WHEELERSBURG - Oh, shoot!

Ironton survived a poor shooting night as the Fighting Tigers knocked off the Wheelersburg Pirates 55-41 Tuesday.

The Fighting Tigers were just 21 of 56 from the field for 37.5 percent including

7 of 20 from 3-point range for 35 percent.

"Our shooting was atrocious. Our inside shooting was zip. I can't believe the shots we missed," Ironton coach Roger Zornes said.

Fortunately for Ironton, guards Dennis Gagai and Brigham Waginger finally got their shooting touch back for enough points to keep the Fighting Tigers through two games.

Gagai hit five 3-pointers en route to score 22 points. He also collected six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Waginger added 18 points, five rebounds, six assists and six steals.

Cliff Howard pulled down 11 rebounds for Ironton.

"Our guards knocked down some shots, but our guards are where our experience is," Zornes said. "We thought this game was going to be easy and we backed off and they kept coming at us. We just weren't ready to play."

Tom Kaskey and Gary Salyers scored 9 points each to lead Wheelersburg, 0-2.

Ironton opened the game with a 7-0 run and never trailed. The lead was 15-9 at the end of the first quarter only to have Wheelersburg get within 22-20 on a 3-pointer by Kaskey with 3:30 left in the half.

Gagai answered with a pair of 3-pointers to extend the lead to 28-20. Two foul shots by Nick Carrington just before the half got the Pirates within 28-22.

A 3-point play by Marcus Williams gave Ironton a 40-30 lead with 2:01 left in the third quarter. Dustin Cook made a layup to get the Pirates within 40-32 to end the quarter.

Gagai hit a 3-pointer and made a layup as Ironton took its biggest lead of the game at 50-30 with 5:47 to play.

"I just shot the ball real hard early. I was anxious because this was our first real test," Gagai said. "I started getting in the flow in the second half and I felt good."

Ironton took a 52-35 lead on a layup by Waginger and then began to work on its delay game. Joe Zornes made a foul shot with 2:34 to play and Greg Linn nailed Ironton's last basket with 29 seconds left that put the lead at 55-39.

In the reserve game, Michael Phillips had 12 points as Ironton won 47-31. Jared Murphy and Chad Miller scored 10 points each and T.J. Keith added 8 for Ironton. Blake Howard had 9 points for the Pirates.

Ironton15131215-55

Wheelersburg913109-41

IRONTON (2-0):

Dennis Gagai 8-21 (5-13) 1-3 22, Brigham Waginger 7-14 (1-5) 3-3 18, Joe Zornes 2-4 (1-2) 1-2 6, Cliff Howard 2-7 (0-0) 0-3 4, Brent McBride 0-3 (0-0) 0-0 0, Marcus Williams 1-5 (0-0) 1-3 3, Greg Linn 1-2 (0-0) 0-0 2. Totals: 21-56

(7-20)

6-14

55. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 15-20=35 (Howard 11, Gagai 6, Williams 6, Waginger 5). Assists: 11 (Waginger 6, Gagai 3). Steals: 10 (Waginger 6, Gagai 3).Turnovers: 14.

WHEELERSBURG (0-2):

Nick Carrington 1-7 (0-1) 4-4 6, Seth Cowgill 0-3 (0-1) 0-0 0. Tom Kaskey 4-10 (1-2) 0-0 9, Gary Salyers 4-7 (0-1) 1-2 9, Jordan Clark 1-1 (0-0) 0-0 2, Camden Miller 2-5 (1-4) 1-2 6, Dustin Cook 3-7 (1-2) 0-0 7, Drew Spradlin 1-3 (0-1) 0-0 2, Tyler Holsinger 0-1 (0-0) 0-0 0. Totals: 16-44

(3-12)

6-8

41. Rebounds: 6-18=24 (Kaskey 7, Carrington 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 7. Assists: 5. Steals: 5 (Kaskey 2, Miller 2). Turnovers: 20.