PROCTORVILLE – It would have been easy for the Fairland Dragons to play out the rest of the season.

Saturday, February 10, 2001

PROCTORVILLE – It would have been easy for the Fairland Dragons to play out the rest of the season.

With a record of 2-12, the Dragons appeared to be going nowhere fast. But with four wins in their last five games the Dragons are now 6-13 and on a roll.

Fairland’s sixth win of the season came Friday night with a 35-31 overtime victory over the Coal Grove Hornets in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

"I told them before the game they are the guttiest, grittiest 5-13 team I’ve seen. That just proves they don’t worry about their record," Fairland coach Joey Thacker said.

Fairland (6-13) trailed in the fourth quarter and missed a shot from the lane that could have tied the score. The Dragons fouled, but the Hornets missed the shots with 19 seconds left.

The Dragons went to center Glen Chapman who scored with four seconds to play to tie the game and force the overtime.

In overtime, Brad Taliaferro hit two clutch free throws and the defense held Coal Grove scoreless.

"Brad Taliaferro made two key free throws in the fourth quarter and then got two more in overtime. And K. C. Jones hit two big 3s, especially one in the fourth quarter, and he just played real gutsy," Thacker said.

Chapman had 11 points to lead Fairland while K. C. Jones added eight points and four rebounds. Taliaferro had five assists and four steals while Dunfee had four rebounds and three assists.

Coal Grove was led by Joe Sark with a game-high 13 points. Ryan Young had seven points.

"Dunfee did a great job on Young. Josh was tired. We never take him out and we’ve played five games in eight days. The fact we struggled offensively and found a way to come back and win in overtime is an indication where we’ve come. Early in the year we wouldn’t have won it," Thacker said.

Coal Grove 8 4 11 8 0 – 31

Fairland 5 11 6 9 4 – 35

COAL GROVE: Jason Winters 2 0 0-0 4, Beau Webb 0 0 1-3 1, Caleb Potter 0 0 1-2 1, Ryan Young 3 0 1-3 7, Joe Sark 6 0 1-4 13, Jason Adams 2 0 1-4 5, 13 0 5-16 31. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Webb.

FAIRLAND (6-13, 3-4): Josh Dunfee 1 0 1-3 3, Darren Colburn 2 0 0-0 4, Chris Dinwiddie 0 0 1-2 1, Brad Taliaferro 1 0 4-7 6, J. W. Jones 1 0 0-0 2, K. C. Jones 1 2 0-0 8, Glen Chapman 5 0 1-2 11. Totals: 13 (2) 7-14 35. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 26 (J.W. Jones 6, Colburn 5, Dunfee 4, K. C. Jones 4). Assists: 12 (Taliaferro 5, Dunfee 3). Steals: 6 (Taliferro 4). Turnovers: 13.