Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Ironton coach Mark LaFon wasn’t happy with how his team played.
The Fairland Dragons will do that to you.
The Dragons used some long-range shooting, a balanced offense and tough defense to beat the Fighting Tigers 76-39 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Tuesday.
“They are a very good team and they execute very well. They’re very good,” said LaFon.
“We just didn’t compete. We didn’t handle their press. I’d like to find some positive things to say but I can’t find them.”
Luke Thomas scored 19 points including five 3-pionter goals to lead Fairland (3-0, 1-0). Kollin Van Horn had 12 points and six rebounds while Isaiah Howell added 10 points including a pair of 3-pointers.
The Dragons were 9-of-24 from the 3-point line and 32-of-62 from the field.
Ironton (1-2, 0-1) was led by freshman Reid Carrico with 14 points and seven rebounds.
A layup by Hunter Humphreys put Ironton up 3-2 and Ethan Wilson followed with a trifecta and it was 6-2.
Howell hit a 3-pointer but Carrico made a layup for an 8-5 lead. Howell answered with a 3-pointer and Thomas made a layup for a 10-8 lead.
Trent Milleson hit a putback shot to tie the game for Ironton with 1:12 left in the half.
But that’s when Fairland took over.
Keedrick Cunningham banked in a 19-footer and Thomas hit a 3-poitner to put the Dragons up 15-10 at the end of the quarter.
Thomas hit three more triples around a 3-pointer by Ironton’s Ayden Barnes. Carrico’s two foul shots cut the deficit to 24-15 with 6:21 left in the half, but the Dragons scored six more points to open up a 30-15 lead.
Fairland outscored Ironton 8-1 the rest of the half including back-to-back layups by Howell and it was 38-16 at the half.
Carrico made a layup to begin the second half but Fairland got a dunk by Van Horn and a 3-pointer by Cunningham and it was 47-19.
Thomas had five points including a 3-pointer and Ty Wilcoxon scored four points as Fairland built a 61-28 lead at the end of the quarter.
On Friday, Ironton is at Gallipolis while Fairland visits Coal Grove.
Fairland    15    23    23    15    =    76
Ironton       10    6    12    11    =    39
FAIRLAND (3-0, 1-0): Isaiah Howell 2 2 0-0 10, Ty Staten 2 0 1-3 7, Luke Thomas 2 5 0-0 19, Kollin Van Horn 6 0 0-0 12, Keedrick Cunningham 1 1 0-0 5, Ty Wilcoxon 2 0 2-2 6, Joel Lambiotte 3 0 0-0 6, Chase Fisher 0 0 0-0 0, Clayton Thomas 0 0 0-0 0, Matt Mondlak 2 0 0-0 4, Ian Chinn 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Gartin 0 1 0-0 3, Andy Lange 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 32-62 3-4 76. 3-pt goals: 9-24. Rebounds: 15-O, 20-D = 35 (Van Horn 6, Wilcoxon 5). Team rebounds: 2. Assists: 10 (Thomas 4). Steals: 13 (Thomas 3, Staten 3). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
IRONTON (1-2, 0-1): Ethan Wilson 1 1 1-2 6, Kyle Adkins 0 0 1-2 1, Joel Blankenship 2 0 1-1 5, Hunter Humphreys 2 0 0-0 4, Reid Carrico 5 0 4-6 14, Trent Milleson 1 0 0-0 2, Ayden Barnes 0 1 0-0 3, Ryan Payne 1 0 0-0 2, Collin Freeman 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-45 7-11 39. 3-pt goals: 2-9. Rebounds: 12-O, 14-D = 26 (Carrico 7, Milleson 4, Humphreys 4). Assists: 5 (Wilson 2, Payne 2). Steals: 5 (Adkins 2, Payne 2). Turnovers: 19. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.