8-9): Ty Phelps 1-3 0-1 2, Isaiah English 12-24 2-5 26, Jordan Hutton 2-8 3-4 8, Damon Jones 4-9 3-4 13, Forest Nagy 1-1 0-2 2, Cody Bartram 4-6 0-0 9. Totals: 24-51 8-16 60. 3-point goals: 4-13 (Phelps 0-1, English 0-1, Hutton 1-6, Jones 2-3, Bartram 1-2). Rebounds: 26 (English 8, Jones 6). Assists: 6. Steals: 4. Turnovers: 21. Fouls: 24. Fouled out: Phelps.

FAIRLAND (10-9): Thayer Flynn 3-8 4-5 10, Luke Phillips 4-11 8-12 16, Evan Maddox 5-19 1-1 12, Jacob Warner 0-3 0-0 0, Nathan Campbell 4-8 1-2 9, Chance Short 6-14 2-4 14, Shane Stevens 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-63 16-24 61. 3-point goals: 1-9 (Maddox 1-5, Warner 0-2, Short 0-2). Rebounds: 33 (Campbell 10, Short 8). Assists: 8 (Phillips 4). Steals: 10 (Campbell 5). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Maddox.