Ironton’s rally comes up short
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Ironton found itself down 27 points with 3:15 left in the third quarter, then went on a 23-0 run to get within four points.
Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Ironton found itself down 27 points with 3:15 left in the third quarter, then went on a 23-0 run to get within four points.
But Spring Valley was able to recover and hold on for a 61-52 win Tuesday night.
"I’m proud of our guys," Ironton coach Chris Barnes said. "They didn’t quit. They played hard until the end. We just got so far down it was too much to overcome.
"We would have had to kept Spring Valley scoreless another three minutes, and that’s just too much to ask. They’re a good team."
Ironton (6-11) fell into a deep hole the second quarter.
Trailing just 15-11 after the first quarter, the Fighting Tigers did not connect on any of their 13 field goal attempts the second quarter. Their only points were four foul shots as the T-Wolves outscored Ironton 19-4 to lead 34-15 at the half.
Spring Valley freshman guard Brandon Moore and 6-foot-4 center Dustin Dean were the difference the first half. Moore had 16 of his game-high 26 points including four 3-pointers, and Dean scored nine of his 14 in the half.
A layup by Zack Cumpston put the T-Wolves up 49-22 with 3:15 to go in the third quarter.
Ironton then went on an 11-0 run to end the quarter and kept right on rolling to begin the fourth quarter.
Jason Harmon had a layup, Isaac Hannon hit a 3-pointer, Jimmy Peyton and Michael Henry scored inside, and Hannon’s 3-pointer at the 4:23 mark got Ironton within 49-45.
But Dean’s layup and a foul shot by Moore opened up a 52-45 lead.
Harmon converted a steal into another layup and it was 52-47.
Kris Wilson hit a 15-footer with a minute to play and Spring Valley was up 10. Harmon then followed up a missed shot to make it 57-49.
Moore and Brian Kilgore each made a free throw to get the lead back to 10 with 25 seconds left.
Drew Mains drained a 3-pointer for Ironton, but Moore’s two foul shots with 19 seconds left capped the scoring.
Ironton forced Spring Valley into 25 turnovers, 10 the fourth quarter.
Harmon led Ironton with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Hannon finished with 15 points and Peyton had 10 points and six rebounds.
Dean had 10 rebounds to go with his 14 points.
Wilson, a junior guard who has already signed with Marshall, was held to eight points by Harmon as he hit only 3 of 13 shots and was 1 of 9 from 3-point range.