Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — Getting a win was as easy as one, two, third quarter.

Leading by just two points at the half, Ironton used a strong third quarter to open up the close game and beat the Rock Hill Redmen 51-39 on Saturday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“Hats off to (Rock Hill) in the first half. They were physical and we stood too much,” said Ironton coach Mark LaFon.

“The third quarter was the difference. We started to execute and hit the boards. We didn’t do a good job pressuring the ball the first half, but we did in the third quarter.”

Ironton came out of the blocks with 3-balls by Phillip Kratzenberg and Tristan Cox. A 3-point play by Austin Collins midway through the quarter gave Rock Hill a 7-6 lead.

A layup by Austin Barcus put the lead at 10-6 before Cox made two foul shots with five seconds on the clock and it was 10-8 at the end of the quarter.

Joe Bowling hit a 15-footer to start the second quarter and tie the game, Kratzenberg hit a free throw for the lead and Bowling’s stickback put Ironton up 13-10.

The Redmen rallied to take a 16-15 lead on a layup by Collins and free throw by Barcus.

Dylan Malone’s layup and a steal by Bowling that led to a 3-point play enabled Ironton to regain the lead at 20-16. Barcus made 15-footer with three seconds left and it was 20-18 at the break.

Ironton came out the second half and went on a 15-1 run to take a 35-19 lead. Alex Nance hit back-to-back shots for the Redmen to make it 35-23.

But a layup by Raphael Glover and a free throw by Cox put Ironton up 38-23 at the end of the quarter.

Ironton forced the Redmen to commit six turnovers in the quarter.

A jumper by Cox and four free throws by Kratzenberg to begin the fourth quarter gave Ironton its biggest lead at 44-23.

A couple of late 3-pointers by Rock Hill’s Brady Knipp set the final score.

Cox had 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists as Ironton improved to 8-7 and 5-3 in the OVC.

Kratzenberg had 13 points and 2 steals, and Joe Bowling added 11 points, 6 rebounds a and 2 steals. Malone grabbed 9 rebounds and Desmond Young had 7.

“We’re getting balance on offense and rebounding, but we have to start making the easy shots inside. We can’t keep doing this,” said LaFon.

Collins had 11 points and 7 rebounds to pace Rock Hill (4-11, 1-7). Barcus had 10 points while Matney pulled down 6 rebounds.

Rock Hill visits Chesapeake in a league game on Tuesday.

Ironton plays Huntington St. Joe at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the Huntington Classic at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

Ironton 8 12 18 13 = 51

Rock Hill 10 8 5 16 = 39

IRONTON (8-7, 5-3): Phillip Kratzenberg 2 1 6-9 13, Tristan Cox 3 1 5-6 14, Marques Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Tanner Price 2 0 0-0 4, Raphael Glover 1 0 3-4 5, Joe Bowling 5 0 1-1 11, Desmond Young 0 0 2-3 2, Dylan Malone 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 16-46 17-23 51. 3-point goals: 2-10. Rebounds: 18-O, 21-D = 39 (Malone 8, Young 7, Bowling 6, Cox 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 6. Assists: 5 (Cox 3). Steals: 7 (Bowling 2, Kratzenberg 2). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.

ROCK HILL (5-10, 1-7): Austin Collins 4 0 3-6 11, Jake Falls 0 1 2-2 5, Nathan Turvey 0 0 0-0 0, Trystan Matney 0 0 2-2 2, Austin Barcus 4 0 2-4 10, Tanner Martin 0 0 1-3 1, Brady Knipp 0 2 0-0 6, Timmy Adkins 0 0 0-0 0, Alex Nance 2 00-0 4, Cameron Barnett 0 0 0-0 0, Tyler Damron 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13-44 10-17 39. 3-point goals: 3-18. Rebounds: 12-O, 18-D = 30 (Collins 7, Matney 6, Martin 4). Team/deadball rebounds: 7. Assists: 2. Steals: 6. Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.